Tagokura Dam, completed in 1960, is one of Japan's largest dams.
It was built mainly to supply electricity to the Tokyo metropolitan area for post-war reconstruction.
With a total storage capacity of 494 million cubic metres, Tagokura Dam is the third largest existing dam in Japan.
The gravity-fed concrete dam is 145 m high and the power plant has a capacity of 400,000 kW.
The adjacent Tagokura Power Station is the second largest general hydroelectric power station in Japan.
At the time, Japan was focusing all its energies on energy development, and the construction of this dam was part of that effort.
It played a role as a driving force in Japan's period of rapid economic growth and continues to supply a large amount of electricity to today.
The area, which is fed by rivers large and small springing from Oze, has plentiful amounts of water and was seen as a suitable place for hydroelectric power generation from the time Japan embarked on its modernization.
The construction of such a huge dam deep in the mountains became a topic of conversation nationwide.
The dam created the huge Lake Tagokura.
Today it is a tourist attraction for drivers and bikers.
There used to be a restaurant and shops, and a tourist boat operated on the lake, but they are now closed, creating a somewhat lonely atmosphere.
However, the views around the dam are still spectacular.
Surrounded by steep mountains, the jagged outline of the lake is reminiscent of the fjords of northern Europe.
The roads around Tagokura Dam are closed in winter due to deep snow, but open again in late April.
That is the best time to visit.
The Echigo Mountains, represented by Mt.Asakusa-dake and Aizu-Mt.Asahi-dake, are covered with lingering snow, and at their foot are the vivid fresh green leaves of beech trees, which are the first of the trees to grow.
They make a truly spectacular view.
The autumn leaves are also well worth seeing.
We have to use a car to visit here, but it is well worth it.