About this location: Lake Suwa
Lake Suwa, in central Nagano at 759 m elevation, is the prefecture's largest caldera lake. It is famous for the «Omiwatari» phenomenon — ice ridges that rise from the surface in deep winter — and the Suwa Lake Fireworks Festival in summer. Lakeside paths and views of the «Suwa Fuji» and Yatsugatake range across the water shift with the seasons. It is also the inspiration for the lake in the film «Your Name.»
Key features
- Omiwatari — when the lake fully freezes in extreme winters and ice ridges rise from cracks; recorded as a Suwa Taisha shrine ritual for some 700 years
- Lake Suwa Fireworks Festival (August 15) — one of Japan's largest at 40,000 shells, with magnificent reflections on the water
- Tateishi Park — a 934 m vantage; «Your Name» pilgrimage spot and treasure trove of nightscapes
- Yatsugatake as Backdrop — the Yatsugatake range seen from the east shore, with the ridges glowing at sunset
- Geyser Center — the symbol of Kami-Suwa Onsen; geyser and lake compositions, plus a hot-spring promenade along the lake
