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Two knobbly peninsulas break the regular outline of Towada-ko , a massive crater-lake trapped in a rim of pine-forested hills within the Towada-Hachimantai National Park. The westerly protuberance shelters the lake's only major settlement, YASUMIYA , which is also known somewhat confusingly as Towada-ko. Roughly 44km in circumference, the lake is famous for its spectacularly clear water, with visibility down to 17m, best appreciated from one of several boat trips which run from early April to the end of January, though sailings are fairly limited in winter. The most interesting route is from Yasumiya to Nenokuchi (April to early Nov; 1hr; Y1320) at the southern end of the Oirase valley , or there's a one-hour circuit between the two peninsulas from Yasumiya (Jan & mid-April to Dec; Y1320). Once you've navigated the lake, the only other thing to do in Towada-ko is pay a visit to the famous statue of the " Maidens by the Lake ", which stands on the shore fifteen minutes' walk north of central Yasumiya. The two identical bronze women, naked and roughcast, seem to be circling each other with hands almost touching. They were created in 1953 by the poet and sculptor Kotaro Takamura, then 70 years old, and are said to be of his wife, a native of Tohoku, who suffered from schizophrenia and died tragically young. You won't find much action around Towada-ko, but there is the nearby esoteric attraction of Kirisuto No Haka , or Christ's Grave, in the town of Shingo , about 20km east of Towada-ko along Route 454. Claiming that Jesus Christ was in Japan by the age of 22, devotees built a monument in 1935 - a grave with a huge wooden cross. A small museum (daily except Wed 9am-5pm; Y400) displays mysterious scripture which apparently proves their point; the site lies just west of the town centre, and is signposted in English. It is claimed that it was Jesus's brother that got crucified, while Christ got away, only to settle back in Shingo until the ripe old age of 106. And that's not all for the sleepy little rice town - near the monument are the Ooishigami Pyramids . According to ancient local writings, the Japanese had built pyramids "tens and thousands" of years before the Egyptians and Mexicans, and two lie just minutes west from Christ's Grave. Although both structures look a lot like a bunch of huge boulders, the second pyramid - a quick but steep hike to get to the top - is a great spot for a packed lunch.
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