Tazawako Station

Tazawako lake has a statue in it representing a local myth about a woman who transformed into a dragon. As a result the station is illustrated with art depicting her transition, the lake and the fictional dragon which gives a sense of grandeur to the already dramatic landscape. Although the station is small there is a large tourist information centre with a modern roof and a exterior built to last through the area's extreme winter. Its glass facade gives a feeling of light and space, and the station building was designed by the Architect, Shigeru Ban, who also designed Musee d'art Modern Georges Pompidou and the Japanese Pavilion at the Hannover Expo in 2000. Shinkansen bullet trains as well as slower local trains serve this station, with the first train from Akita at 6am, taking between 30 and 60 minutes to get to Tazawako.