Lake Tazawa
Encyclopedia
is a caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...

 lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...

 in Semboku, Akita Prefecture
Akita Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region of northern Honshu, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Akita.- History :The area of Akita has been created from the ancient provinces of Dewa and Mutsu....

, northern Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. It is the deepest lake in Japan (the maximum depth is 423.0 m). Because of its depth, it never freezes.

Formerly the lake was noted for having very clear water which could be compared to Lake Mashu
Lake Mashu
is a landlocked endorheic crater lake formed in the caldera of a potentially active volcano. It is located in Akan National Park on the island of Hokkaidō, Japan. The lake has been called the clearest lake in the world.-Hydrology:...

 in Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...

. It was polluted due to the construction of a hydroelectric dam in 1940 and acid drainage from the Tamagawa Hot Spring
Tamagawa Hot Spring
The Tamagawa Hot Spring in Senboku, Akita Prefecture, Japan is the highest flow rate hot spring in Japan. Tamagawa Hot Spring has a flow rate of 150 liters/second. The Tamagawa Hot Spring feeds a 3 meter wide stream with a temperature of 98°C...

 (onsen
Onsen
An is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...

). As a result, the indigenous fish kunimasu (Oncorhynchus nerka kawamurae
Oncorhynchus nerka kawamurae
The black kokanee , or kunimasu in Japanese, is a Japanese salmon subspecies which scientists had thought had gone extinct in 1940, but was discovered to still have a living population in 2010....

) was thought to have gone extinct, however a living population was found in a different lake, Saiko Lake, in 2010 proving otherwise.

The former town of Tazawako
Tazawako, Akita
Tazawako was a town located in Senboku District, Akita, Japan.On September 20, 2005 the town merged with the town of Kakunodate and the village of Nishiki to form the new city of Semboku....

 was named after the lake. JR East maintains the Tazawako Line
Tazawako Line
The is a railway line connecting Morioka Station operated by East Japan Railway Company in Morioka, Iwate and Ōmagari Station in Daisen, Akita, Japan....

. While once the limited express Tazawa ran from Morioka
Morioka, Iwate
is the capital city of Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 300,740 and a population density of 588.11 persons per km². The total area is 489.15 km²....

 to Akita
Akita, Akita
is the capital city of Akita Prefecture in the Tohoku region of Japan.As of June 11, 2005, with the merger of the former Kawabe District , the city has an estimated population of 323,310 and density of...

, it was replaced by the Akita Shinkansen
Akita Shinkansen
The is a Mini-shinkansen high-speed rail line in Japan. Serving the Kantō and Tōhoku Regions of the country, it links Tokyo and Akita in Akita prefecture with direct service. From Tokyo to Morioka in Iwate prefecture, it operates on the Tōhoku Shinkansen tracks. From there to Ōmagari, it uses the...

 Komachi in 1997.

The area is a popular vacation area for Japanese tourists and several hot springs resorts can be found in the hills above the lake. Akita Prefecture's largest ski area, Tazawa Ski Area, overlooks the lake.
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