5000 Swans - Visit Niigata's Lake Hyo And Historical Suibara Daikansho

As autumn brings cool winds and begins to change the color of the leaves, the swans journey from Siberia, Russia to Agano City in Niigata.

Lake Hyoko is about a three hour trip from Tokyo by bullet train and local trains. It is a spot known for the annual visits of over 5000 swans around November. During the colder seasons, you can witness the swans taking off from the white, snow-covered land.

If you walk about ten minutes from Lake Hyoko, you will reach the Suibara Daikansho, which was a spot where nengu (*1) was collected during the Edo period.

This time we would like to feature Lake Hyoko and Suibara Daikansho to experience Japan's nature and history at once.

*1 Nengu: a type of Japanese tax that people paid from the eleventh to the eighteenth century.

Lake Hyoko: A Collaborative Winter Scene of Snow and Swans

Photo courtesy of: Agano City Park Administration Office

Lake Hyoko is located in Agano in Niigata and it is known as the lake where the swans come. In 2008, it became registered under the Ramsar Convention to protect and manage the wetlands.

The swans begin arriving early October and by the end of November, they reach about 5000 birds; all of which have migrated from Siberia and Southern Karafuto to spend the winter.

Here are four recommended ways to watch the swans in Lake Hyoko.

1. Spot Them at the Lakeside in the Morning

From the lakeside, you can see the swans take off, resting, looking for food at the feeding spots, and leisurely spending their time.

Take this opportunity to get up early in the morning to see the dreamy sight of the swans taking off as the warm rays of the sun fills the area. When it snows, you will also see more swans in the lake. During the snowy months between December and February, there is an ever higher chance of spotting swans in Lake Hyoko.

As the sun goes higher past noon, the swans tend to fly off somewhere else. In order to see as many swans as possible, it is best to go around 7:00-8:00.

There is a walking path around the lake so it is nice to see it from different points, but make sure to dress warmly during the winter.

2. Go When Mr. Swan Goes

At Lake Hyoko, the swans are fed three times a day at 9:00, 11:00, and 15:00. The person feeding the swans during this time is referred to as Mr. Swan.

Once Mr. Swan starts preparing the feed, many water birds appear along with the swans. The bird feed is a mix of bread crust along with rice husks.

You can spot him walking slowly along the bridge shouting "Kooi! Kooi!" (come! come!) very loudly. He walks back and forth the bridge while refilling the feed.

According to Mr. Swan, he is able to spot which swans were also here last year. Apparently, he is able to tell the swans apart from the shapes of their beaks and feet.

He cuts the bread crusts into tiny pieces and mixes the husks (*2) on his own and has been doing this for five years. Perhaps that is why he is able to identify the swans.

*2 Husks: the outer shells of rice grains.

3. Watch from the Swan Observation Hut

A swan observation hut is a perfect place for those who find themselves getting too cold outside. There are two huts to watch the swans from.

The first one is located right past the welcome sign by the entrance. Go straight until you find a rest house. You may take a break there or even purchase souvenirs or soft serve ice cream.

It is a great spot to watch the swans and water birds in the warm indoors.

The other hut is located on the left-hand side after entering and is in front of Lake Hyoko.

A pair of binoculars is available for everyone to use. You are welcome to use it for times when you cannot spot swans nearby. Why not make use of it to look for swans in the distance?

4. Feed the Swans

At the swan observation hut, you can purchase feed for the swan for 100 yen. Inside the packets are small feed that looks like the Japanese snack, pongashi (*3).

When you toss the feed in, the water birds instantly react and come charging your way. It is advised to make sure to throw the feed toward the lake. The wind can get strong here so the feed may blow away if you aren't careful.

Why not give it a try when visiting Lake Hyoko?

*3 Pongashi: a type of Japanese dagashi.

scoop lake

Experience Japanese History at Suibara Daikansho

Located 10 minutes away on foot, you will find a recreated magistrate's office from the Edo period. Formally, there were magistrate offices in places that were under the control of the Bakufu (*4).

The magistrate office was used as a place to collect nengu and held criminal investigations.

*4 Bakufu: the shogunate government of Japan.

Inside the building, you will find the place of appeal where village officials would report about the farmlands and the taxed rice. There is also the room where criminal inspections were held along with a room where provincial meetings took place.

All of this has been reconstructed using documents from that time. This way you can get an image of what the politics of the time were like in Japan.

There is also a local farm artifact museum you can enter for free at the Suibara Daikansho. You can find replicated rooms of farmers along with tools and excavated pottery.

Near the entrance, you can find traditional crafts and local goods for sale.

The sankaku daruma is a traditional craft from Agano. Unlike the standard round daruma, it has a cute triangular shape. The smallest size starts from 1230 yen (with tax).

You can also find local Japanese sake produced in Agano for sale here too. Niigata is a very famous spot for Japanese sake so it may be nice to try tasting different types.

Suibara Magistrate's Office

10 Tojo-cho, Agano City, Niigata Prefecture 959-2022

Come Experience Nature and History in Niigata

Agano is a perfect place to experience a winter in Japan. Not only can you see the beautiful swans in the snow-covered Lake Hyoko, you can also get a taste of the Edo Period at Suibara Daikan.

From Niigata Station, you can take the bus bound for Suibara/Lake Hyoko and arrive in about an hour without needing to transfer.
If you happen to visit Niigata, why not journey out to Agano?

Interview in Cooperation with: Agano City Farm Development Park Administrative Office, Commercial and Industrial Sightseeing Facility Management Office.