Drive along National Route 121 from Aizu towards Yonezawa, and further into the foothills of the Iide Mountain Range, where the lake is located.
In Yamagata Prefecture, Nishimurayama District, Iide Town, Shirakawa Lake.
It is the reservoir of the Shirakawa Dam, completed in 1981 (Showa 56). Usually, it is a quiet dam lake surrounded by greenery in the mountains.
However, at specific times in spring, this lake shows a completely different expression.
From the surface of the lake, many trees rise up.
The "submerged forest" that appears only for one month in spring.
This scenery is called submerged forest.
At the bottom of the lake, there was originally ground where white willow trees grow. Normally, the white willow trees are just slightly submerged under the water.
But in spring──.
Meltwater from the mountains of the Iide mountain range flows rapidly into the dam. The water level of the lake rises dramatically. As a result, the trunks of the white willow trees at the bottom of the lake become submerged up to the middle.
Then, a scene appears where "the trees look like they are growing out of the water".
This can be seen only for about two months from late March to mid-May. This is the time when the lake is full and the white willows begin to sprout leaves.
By summer, the water level drops, and the white willows return to ordinary riverside trees.
A mystical morning mist.
The best time to see the submerged forest is early morning.
In the morning, a thin mist rises from the surface of the lake. The fresh green white willows float there. Only the outlines of the trunks and leaves can be seen through the mist. It looks like a scene lost in an ink wash painting.
If you go out onto the lake by canoe, you can paddle through the mist. The experience of looking up at the submerged forest from just above the water's surface while slipping between the trees has a depth that cannot be conveyed through photographs.
Walking after knowing, Lake Shirakawa
When we guide our guests at Lake Shirakawa, we always start by telling them, "This view can only be seen for two months a year." Many guests are surprised and say, "Oh, I didn't know that."
The fact that you were able to see a seasonal landscape itself becomes a harvest of the journey. It will remain in your memory as "the year I saw the submerged forest of Lake Shirakawa in spring."
When you visit during the rainy season or summer, it just looks like a regular dam lake. The autumn foliage isn't bad either. However—once you see that phantom-like scenery in spring, it becomes a place with a mysterious power that makes you want to see it again.
If you visit Lake Shirakawa
Best viewing period
Late March to mid-May. This is a limited time when the timing of the snowmelt and the budding of the white willow coincide. It is said that the peak is usually from mid-April to early May.
Access
Iide Town, Nishimurayama District, Yamagata Prefecture. About a 2-hour drive from Aizuwakamatsu. The route via Yonezawa is easy to understand.
Canoe experience
The experience of the submerged forest from the lake surface is organized by local canoe guide operators. The early morning departure plan allows you to see the most beautiful scenery. Advance booking is essential.
Places you want to visit together
- Yonezawa (Yamagata Prefecture) ── About a 30-minute drive from Lake Shirakawa. Enjoy Yonezawa beef and Uesugi culture.
- Aizu and Kitakata ── On the way back to Aizu from Lake Shirakawa. Kitakata ramen and walking in the town of warehouses.
- Lake Hibara ── A journey comparing the lake created by the 1888 eruption of Mount Bandai with a modern dam lake, under the same theme of 'water and lakes.'
Would you like to join us on a journey to encounter stories?
At Tabinoito, guide Catherine, who has lived in Urabandai and Aizu for half a century, shares stories of the land not found in guidebooks, providing personalized tours for one group per day.
We can create a 2-night, 3-day course combining spring's Lake Shirakawa, Yonezawa, and Aizu, including an early morning canoe experience. Leave all the long-distance driving and arrangements to us.
Whether you want to 'see the scenery that only exists in spring' or 'take a photo journey as a couple' ─ feel free to share any requests. Just consulting is also OK; we will not pressure you with persistent sales tactics.
👉 Get a free consultation via LINE:
https://page.line.me/tabinoito
👉 View travel plans for senior couples:
https://tabinoito.com/senior/
👉 View travel plans for filial piety:
https://tabinoito.com/oyakouko/
Related articles:
The village submerged at the bottom of the lake ── Memories of Hibara Village erased by the 1888 eruption of Mount Bandai
Reference materials
- Submerged Forest (Official Iide Town)
- Submerged Forest of Lake Shirakawa (Yamagata Prefecture Tourism and Product Association)
- Shirakawa Dam (Dam Guide)
- On-site coverage (visit and interviews by Tabinoito guide Catherine)
Author of this article
Catherine ── A guide who has lived in Fukushima Prefecture, Urabandai, and Aizu for half a century. Founder of the private tour company Tabinoito. With over 30 years of guiding experience, she is deeply knowledgeable about the local nature, history, and cultural beliefs. She offers guided tours of Urabandai and Aizu, sharing stories of the land that are not found in guidebooks, limited to one group per day.
