Lake Yogo 余呉湖

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Lake Yogo is a small but scenic and serene lake north of Lake Biwa. Famous for the legend of the swan maiden. You can walk or bicycle around the lake. Near Yogo Station on the JR Hokuriku Line. Lake Yogo as seen from Mt. Shizugatake.

Lake Yogo as seen from Mt. Shizugatake. From Shizugatake, there are trails going down to the lake. The long trail is on the right.

Lake Yogo as seen from Mt. Shizugatake in early June. Although it's close to Lake Biwa, it is totally separate from Lake Biwa.

Lake Yogo as seen from Mt. Shizugatake in May.

Lake Yogo as seen from the long hiking trail from Mt. Shizugatake. MAP

Hiking trail from Mt. Shizugatake. Heavily wooded with a few clearings.

View of Lake Yogo from the hiking trail from Mt. Shizugatake.

Lake Yogo is scenic in all seasons. In April, cherry blossoms bloom along a few parts of the lake.

In May, these white flowers.

In autumn (late Sept.), cosmos autumn flowers along Lake Yogo.

In winter, dramatic snowscapes around Lake Yogo. The Yogo area sees the most snow in Shiga.

Lake Yogo is also noted for the swan maiden legend. There's even a statue monument for her. The pedestal is engraved with "Yogo-ko" (Lake Yogo).

Lake Yogo as seen from Yogo Station. The tree where the swan maiden hung her clothing to bathe in the lake is on the right.

Swan maiden's tree. A sign next to it explains the legend. Lake Yogo is Japan's most noted lake for the swan maiden story. 余呉湖の衣掛柳

Lake Yogo's swan maiden story.

Lake Yogo's wildlife includes birds like black kites hunting for fish in the lake, mice, frogs, etc Black kites are know to swoop down and steal food from your hand. So watch out if you're eating.

Heron with a frog at Lake Yogo, Nagahama, Shiga.

A black kite tries to steal the heron's frog.

In winter, water fowl rest on the frozen lake surface.

From JR Yogo Station on the JR Hokuriku Line, there's a view of Lake Yogo and the rice paddies before it. This is in April when farmers are preparing the soil for rice.

By late May, rice seedlings already planted and paddies flooded.

In winter, most everything is covered with deep snow.

Rice paddies at Lake Yogo in late May.

JR Yogo Station platform with Lake Yogo in the background. In Sept. after the rice was harvested.

Lake Yogo in late Sept. after the rice was harvested.

JR Yogo Station on the Hokuriku Line in 2018. You can rent bicycles inside the station.

Yogo Station has rental bicycles. Great for cycling around the lake. On foot, it takes at least an hour to walk all around.

Lake Yogo has a nice lakeshore road going completely around the lake. Going counterclockwise is recommended since you'll be closer to the lake edge on the road. In winter, only part of the road is cleared of snow. The photos below follow a counterclockwise route.

Lake Yogo is 2.3 km long and 1.2 km wide with a 6.45 km circumference. Maximum depth is 13.3 meters and water surface area is 1.97 sq. km.

Fishing pier when fishing is in season (usually in winter). Like Lake Biwa, Lake Yogo is full of invasive species, especially bluegill. You can make some money by catching invasive fish and selling them to the local cooperative.

Lake Yogo Visitors Center where you can sell your catch of invasive fish. No English. There's a better tourist center on the other part of the lake.

Near the Visitors Center is the swan maiden monument.

Lake Yogo swan maiden monument is flanked with a number of poetry stone monuments.

Lake Yogo swan maiden monument.

Lake Yogo swan maiden monument before it was moved to its present location. The swan maiden tree can be seen in the background.

Swan maiden statue at Lake Yogo. Monument built in Nov. 1994.

Stone monument at Lake Yogo swan maiden monument.

Stone monuments at Lake Yogo swan maiden monument. Looks like poetry monuments.

Stone monuments at Lake Yogo swan maiden monument.

Swan maiden willow tree. Unknown how old the tree is.

Swan maiden tree at Lake Yogo. It's actually not that close to the lake edge. It's a willow tree. (マルバヤナギ) 余呉湖の衣掛柳

Swan maiden's tree. Sadly, a strong typhoon knocked down this tree and it's no longer here.

Sadly, in Oct. 2017, a major typhoon knocked down the swan maiden willow tree. Most of the tree had to be cut. This photo was taken in April 2018. 余呉湖の衣掛柳

By May 2021, happy to see the swan maiden tree growing anew. Let's hope another swan maiden will now come. Although she should probably bathe with her clothes on instead. Too many perverts these days...

Map of Yogo area. This area is also famous for the Battle of Shizugatake in 1583.

Autumn wildflowers at Lake Yogo.

Autumn flowers at Lake Yogo, a small scenic lake next to northern Lake Biwa.

Autumn flowers at Lake Yogo.

Autumn cosmos flowers at Lake Yogo.

Autumn flowers at Lake Yogo.

Higan-bana or red spider lily in Sept.

More rice paddies along Lake Yogo.

Lake Yogo playground.

Lake Yogo is nice and blue in April.

Mt. Shizugatake toward the right. One hiking train to Lake Yogo goes along this mountain.

Mt. Shizugatake has a bald patch where the lookout point is for tourists. Accessible by chair lift on the other side of the mountain.

Sign indicating the site of the Battle of Shizugatake.

Snowscape in winter.

Lake Yogo has this populated area with rice paddies.

White flowers along Lake Yogo in late May. Nobody could tell me what kind of flowers they were.

White flowers along Lake Yogo in late May.

Boat dock. Note that swimming is not allowed in Lake Yogo.

Rice paddies in late May.

Rice already harvested by late Sept.

Same view in winter.

Rice paddies in late May.

Rice paddies in late Sept.

Winter.

Road along Lake Yogo.

Lake Yogo rules. No fishing without permission, no motorboats, no jet skis, and no swimming. That's why it's so nice and serene.

Along the lakeshore road are few monuments like this one for the souls of lake fish.

Memorial for Yogo's war dead.

This substantial-looking monument is for another legend related to Lake Yogo. The legend of Princess Kikuishi and the Dragon Eyeball Stone. 菊石姫と蛇の目玉石

Legend of Princess Kikuishi and the Dragon Eyeball Stone. 菊石姫と蛇の目玉石

About the legend of Princess Kikuishi and the Dragon Eyeball Stone. 菊石姫と蛇の目玉石

More narrow road along the western shore of Yogo.

Same spot as previous photo, but in winter.

Hydrangea plants here. They bloom in late June.

Lake Yogo is also called "Mirror Lake" for its mirror reflections.

Poetry monuments.

Map of Lake Yogo's southern end.

Lake Yogo also has some cherry blossoms. They bloom later or maybe last in Shiga. If you missed the cherry blossoms, come to Lake Yogo.

Lake Yogo cherry blossoms are along the southern and western shores.

Lake Yogo cherry blossoms.

Lake Yogo cherry blossom petals.

Lake Yogo's mirror surface.

Lake Yogo's mirror surface in winter.

Lake Yogo in winter has the southern part of the lake freeze over.

Trail up the mountain to Mt. Shizugatake.

Large empty lot was the site of Yogoko-so Kokuminshuku lodge. It was torn down due to old age. 国民宿舎余呉湖荘跡

Yogoko-so Kokuminshuku lodge at the southern tip of the lake when it was still operating. It afforded a scenic view of the lake. This was a national pension, so prices were affordable. 国民宿舎　余呉湖荘*Sadly, after 40 years in business since 1971, this pension closed in Sept. 2013 due to aging facilities that were too expensive to repair.