Lake Haruna 榛名湖

Lake Haruna sits at 1,100 meters above sea level in the caldera of a long-dormant volcano. The lake is gorgeous year-round, and you can enjoy a number of different seasonal activities.

Lake Haruna is accessible by bus from the west exit of Takasaki Station. It is about 90-minutes bus ride to Haruna Lake.

If you are coming from Nagano, take the JR Hokuriku Shinkansen Line to Takasaki. If you are coming from Niigata, take the JR Joetsu Shinkansen to Takasaki Station. From Tokyo, you can take both the Hokuriku and Joetsu Shinkansen lines.

In summer, be sure you rent a bike and take a ride around the lake. If you are feeling a little more adventurous, you can also try horse-riding, camping or rent a canoe or boat and head out onto the water and enjoy some stunning views. In winter, if the lake freezes over, you can try ice-fishing.