The Lakeside Forests
The shore around Gozengahama Beach is level with Lake Towada, and as a result the groundwater level is relatively high. Because of this, only vegetation that thrives in saturated conditions can grow along the lakeshore. A survey of the forest will reveal a variety of water-tolerant deciduous trees, including willow, katsura and elm, mixed in with oaks. Among these trees grows a member of the poplar family, but you’ll have to look up to catch sight of the top of its crown. A true giant, the Japanese poplar (doronoki) towers above the other trees, reaching heights of over 30 meters.