A Timber Hotel of Akita Cedar above Lake Towada
The Towada Hotel Main Building (十和田ホテル本館) is a prefectural hotel above Lake Towada of 1938 in Towadako, Kosaka Town, Kazuno District, Akita Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on September 19, 2003 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a three-storey building of timber, partly reinforced concrete, with a steel-sheet roof and a building area of 780 square metres; registration number 05-0094.
A Large Timber Building Clad in Akita Cedar
The Towada Hotel Main Building is a prefectural hotel built on high ground above the shore of Lake Towada, in Towada-Hachimantai National Park (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Its plan is L-shaped, the whole exterior is clad in Akita cedar, and its hallmark is the half-round logs set on a stone base.
Inside there is much to see, from the double-height entrance hall to rooms ingeniously finished in fine woods, and the Agency calls it a good example of a large timber building of the early Showa era. The hotel's official website says it was built for the 1940 Tokyo Olympics, which were never held.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency notes this hotel as a fine large timber building of the early Showa era, skilfully built in Akita cedar and fine woods, and registered it as a structure that would not be easy to reproduce.
What to Look For
Look for the half-round logs on the stone base and the double-height entrance hall (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
It is owned by Akita Prefecture (Agency for Cultural Affairs). It operates as the Towada Hotel, and its official website takes bookings.
Q&A
- When was it built?
- In 1938 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- What is the exterior like?
- Clad in Akita cedar, with half-round logs on a stone base.
- Why was it built?
- For the 1940 Tokyo Olympics, which were never held, according to the hotel.
- Can I stay there?
- Yes, it operates as a hotel and takes bookings online.
- When was the Towada Hotel Main Building registered?
- On September 19, 2003 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Towada Hotel Main Building (十和田ホテル本館) |
|---|---|
| Location | Towadako, Kosaka Town, Kazuno District, Akita Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2003/09/19 (Heisei 15) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Timber, partly reinforced concrete, 3 storeys, steel-sheet roof, 780 m² |
| Owner | Akita Prefecture |
| Public Access | Bookings through the official website |
References
- Towada Hotel Main Building (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00003496
- Towada Hotel official website
- https://www.towada-hotel.com/
Last verified: 2026.10.20