Food&Shopping – Otsu Festival

Otsu Omi Rice with Curry

admin_otsufestival — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 15:37:24 +0000

Enjoy a curry dish possessing different flavors with Omi rice, a special variety. The dish is served at over 20 restaurants, but each establishment adds its own twist to tweak the taste.
Taste and compare to find the Omi rice with curry that best suits your palate.

Local Sake (Nami-no-Oto Sake Brewery)

admin_otsufestival — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 15:36:01 +0000

A high priest of Mt. Hiei gave this brewery its name, Nami-no-Oto, in 1805. It is renowned nationwide for its famed sake from Katata, Shiga Prefecture. After studying from 1995 to 2001 under the tutelage of Taiichi Kanai of the Noto Toji master brewers organization, the three brothers began brewing Nami-no-Oto in 2002.
See here for details.

Buckwheat Noodles (Honke Tsuruki Soba)

admin_otsufestival — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 15:35:30 +0000

A prestigious buckwheat noodle restaurant with a proud 300-year history, Honke Tsuruki Soba supplied the Imperial Household with end-of-year soba through most of the 20th century. The restaurant was registered as a tangible cultural property in 1997.
Located in Sakamoto, a district where a town once served as the gateway to Enryaku-ji Temple, you can experience the taste of hand-made buckwheat noodles made according to traditional recipes.
See here for details.

Japanese Tea (Nakagawa Seiseido Tea Store)

admin_otsufestival — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 15:34:08 +0000

This time-honored tea store, established in 1858, deals in Omi tea, the oldest tea originating from Japan. It is one of the few shops reminiscent of the historical district along the old Tokaido Highway when it was called Otsu Hyakucho. Here, people preserve traditional and natural ways of making tea through grit and effort. Those methods include making tea by working the soil.

Eight Delicacies of Lake Biwa (Karakkaze)

admin_otsufestival — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 15:32:50 +0000

Eight distinctive seafood delicacies unique to Lake Biwa. Funazushi, a local Shiga Prefecture cuisine, in particular includes a hefty amount of lactic acid bacteria that is both healthy and has a beautifying effect. Its value has undergone a renaissance thanks to the recent global boom in fermented foods.

Nagisa-no-Terrace

admin_otsufestival — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 15:31:06 +0000

Among the four dining establishments here on Lake Biwa’s shore, you’ll find cafes and restaurants with wide-open outdoors decks where you can take in the beautiful blues and greens of Lake Biwa and the grassy lawn.
Enjoy the offerings of four very different options: pasta, pizza and other Italian food; a restaurant serving dishes made from organic veggies grown at a plant factory; an establishment with a menu featuring meals containing brown rice and vegetables; and a café-restaurant providing coffee brewed from carefully selected coffee beans.

Omi Beef (Restaurant Matsukiya)

admin_otsufestival — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 15:55:25 +0000

For over four centuries, the wagyu brand Omi beef has made its mark on Japanese history. This meat is distinctive for its gorgeous marbling, rich aroma and mouth-watering flavor.
Many restaurants in Otsu serve Omi beef so you can savor its beautiful taste.
See here for details.

Ishimochi Rice Cakes (Kanou Shoujuan)

admin_otsufestival — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 15:30:34 +0000

This Japanese-style confectionary is made to resemble wollastonite, a special mineral and a symbol of Ishiyama-dera Temple. The dish consists of life force-giving rice cakes topped with adzuki bean jam that looks like the wollastonite. It’s only available at Kanou Shoujuan’s shop by Ishiyama-dera Temple.

Wooden Buckets (Nakagawa Mokkougei Hirakoubou)

admin_otsufestival — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 15:29:47 +0000

Nakagawa wooden buckets mesmerized Dom Perignon, the finest of champagnes. The studio hosts a monthly workshop.
The craftsmanship is renowned for its elaborate, graceful form and great spirit. Master artisans from diverse backgrounds collaborate with their counterparts at the workshop.
See here for details.

Local Folk Painting (Otsu-e no Mise)

admin_otsufestival — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 15:29:55 +0000

These folk paintings garnered tremendous popularity during the Edo Period (1603-1867). One was among the collection of Pablo Picasso to his dying day. The technique then developed is still being carried on today by artisan Takahashi Matsuyama. The artworks pass on the memories of how the bustling post station once appeared in the past. Take in nostalgia-inducing pieces of old at Otsu-e no Mise.
See here for details.