Uonuma, Niigata / 奥只見湖
Lake Okutadami
A huge artificial lake holding about 600 million tonnes, surrounded by 2,000 m mountains in remote country. Also called "Ginzan-ko" (silver mine lake) because silver was mined here in the Edo period. The Okutadami Dam, 157 m high and 480 m long, was completed in 1960 and still supplies power to the Tokyo area and Tohoku. Sightseeing boats, including the "Fantasia", modelled on a Mississippi paddle steamer, show scenery that cannot be seen except from the water: fresh greenery in spring, deep green in summer and, in autumn, leaves chosen among Japan's 100 best. Deepest point 150 m, area 1,150 ha, altitude 750 m.
Last official check
28 Sept 2026
Traveler reports
0
Reports open in Phase 2
Next scheduled check
27 Dec 2026
Decide before you go
A short summary made from the official facts below. Check the rows for details.
- Getting there
- Train / Bus / Car
Before you go
Only facts we confirmed on official sources are shown. Anything else is marked “Not checked yet”.
- Opening hours
Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
- Closed
Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
- Admission
Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
- Getting there
60-75 minutes by bus from Urasa Station (JR Joetsu Shinkansen); 50 minutes by car from Uonuma IC (Kan-Etsu Expressway) via the Okutadami Silver Line.
Checked 28 Sept 2026 on the official site- Parking
Car and large-vehicle parking at the Ginzandaira and Okutadami Dam piers.
Checked 28 Sept 2026 on the official site- Payment
Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
- Accessibility
Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
Found wrong or outdated information? Let us know
Address: Uonuma, Niigata (Japanese address: 新潟県魚沼市湯之谷芋川字大鳥)
Official site: https://niigata-kankou.or.jp/spot/7593
Location
Smaller pins are other spots nearby.
Nearby spots
Distances are straight-line distances, not travel distances.
Crowds
- Crowd level
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Best time to visit
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Peak time
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Busiest days
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Busiest season
Autumn leaves mid-October to early November (starting high up in mid-October, best around late October); boats usually start running in late May.
Checked 28 Sept 2026 on the official site- Latest traveler report
- None yet
Traveler crowd data by time of day appears after 5 traveler reports (0 so far).
You can check typical busy hours in Google Maps ("Popular times" on the place's page). Open this spot in Google Maps
Verification log
- 28 Sept 2026First check · Tourism board · https://niigata-kankou.or.jp/spot/7593Access, parking, description, address and coordinates read from a tourism organization's site.