PRIVATE CULTURAL EXPERIENCE A day to paint the folk art loved by Edo-era travelers, with your own hands. Otsu-e is a folk painting tradition born in Otsu, a post town on the Tokaido Road, during the Edo period, and cherished by travelers and local people alike. It’s an Otsu-specific folk art culture that humorously depicts satire and prayers. In this experience, you’ll learn about the history and motifs of Otsu-e, then pick up a brush and create your own piece. You’ll also view authentic works at the Otsu-e Museum, taste cuisine inspired by Otsu-e, and walk through Otsu-juku where this culture was nurtured. ONE GROUP PER DAY A private experience […]

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PRIVATE CULTURAL EXPERIENCE See, hear, and savor Otsu-e, and walk through Otsu Hyakucho. During the Edo period, Otsu-e were beloved by travelers as a specialty of Otsu-juku on the Tokaido road. These folk paintings humorously depicted satire and prayers, eventually expanding into song and dance, and have been passed down as a unique culture of Otsu. On this experience, you will not only visit the Otsu-e Museum and Otsu-e Shop, but also enjoy a special viewing of “Otsu-e Odori,” a traditional performing art rarely available for public viewing. In addition, you will walk through the shopping streets and historic sites of old Otsu-juku with a local guide, tracing the history […]

PRIVATE CULTURAL EXPERIENCE A moment to center your mind at an ancient temple where 1,300 years of prayer lives on. A cultural experience at Mii-dera (Onjo-ji), the head temple of the Tendai Jimon sect, featuring a training experience led by a monk and a walk around the grounds with a local guide. Choose one experience from “Zazen (shikan),” “Sutra Copying / Buddhist Image Tracing,” or “Rosary Bracelet-Making,” and spend time with a monk as you encounter the prayers and teachings of Mii-dera. Afterward, you’ll explore the historic grounds with a local guide, including the National Treasure Kondo (Main Hall). PRIVATE TEMPLE EXPERIENCE A special time at Mii-dera, experienced together with […]

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PRIVATE CULTURAL EXPERIENCE Walk the castle town with a local guide, and savor the beauty passed down in Zeze. Zeze flourished as a key point on the Tokaido. Even today, along the lakeshore, you can still feel the legacy of Zeze Castle, Zeze ware passed down as tea ceramics, and the culture connected to the Nihonga painter Shunkyo Yamamoto. In this experience, you’ll walk the old Tokaido and castle sites with a local guide who knows Zeze’s history inside out. You’ll also enjoy matcha and Japanese sweets in Zeze ware tea bowls, and visit Rokasensuiso, the villa of Shunkyo Yamamoto. Through the castle town, crafts, and architecture, you’ll encounter the […]

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• #Walking Tour

Aim to become a Meijin or Queen in Otsu, the sacred home of karuta! Try authentic competitive karuta in the special venue “Omi Kangakukan Urayasu Hall,” used for Japan’s national championship matches! Experience the thrill of grabbing cards at lightning speed. Plus, work with instructors from karuta card maker “Oishi Tengudo” to create your own one-of-a-kind original karuta cards. Take home the cards you make. Why not spend a special summer day immersed in karuta at Omi Jingu Shrine? ① Competitive Karuta Experience at Urayasu Hall, Japan’s Championship Venue! No need to memorize the cards beforehand! Instructors will guide you carefully. Feel like a Meijin or Queen at the venue […]

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A tour that takes you around Otsu City spots connected to Akari Naruse, the main character of the 2024 Booksellers’ Award-winning novel “Naruse Is Going to Take Over the World.” Enjoy a lineup that lets you relive the story’s world—strolling Tokimeki-zaka, trying competitive karuta, the Michigan Cruise, and more. The finale is a stage show, making this an original all-Naruse tour!   ■ Recommended Highlights Highlight ① Stage show “Naruse Is Going to Take Over the World” from S seats! Held at Otsu Civic Hall,you can watch the stage show “Naruse Is Going to Take Over the World,” starring Mizuki Yamashita, from S seats! Highlight ② Relive Naruse’s world: “Michigan […]

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