Lake Towada
Lake Towada is located on the border between Akita and Aomori prefectures. The lake is 61.11 square kilometers, and extends about 10 kilometers in all directions. It has a maximum depth of 326.8 meters, which makes it the third deepest lake in the country (as of 2018).
In 1905, this sparsely inhabited lake region was given new life by Wainai Sadayuki (1858–1922), who successfully started a fish farming industry through the introduction of himemasu (kokanee) salmon. Today, this salmon is a specialty of the Towada area, with over 10 tons harvested annually. Here at Hakka Pass, you can see Mt. Ohanabe straight ahead, the Hakkoda Range behind you, and the Nakayama and Ogura peninsulas to the right. Below, you can see the Wainai hatchery, which continues to cultivate salmon to this day.