Tatsuko Statue (Lake Tazawa)
「たつこ像」舟越保武
A golden statue of a girl on the shore of Lake Tazawa, Japan's deepest lake, telling the legend of Tatsuko, who became a dragon to stay beautiful forever.
Tatsuko, the girl who became a dragon
Lake Tazawa in Semboku, Akita Prefecture, has a legend about a girl called Tatsuko. Tatsuko was very beautiful, and wishing to keep her beauty and youth for ever, she prayed to the Okura Kannon (a Buddhist deity of mercy) for a hundred days and a hundred nights. She was then told that her wish would come true if she drank from a spring welling up to the north.
Tatsuko found the spring and drank, but instead of easing, her thirst grew stronger. She kept drinking until the spring ran dry, and as she did she turned into a dragon. And so, the story goes, Tatsuko became the guardian spirit of Lake Tazawa.
The tale goes on. Hachirotaro, a dragon driven out of Lake Towada, became the guardian of Hachirogata lagoon, but every autumn he is said to come to Lake Tazawa to spend the winter with his beloved Tatsuko. That, it is said, is why Hachirogata freezes in winter, while Lake Tazawa, home to two dragons, never does.
The golden statue by Funakoshi Yasutake
The Tatsuko Statue is the work of the sculptor Funakoshi Yasutake (1912-2002) and was erected on 12 May 1968. It is a 2.3 m bronze standing on a black stone base in the water on the western shore of Lake Tazawa.
She looks upwards with a slightly shy expression, and seems almost to be rising out of the water. The whole statue is covered in gold leaf, partly to protect it from the lake's strongly acidic water. In a way, you could say that Tatsuko's wish for eternal youth is still being kept.
Japan's deepest lake, and getting there
At 423.4 m deep, Lake Tazawa is the deepest lake in Japan. The Tatsuko Statue stands close to the shore on the western side, in an area called Katajiri.
From JR Tazawako Station, take Ugo Kotsu's Tazawako Isshu (lake loop) bus and get off at Katajiri; the statue is right there. The bus takes about 30 minutes from the station. Services and operating seasons can change, so check the timetable before you go.
Tips
- Buses are not frequent. Check the time of your return bus before you set out.
- Semboku City runs a live camera on the lakeshore, so you can check the weather and the lake before you leave.
Sources
Updated 28 September 2026. Opening hours and prices change, so check the official site before you go.
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