9 Popular Tourist Spots in Otsu, an Ancient City Where You Can Enjoy Nature, History, and Culture

If you are visiting Otsu, summer is the season we recommend most.
In summer, you can enjoy marine sports and barbecues at Lake Biwa.
Since Lake Biwa is freshwater, it does not leave your skin feeling sticky like the sea, which is another plus.
Enjoy Otsu through its summer activities.

From Osaka Station to Otsu Station, it takes Approx. 40 minutes by JR Tokaido-Sanyo Main Line rapid train.
From Kyoto Station, you can also take the JR Tokaido-Sanyo Main Line rapid train and get there in about 10 minutes.
Although Shiga does not have an airport, you can still reach Otsu without spending too much time by using Osaka International Airport (Itami Airport) in Osaka.

This vast temple complex covers the entire Mount Hiei area at an elevation of 848 m and was founded in 788 by Saicho, who established the Tendai sect.
Known as the “Mother Mountain of Japanese Buddhism,” it has had a major influence on Japanese history.
It was registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1994.
It consists of three areas, Todo, Saito, and Yokawa, with around 100 temple buildings scattered throughout.

Omi Jingu Shrine stands on the site of Omi Otsu no Miya, which served as Japan’s capital for five years starting in 667.
It enshrines Emperor Tenji, the 38th emperor of Japan, who took part in the Taika Reform as Prince Naka no Oe and moved the capital from Asuka in Nara to Otsu in Omi.
It is one of 16 chokusaisha shrines in Japan, and every year on April 20, an imperial messenger is dispatched from the Imperial Court for its annual festival as the Emperor’s representative.

Built at the foot of Mount Hiei around 2,100 years ago, this is the head shrine of the 3,800 Hiyoshi, Hie, and Sanno shrines across Japan. Because it is located in the kimon, or northeast direction, from the former capital, it has long been worshipped as a shrine that wards off evil and misfortune from the capital, and also as the guardian deity of nearby Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei.
Its blessings are believed to include protection from misfortune related to directions and protection from the hardships and misfortunes of life.

Its official name is Nagarasan Onjo-ji Temple, and it is the head temple of the Tendai Jimon sect with a history of more than 1,200 years since its founding in 686.
It has more than 100 National Treasures and cultural properties, and many temple buildings stand across its vast grounds, including the Kondo Hall, which is designated as a National Treasure. The National Treasure Kojoin Guest Hall and National Treasure Kangakuin Guest Hall can also be visited on special tours (reservation required at least one week in advance for groups of at least 3 people).

This major head temple of the Shingon sect stands along the Seta River, which flows out of Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest lake by surface area.
Large unusual rocks protrude throughout the grounds, including the massive rock towering in front of the main hall.
These rocks are wollastonite, a rare natural monument even on a global scale, and because the temple stands on a mountain of stone, it came to be called Ishiyama-dera, or “Stone Mountain Temple.”
It was founded in 747 during the Nara period (710–794) and is said to have been built by the monk Roben by imperial order of Emperor Shomu.

Biwako Valley is a nature resort at an elevation of Approx. 1,100 m in the Hira mountain range on the western shore of Lake Biwa.
It is a popular spot where you can enjoy a wide range of activities, including a ski resort in winter.
There is also a zipline adventure available year-round, and during the green season, you can enjoy a variety of activities in the highland area, such as the Skywalker. The free sledding area is especially popular with small children.

Lake Biwa Cruise lets you fully enjoy cruising on Lake Biwa.
Three regular cruise courses are available: the Michigan Cruise, the Chikubushima Cruise, and the Lake Biwa Island Tour.
The Michigan Cruise is a course where you board a large sightseeing boat from Otsu Port and tour the southern part of Lake Biwa.
On board, sightseeing guidance and live music performances make the cruise even more enjoyable, and at the restaurant, you can enjoy a buffet-style meal.

Lake Biwa, located in central Shiga Prefecture and part of the Yodo River system, covers about 670 km², or about one-sixth of the prefecture’s land area. With water flowing in from surrounding mountains over 1,000 m high, including Mount Ibuki, the Suzuka range, and the Hira range, it holds 27.5 billion tons of water, making it the largest lake in Japan in both surface area and water volume.
There are also various lake leisure activities to enjoy, including swimming beaches such as Miyagahama Beach, which was selected as one of Japan’s 88 Best Swimming Beaches, as well as activities on the lake such as canoeing and yachting.

Otsu Port is bustling as a base for sightseeing on Lake Biwa, with piers and terminals for large sightseeing boats and smaller vessels.
The Biwako Flower Fountain, installed on a breakwater located 180 m offshore, is a sightseeing spot that can be enjoyed for free.
There are 66 fountains lined up on the breakwater, stretching about 440 m in length, making it one of the largest in the world. The water jets reach a maximum height of Approx. 40 m, which is said to be about the height of a 10-story building.

Jidoriya Onza is a specialty restaurant serving jidori chicken dishes made only with carefully raised premium chickens from its own farm, including Omi Shamo, Tankai Jidori, Nagoya Cochin, and Tokyo Shamo.
Raised free-range with little stress, the chickens are known for their flavorful fat and distinctive firm texture.
Not only the chicken but also the rice and seasonings are carefully selected, and these ingredient-focused dishes have made the restaurant popular.

This long-established Japanese sweets shop, founded Approx. 150 years ago, is located just a short walk from Keihan Biwako-Hamaotsu Station.
Its signature item is Mii-dera Chikara Mochi, a famous confection long known as a specialty of Otsu.
This delicacy features bite-sized rice cakes coated in the shop’s homemade white syrup and generously dusted with green soybean flour.
The technique has been passed down through generations, and the shop continues to offer the same timeless flavor today as in the past.

Founded in 1959 as a mountain lodge in front of Myoo-in Temple and Jishu Shrine, the inner sanctuary area of Mount Hiei.
In an elegant space that makes use of traditional Japanese architectural beauty, you can enjoy dishes made with ingredients from Shiga sourced from places such as the Hira mountains and Lake Biwa.
The menu changes with the seasons, featuring seasonal mountain blessings such as wild plants and vegetables in spring, ayu sweetfish in summer, and matsutake mushrooms in fall, with a strong focus on the best ingredients of each season.

This 38-story high-rise hotel was designed by architect Kenzo Tange. It also features one of the largest convention halls in Japan and is used for a wide range of events, exhibitions, and international conferences.
The guest rooms are divided into three floors, the EIZAN Floor, Sky Floor, and Lake Floor, and every room offers relaxing views of Lake Biwa and mountain ranges such as the Hira mountains.

Although it enjoys a convenient location just a short walk from Keihan Biwako-Hamaotsu Station, this resort hotel stands on the shore of Lake Biwa and offers lake views from inside the building.
There are five types of guest rooms, and every room overlooks Lake Biwa.
Beyond the lake, Mount Hiei and the Hira mountains spread out in the distance, creating a truly spectacular contrast of blue and green. In this extraordinary setting, you can enjoy a soothing and relaxing time.

Yumotokan is a long-established hot spring inn in Ogoto Onsen, a hot spring area with a history of 1,200 years that has flourished at the foot of Mount Hiei.
Its signature hot springs include two open-air baths: the top-floor Tsukishin no Yu, an open-air bath with panoramic views where you can soak while looking out over Lake Biwa, and the rustic Togen Shoyo. There are also two large indoor baths with scenic views, Kobo no Yu, which overlooks Lake Biwa through large windows, and Sanbo no Yu, where you can bathe while viewing the beautiful form of Mount Hiei. These baths are switched daily between men and women.