From Kyoto, it is easy to travel to Lake Biwa by train. Lake Biwa is the largest fresh water lake in Japan. When I was a teenager, I spent a few months of one summer as a foreign exchange student in a small town by the lake. I remember visiting Otsu, the capital of the Shiga prefecture, and largest city next to the lake. On the most recent trip, our reason to travel to Lake Biwa was for fishing! My nephew loves fishing and I was happy to come across the details for Toshinori Mochizuki, and avid fisherman, guide and author. He picked us up from Ono station and took us out on his boat for bass fishing.
At the break time for fishing, I went back ashore and took a walk along the lake. There are many small, pretty beaches and I was lucky to see many cherry blossoms, shrines, and a hawk. There are some museums around the lake to visit and a lot of natural beauty to see. The one warning I would make is that during the summer, there can be a lot of mosquitos!
Highlights
- Bass fishing on the lake with Toshinori Mochizuki
- Views walking around the lake, small beaches and wildlife including birds of prey
- Otsu, capital and largest city next to the lake
- Onjo-ji (Mii-dera) Temple
- Biwako Ohashi Observatory
- Lake Biwa Museum including aquarium
Before you go
- Lake Biwa is the largest fresh water lake in Japan
- Check the train schedule and map carefully to get to your destination as there are multiple lines from Kyoto to Lake Biwa
- Ōtsu is the capital of the Shiga prefecture
- During the summer, there are a lot of mosquitos
Transport
- Travel to Lake Biwa is easy from Kyoto on the Tokaido-Sanyo Line A which turns into the Kosei Line B. We were slightly confused by the Google instructions, but just stayed on the train and we made it
- You can book tours to sightsee on the lake, or as we did, go fishing
Accommodation
- We didn’t stay at Lake Biwa during the recent trip, but I have stayed nearby before. Otsu is a larger city, so has some accommodation. However, it is also reachable from Kyoto
- As usual I recommend checking reviews on Google Reviews or using AirBnB
Food
First, while walking around near Ono, I discovered a local bakery called Wagashiya Anpan. In fact, anpan refers to a specific type of bread with a bean filling. However, the bakery also had a selection of other pastries and mochi.
Later, I picked up some takeaway food from Shiki Sanshoku Chinese restaurant. Our fishing guide Toshi recommended it. They were very friendly and served me iced tea while I was waiting. The mapo tofu is a specialty and it was delicious and spicy. And the gyoza were also excellent!
These are just two recommendations, but there are many more culinary delights nearby!
FAQs
Q: Do I need a tour guide?
A: Yes, I recommend a guide especially if you would like to go fishing
Q: Do people speak English?
A: Some people speak English, but many do not. Luckily many signs now have Japanese and English. However, I recommend to have GoogleTranslate ready
Q: Is it a walkable city?
A: Lake Biwa is huge and there are many towns and cities around it. It’s definitely not easily walkable and local transport or car is recommended.
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