Why Lake Biwa is a Must-See on Your Trip to Japan So, with all of Japan to see, why visit Lake Biwa? Honestly, it’s because Lake Biwa is the heart of Shiga Prefecture, a place where history, nature, and modern life blend in a way you won’t find in the major tourist hubs. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by the crowds of the big cities, this is your perfect escape. Here, you can spend your days exploring a 400-year-old castle, paddling on the calm water, and savoring world-class Omi beef. The region’s diversity is remarkable, offering everything from the 200km Biwaichi cycling route to the serenity of a shrine […]

Main Accommodation Types Around Lake Biwa Figuring out where to stay starts with knowing your options. From sprawling resorts to cozy traditional inns, each type of lodging offers a completely different window into the culture and landscape of the area. Hotels: From Resorts to Business Stays There are a wide range of hotel options around Lake Biwa. On one hand, you have large resort hotels, often perched on the lakeshore and built around the stunning views. These are destinations in themselves, equipped with pools, multiple dining options, and other amenities for a comfortable and convenient stay. With English-speaking staff often available, they can help you arrange everything from boat tours […]

Introducing Lake Biwa: Japan’s Largest Lake Lake Biwa, or Biwako, is the third oldest lake in the world, dating back over 4 million years. The Biwaichi cycling course loops around Lake Biwa, offering a chance to explore the Omi region. This area has a rich history as a transportation and logistics hub since ancient times. Along the route, particularly in places like Omihachiman, you can soak in historical scenery as you cycle. The waterways, once vital for Omi merchants, and the well-preserved castle townscapes provide a glimpse into its trading past. For centuries, these traders used these waters to move goods between the ancient capital of Kyoto and the coast, […]

A Brief Look Into Koka’s Ninja History and Identity Koka, in Shiga Prefecture, is one of Japan’s most famous ninja areas. Its strategic position, about an hour from Kyoto, meant its shinobi (another word for ninja) were frequently tasked with intelligence gathering near the ancient capital. The ninja school based here is known as Koka-ryu, which was founded by the Otomo clan. Separately, the Koka clan itself was a highly organized confederation consisting of 53 distinct families. In their daily lives, ninjas lived as farmers, and they used natural materials from the local environment to craft their tools. When peacetime arrived in Japan, many Koka ninjas transitioned permanently into roles […]

What kinds of scents do you all like? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you were always surrounded by your favorite fragrance, making each day feel pleasant and enjoyable? Today, I went all the way to Koka City to experience creating a customized fragrance of my own. The place I visited was a temple called “明王寺” (Myooji). It’s difficult to get there by public transportation, so we went by car, and the road leading to Myooji felt truly mystical. In our modern world, it’s rare, but there was absolutely no sound except for birdsong. The temple is surrounded by fields, and if it had been spring or summer, I’m sure the […]

Japanese cuisine offers a variety beef dishes, including Sukiyaki and Shabu-Shabu (hot pots) etc,. Over 200 brands of Japanese beef, the most highly regarded are Matsuzaka beef, Kobe beef and Omi beef, known as the Japan’s Top 3 Wagyu brands said with over 400 years. While Kobe beef may be better known internationally, it’s actually Omi beef, which uses Japanese black cattle grown in Shiga Prefecture that has the longest history of the 3 brands. Omi beef comes from carefully selected stock cattle bred in the abundant nature around Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture. Many Omi beef fattening farmers carefully selected and use domestic feed with assured safety, such as […]

Have you seen “Omamori” lucky charm before? All over Japan, each shrine and temple you may drop in on sells small Omamori luck charm. They are meant to be put on or in your bag, purse, walle or whever you want, may protect or blessing. At Tarobogu Jinja shrine, you can make your original own Omamori lucky charm by yourself like this. Please do not worry about how to make it. Chief priest or shrine maiden will teach you how to make it and instruction board will be show you some step to complete. So, let’s see how to make your own Omamori lucky charm! Please watch carefully this instruction […]