Otsu (大津)

Map

Getting There

• train
• bus
• car
• ferry

Best Times to Visit

• spring: Cherry blossoms at Mii-dera and Zeze Castle Ruins Park, seasonal flowers, and comfortable sightseeing conditions make spring especially rewarding.
• summer: Lake cruises, waterfront activities, lush mountain scenery, and cooler highland air at Biwako Valley support active summer visits.
• autumn: Temple foliage, illuminated autumn scenery, comfortable walking weather, local fish cuisine, and Otsu Matsuri make autumn highly appealing.
• winter: Biwako Valley provides skiing, snow play, and snowshoe trekking, while temples and Lake Biwa offer quieter seasonal scenery.

What's There

• architecture: Historic temples, cultural properties, castle remains, traditional festival floats, and distinctive lakeside religious architecture enrich Otsu’s built heritage.
• castle: Zeze Castle Ruins Park and Otsu’s castle history connect lakeside scenery with important feudal-era defensive sites.
• cherry blossoms: Mii-dera and Zeze Castle Ruins Park are notable cherry blossom destinations, with scenic trees reflected around Lake Biwa.
• culture: Otsu combines Buddhist traditions, literary heritage, historic foodways, traditional crafts, and important local festivals.
• festival: Otsu Matsuri features thirteen ornate floats, mechanical dolls, and autumn processions recognized as important folk cultural heritage.
• fishing: Traditional Lake Biwa fisheries support local culinary culture, including sweetfish, honmoroko, Biwa trout, and fermented fish dishes.
• flowers: Temples and mountain resorts offer seasonal flowers, including cherry blossoms, daffodils, and autumn foliage displays.
• food: Regional specialties include Omi Beef, funa-zushi, Lake Biwa fish, Omi Rice, Omi Tea, and Mii-dera Chikara Mochi.
• hiking: Mount Hiei and Biwako Valley provide forest trails, mountain walks, seasonal scenery, and panoramic viewpoints above Lake Biwa.
• history: Otsu has a long historical role as a former capital, port city, pilgrimage center, and setting for major temples and castles.
• lake: Lake Biwa defines Otsu’s landscape and supports cruises, waterfront recreation, scenic viewpoints, fisheries, and distinctive regional cuisine.
• mountain: Mount Hiei and Biwako Valley add elevated forests, mountain temples, hiking routes, and broad lake panoramas.
• nature: The city offers lakeshore landscapes, mountain forests, seasonal vegetation, river scenery, and diverse freshwater ecological traditions.
• park: Zeze Castle Ruins Park provides public lakeside recreation, historical remains, and a particularly attractive cherry blossom setting.
• port: Otsu Port is a historic waterfront gateway and the main departure point for sightseeing cruises on Lake Biwa.
• seafood: Lake Biwa fish cuisine and funa-zushi make freshwater fish a central specialty of Otsu and wider Shiga.
• shrine: Karasaki Shrine and other local shrines contribute lakeside sacred scenery, purification traditions, and regional religious heritage.
• snow: Biwako Valley offers winter skiing, snow play, snowshoe trekking, and views across snow-covered Mount Hiei-area landscapes.
• spiritual: Mii-dera, Enryaku-ji, and Ishiyamadera are important Buddhist pilgrimage and religious sites with longstanding spiritual traditions.
• temple: Mii-dera, Enryaku-ji, and Ishiyamadera provide major historic temple complexes, cultural properties, sacred landscapes, and seasonal scenery.
• views: Lake Biwa, Mount Hiei, Biwako Valley, Otsu Port, and temple viewpoints offer expansive panoramic scenery.

Specialties

• Omi Beef (近江牛): Omi Beef is a famous Shiga wagyu brand with more than 400 years of history. It is known for rich marbling, tenderness, and a deep flavor.
• Funa-zushi (鮒寿司): Funa-zushi is a traditional fermented dish made with Lake Biwa crucian carp and rice. It is one of Shiga’s best-known regional foods and reflects the lake’s historic food culture.
• Lake Biwa Fish (琵琶湖の魚): Lake Biwa fish cuisine includes local species such as Biwa trout, sweetfish, and honmoroko. These fish are served in restaurants around Otsu and are central to the region’s culinary identity.
• Omi Rice (近江米): Omi Rice is cultivated in Shiga’s fertile agricultural basin using water associated with Lake Biwa. It is featured in Otsu dining, including meals served beside the lake.
• Omi Tea (近江茶): Omi Tea is a regional Shiga tea grown in areas with marked temperature differences and mountain water. It is recognized by the prefecture’s official tourism information as part of Shiga’s traditional food culture.
• Mii-dera Chikaramochi (三井寺力餅): Mii-dera Chikara Mochi is a local sweet associated with Mii-dera Temple and the legend of Benkei’s strength. The small rice cakes are served with syrup and kinako soybean powder.