Lake Biwa (Biwako) in Shiga Prefecture is growing in popularity as a scenic destination within easy reach of Kyoto and Osaka. More and more visitors come to cycle around the lake or enjoy water activities.
This guide introduces scenic spots around Lake Biwa and recommended places to stay nearby, including a glamping resort and accommodations with hot spring baths in the guest rooms.
Scenic Spots Around Lake Biwa
The Lake Biwa area is about 50 minutes by train from Kyoto and about 80 minutes from Osaka. It has many spots that change with the seasons, and four of the best known are introduced below.
Metasequoia Avenue: Scenic Views in Every Season
Metasequoia Avenue is the approach road to Makino Kogen, where about 500 metasequoia trees stand in a straight line for about 2.4 km. It was selected as one of Japan’s 100 Best Autumn Leaf Spots, and in fall the trees turn the road a deep russet.
The fresh green of spring, the deep green of summer, and the snow-covered branches of winter are also beautiful. It is a popular year-round scenic spot among visitors from Japan and abroad.
| Metasequoia Avenue Address: Hiruguchi to Makino, Makino-cho, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture Phone: 0740-33-7101 (Biwako Takashima Tourism Association) / 0740-27-1811 (Makino Pick Land) Hours: Open at all times for walking Website: https://takashima-kanko.jp/english/ |
Shirahige Shrine: A Great Torii Gate Rising from the Lake
At Shirahige Shrine, a large vermilion torii gate stands in Lake Biwa, and the shrine buildings are located on the other side of National Route 161. Affectionately known as “Shirahige-san” and “Myojin-san,” it is also called the Itsukushima of Omi and is the oldest grand shrine in the Omi region.
The shrine is revered as a guiding deity, associated with long life, matchmaking, the blessing of children, and good fortune. The torii gate in the lake has a different beauty in the morning, evening, and at night.
| Shirahige Shrine Address: 215 Ukawa, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture Phone: 0740-36-1555 Official website (Japanese): https://shirahigejinja.com/ |
Biwako Valley: Scenery and Activities
Biwako Valley is a resort known for its scenic flower displays, with different flowers blooming each season.
From late April to early November, during the Green Season, visitors can enjoy activities such as the Zipline Adventure and a scenic swing.
Spring is especially striking, when about 1,000 cherry trees and 300,000 daffodils bloom.
During the Winter Season, from late December to mid-March, the Biwako Valley ski resort spreads out under a broad snowy landscape and draws skiers from around Japan for skiing and snow play.
| Biwako Valley Address: 1547-1 Kido, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture Phone: 077-592-1155 *The resort closes for several periods each year. Check the operating status on the official website. Official website: https://www.biwako-valley.com/ |
La Collina Omihachiman: A Storybook Landscape
Have you heard of the baumkuchen from Club Harie, a well-known sweet from Shiga?
La Collina Omihachiman, the flagship location of Taneya and Club Harie, recreates the traditional landscape of Omihachiman.
It reflects the natural beauty of Omihachiman, based on the belief that sweets exist because of the land that produces the ingredients and its clean water, and that people should learn from nature as they evolve.
The design by Terunobu Fujimori, an architect and architectural historian with deep knowledge of buildings from ancient to modern times around the world, gives it a storybook look. Its traditional fields and charming shops create a relaxing atmosphere.
| La Collina Omihachiman Address: 615-1 Kitanosho-cho, Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture Phone: 0748-33-6666 Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Closed: Irregularly Official website (Japanese): https://taneya.jp/la_collina/ |
The following sections introduce recommended places to stay within one hour of the sights above.
Lakeside Terrace Biwako: Scenery, Food, Hot Springs, and Activities in One Place
Lakeside Terrace Biwako is a glamping and spa resort about 30 minutes by car from Metasequoia Avenue and 5 minutes from Shirahige Shrine. Guests can enjoy the scenery, food, hot springs, and relaxing activities of Lake Biwa all in one place.
Scenery: Wide Views of Lake Biwa
The appearance of Lake Biwa changes beautifully from day to evening to night.
Lakeside Terrace Biwako stands right in front of the lake, where you can see the water sparkling in the sunlight, glowing red at sunset, and reflecting the moon in the dark of night.
Food: BBQ with Local Ingredients
For a meal featuring local specialties of the Lake Biwa area, Lakeside Terrace Biwako offers a premium BBQ plan.
The plan features specialties of the Omi region, on the east side of Lake Biwa.
Local ingredients include Omi beef sirloin and rump steak and Biwa trout grilled in foil with mushrooms, making it suitable for those who want both meat and fish.
Hot Spring: Relaxing in Private with a View
Baths are an important part of many trips.
Lakeside Terrace Biwako has accommodations with large natural hot spring baths overlooking Lake Biwa. You can watch the view change over time from a spacious bath in private.
The hot spring offers a relaxing way to warm up and unwind after a day of travel.
The hot spring is a mildly alkaline simple hot spring, and the clear water feels soft and gentle on the skin.
Relaxing Activities: Free Pool and Barrel Sauna for Guests
Many visitors to Lake Biwa are looking for activities.
Water sports such as SUP and kayaking are well known here, but there are also more relaxing options.
Lakeside Terrace Biwako has a large public pool and a barrel sauna, which are free for guests. The barrel sauna is especially popular with guests.
What Is a Barrel Sauna?
A barrel sauna is a sauna cabin shaped like a barrel. Its round shape helps keep the heat even inside and allows heat to circulate easily during löyly, when water is poured over the hot stones. Its stylish wooden design is another reason for its popularity.
| Lakeside Terrace Biwako Address: 1533 Katsuno, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture Phone: 050-3198-5847 (10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) Official website: https://en.biwako-glamping.com/ |
Forest Villa Metasequoia: Stay Beside Metasequoia Avenue with Local Food and Hot Springs
Have you ever wanted to stay right in the middle of a scenic landscape?
Forest Villa Metasequoia is located along Metasequoia Avenue, one of the best-known scenic spots in the Lake Biwa area.
Here, you can look out at the avenue while dining and bathing in the hot spring.
The meals and hot springs are introduced below.
Food: Omi Beef Shabu-Shabu
Omi beef is known for its fine texture and fat that melts gently in the mouth.
It can be enjoyed as yakiniku, steak, or sukiyaki, but shabu-shabu is especially recommended.
Shabu-shabu brings out the natural flavor of Omi beef, and its flavor also soaks into the broth and vegetables, making a hot pot that is light yet rich in flavor.
The ingredients also include Azuchi Nobunaga Negi, a brand of leek known for its juiciness and fruit-like sweetness.
It is served with a variety of other fresh vegetables.
What Is the Azuchi Nobunaga Negi?
Those interested in Japan’s Warring States period may be intrigued by the name of this white leek, which comes from farmers in Azuchi-cho, Omihachiman City. It was named after Oda Nobunaga because the ruins of Azuchi Castle, which he built, are located in Omihachiman, on the east side of Lake Biwa. The leek is thick and juicy, with a sugar content of 14 degrees Brix. Watermelon averages about 11 degrees Brix, so it is considerably sweeter than watermelon.
Hot Spring: A Mildly Alkaline Simple Hot Spring
The villas have hot spring baths supplied by the property’s own source. According to the facility, the water is a mildly alkaline simple hot spring.
| Spring type: Mildly alkaline simple hot spring Traditional indications listed by the facility include joint pain, lower back pain, nerve pain, frozen shoulder, sprains, and sensitivity to cold. |
| Forest Villa Metasequoia Address: 485-1 Terakubo, Makino-cho, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture Phone: 050-3174-7257 Official website (Japanese): https://www.metasequoia-resort.com/ |
Auberge Meson: An Italian Restaurant with Rooms in the Forest
Auberge Meson has the atmosphere of a Western-style vacation home surrounded by forest.
It has received Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice award six times, including in the 2019 small hotels category.
Its appeal lies in its secluded forest setting and Italian cuisine.
Rooms: Secluded Stays in the Forest
Auberge Meson offers several types of rooms to suit different occasions, including the four introduced below.
Room Type: Log Cottage
The Log Cottage has the solid feel of a log house and the warmth of natural wood.
With beds in the living room and loft, it can accommodate up to six guests, making it suitable for two-generation family trips and groups of friends.
Room Type: Hira Bettei
Hira Bettei is a fully detached cottage in the forest with a secluded atmosphere. The garden is illuminated at night, and dimming the room lights creates a romantic mood.
It accommodates up to four guests and is suitable for couples and groups of friends.
Room Type: Honkan Hanare
Honkan Hanare has a modern Japanese design based on the concept of a room for spending time face-to-face. Unlike the Log Cottage and Hira Bettei, it is a refined space with a large single-plank table, a sunken kotatsu table, and a Japanese-style room with futons.
It is especially suitable for couples who rarely have time to talk at home, or for anyone who wants to enjoy an uninterrupted conversation with someone special.
Room Type: Superior
This Western-style room makes use of the warmth of natural wood, based on the concept of a room for retreating from the world.
Its Ryukyu tatami mats are arranged in ichimatsu, a traditional Japanese checkered pattern, creating a relaxed atmosphere.
It is a good place to step away from television and smartphones and take in the view from the window.
Children under junior high school age cannot stay in this room, so it is especially suitable for couples.
Food: Carefully Prepared Modern Italian Cuisine
Auberge Meson has its own modern Italian restaurant and serves inventive original dishes.
The ONE Full Course: An Eight-Course Dinner
The word “auberge” in the name refers to a restaurant with rooms in the countryside, where meals are prepared with fresh local ingredients.
True to that name, Auberge Meson is based on the concept of using ingredients from Shiga Prefecture as much as possible.
The menu includes game dishes made with local venison and Omi beef fillet, making it suitable both for fans of Italian cuisine and for those interested in creative dishes using Shiga ingredients.
| Auberge Meson Address: 1039-45 Kitahira, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture Official website (Japanese): https://www.meson-box.com/ |
Summary
This guide introduces scenic spots around Lake Biwa and recommended places to stay nearby, including a glamping resort and accommodations with hot spring baths in the guest rooms.
The Lake Biwa area is beautiful in every season and blessed with excellent local ingredients. Many visitors stop here on trips to Kyoto or Osaka, so it is a good idea to check availability early.
