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It has been nearly 40 years since two swans flew to Nagamine Lake for the first time in a late Autumn, 1978 (Showa 53). Now, Nagamine Lake has become a scenic spot where more than 400 Whooper Swans fly for the winter. Visitors can observe not only swans, but also other birds such as Spot-billed Ducks and Common Pochards. Occasionally, they can also find Taiga Bean Geese, a protected species.


Around Nagamine Lake’s 950m perimeter, footpaths and parking lots are provided for tourists and families to visit the site conveniently. Visitors can feed the swans freely, which is also a feature of Nagamine Lake.
Since these swans are wild, most of them fly around rice fields nearby to forage during the daytime. Therefore, we recommend that visitors come to observe the swans in the early morning.

However, on the weekend when many people visit, swans can be seen all day approaching people for food.

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Address: Nagamine, Nishisancho, Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture
Directions: 30 min walk from Nishiyama station on JR Echigo Line (5 min by taxi)
Tel.: 0257-47-4010
Swan Wintering Season: From November to March