Town guide
Otsu
大津市
The lakeside capital of Shiga on Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, with the temple complex of Enryaku-ji on Mount Hiei and the old temples of Mii-dera and Ishiyama-dera.
City in Shiga
- places to see
- 13
- protected local foods
- 4
- traditional crafts
- 3
- Japan Heritage stories
- 8
Map of Otsu
Every place on this page, on the map. Switch on places to eat and stay nearby.
Things to see in Otsu
Kasugayama Kofun Group
春日山古墳群An ancient burial mound in Shiga Prefecture, Japan.
Kinugawa temple ruins
衣川廃寺跡A historic site in Shiga Prefecture, Japan.
Sakamoto Castle
坂本城A castle in Shiga Prefecture, Japan.
Ono Shrine
小野神社A Shinto shrine in Shiga Prefecture, Japan.
Isome Family Garden
居初氏庭園A garden in Shiga Prefecture, Japan.
Sufuku-ji Temple Ruins
崇福寺跡A historic site in Shiga Prefecture, Japan.
Ano temple ruins
穴太廃寺A historic site in Shiga Prefecture, Japan.
Shinozu Shrine
篠津神社A Shinto shrine in Shiga Prefecture, Japan.
Ojiyama Kofun
皇子山古墳群An ancient burial mound in Shiga Prefecture, Japan.
Otsu City Museum of History
大津市歴史博物館A museum in Shiga Prefecture, Japan.
Omi Jingu Shrine
近江神宮A Shinto shrine in Shiga Prefecture, Japan.
Hiyoshi Taisha
日吉大社A Shinto shrine in Shiga Prefecture, Japan.
Show all 13 places
Otsu Kogan Nagisa Park
大津湖岸なぎさ公園A park in Shiga Prefecture, Japan.
Explore by interest
Nearby towns and day trips
Japan Heritage stories in Shiga
- Esashi: the herring town that outshone Edo
- Iga and Koka: in search of the real ninja
- Lake Biwa: villages that live with the water
- Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage: Japan's 1,300-year journey of the heart
- The railway across the sea: Nagahama, Tsuruga and Imajo
- The Six Ancient Kilns: pottery born and raised in Japan
Local foods from Shiga
Crafts from Shiga
This week's weather (nearest forecast: Osaka)
Today
24 Oct
Rain
High 25°CLow 20°C
Sun
25 Oct
Rain
High 29°CLow 22°C
Rain 90%
Mon
26 Oct
Cloudy
High 25°CLow 19°C
Rain 70%
Tue
27 Oct
Cloudy
High 24°CLow 17°C
Rain 50%
Warm: T-shirts and breathable clothes, plus a light layer for air-conditioned trains and shops.
Good to know
- Otsu is about 10 minutes from Kyoto by JR, so you can stay in Kyoto and still spend a day by the lake.
- Enryaku-ji on Mount Hiei is a World Heritage temple complex. Reach it by cable car and ropeway, or by bus.
- Ishiyama-dera is where Murasaki Shikibu is said to have started writing The Tale of Genji in 1004.
More of Shiga
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.