History & HeritageThings to do

Otsu Castle Ruins

Asano Nagamasa was a subordinate of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the lord of Sakamoto Castle in 1586,[...]

Carved Tomikawa Buddha

Reaching a height of 30 meters and a width of 20 meters is an image of the Buddhist deity Acala[...]

Biwako Ohashi Bridge

The Biwako Ohashi Bridge spans 1,350 meters over Lake Biwa. It is a pedestrian friendly bridge [...]

Shishitobi Keikoku Valley

This is a scenic spot located on the Seta River. The river current is fast here, despite the ri[...]

Meotodaki Falls

Meotodaki Falls is a spot on hiking courses from Biwako Valley. The name is written as “couple [...]

Sakamoto Townscape

Sakamoto flourished in the past as a town near Mt. Hiei’s Enryaku-ji Temple and Hiyoshi Taisha [...]

Ogoto Onsen

Ogoto Onsen is located on the west side of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture. It is part of the Mt.[...]

Seta no Karahashi Bridge

The Seta no Karahashi Bridge is known as one of the Three Famous Bridges of Japan. It is also k[...]

Genju-an

Located within the grounds of Chikatsuo Shrine, this is the location of the thatched hut in whi[...]

Otsu Hyaku-cho, Machiya houses

The city of Otsu’s name means “large port,” and the port here played an important role in relay[...]

Old Tokaido Road

Co nstruction of the old Tokaido Road was completed in the Edo Period (1603-1868). It connected[...]

Old Sugiura Jugo Residence

The old residence of the educator and thinker Sugiura Jugo. The rustic building was constructed[...]

The Lake Biwa Canal

The Lake Biwa Canal is an example of innovative civil engineering that was built in the Meiji e[...]

Keihan Railways (Streetcar)

This line connects steep slopes, sharp curves, and on-street tracks over a course of a total of[...]

Biwako Flower Fountain

Located offshore in Otsu Harbor, the entrance to sightseeing o n Lake Biwa.With a width of abou[...]

Otsu Port

Otsu Port flourished as the center of distribution for goods across Lake Biwa.Over 1,000 wooden[...]

Otsu Festival Float Exhibition Center

Otsu Festival, one of the lake country’s three great festivals, is the theme of this exhi[...]

Biwako Otsukan (Yanagasaki Lakeside Park)

Biwako Otsukan is the central facility in Yanagasaki Lakeside Park alongside Lake Biwa.The Old [...]