Iide Town, Yamagata Prefecture - A miracle that can only be seen in spring.

  • Yamagata
  • Experience Gifu
@Iide Canoe Club

Lake Shirakawa with its mysterious scenery

In early spring, melted snow flows into Lake Shirakawa in Iide Town, Yamagata Prefecture, and when the lake is full of water, you can see a mysterious landscape of white willow trees that look as if they were born out of the water.
There are several places in Japan where submerged forests can be seen, but Lake Shirakawa is the largest expanse of submerged forest in Japan.
The submerged forests can only be seen for about two months each year, from late March to late May.
From Shirakawa Lake, you can see snow-covered Mt. Iide!

Take a canoe ride to a fantastic world

The submerged forest seen from Shirakawa Lakeshore Park is beautiful, but for those who want to immerse themselves more fully in the submerged forest, we recommend a submerged forest tour by canoe. You can experience a deep submerged forest that cannot be seen from inside the park.
For those who are new to canoeing, a guide will kindly and carefully explain how to paddle and accompany you, making this an activity that can be enjoyed by beginners and families with no experience at all.

Now, enter the lake!

@Iide Canoe Club
The moment you get on the canoe and step out onto the water, you will feel yourself becoming one with the water, and you will be enveloped in a strange sensation of blending into nature. After paddling for a while, you will finally enter a submerged forest. The white willow trees that were visible in the distance can now be felt up close, and the chirping of birds can be heard everywhere.

Listen carefully and you will hear the sound of the wind...

The submerged forest looks completely different depending on the weather and wind conditions of the day. The world of spectacular scenery that can only be seen and heard at that particular moment spreads out before your eyes, a gift from nature that can only be experienced on that particular day.
If you sign up for a private tour, which started this year, you may even be able to touch the trees with the help of a guide!
It is truly a luxurious experience for all five senses.
@Iide Canoe Club

Two worlds of submerged forest

Even during this miraculous period, the submerged forest shows two faces.
Before the white willow buds from late March to mid-April, the silence is enveloped in white with the lingering snow on the lakeshore.
The "White Submerged Forest" is a world of white that frames the sky as well.
@Iide Canoe Club
From mid-April to mid-May, you can enjoy the "Green Submerged Forest" as the white willows begin to sprout and glow a darker green than the color of the lake surface.

You will feel the breath of life in the green world that spreads day by day.
@Iide Canoe Club

Symbolic Trees

@Iide Canoe Club
The symbol of the submerged forest is "Ippon-yanagi" (willow).
The guide says that it attracts many people as "a guiding tree with a mysterious power to draw people together.
Why don't you experience "Ippon-yanagi" from a distance that only a canoe can bring you closer to it?
In addition to "Ippon-yanagi," there are many other unique trees in the submerged forest. Finding your favorite one is also a part of the fun.
@Iide Canoe Club
@Iide Canoe Club

The submerged forest canoe tour experience at Shirakawa Lake is offered by the YAMAGATA EXPERIENCE Adventure Basin "Iide Canoe Club".

In search of unknown experiences, "Come on, let's go on an adventure!"

Iide Canoe Club Website (external link)
[Instagram] Iide Canoe Club -Adventure Basin-
For train + accommodations in Yamagata Area, book the JR East View Dynamic Rail Package.
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