Where to Base
Stay near JR Otsukyo Station for easy access to Kyoto and Lake Biwa, or choose hotels around Biwako-Hashidate Station for direct lake views and a more resort-like atmosphere.
City hotel guide
Otsu
Otsu, located in Shiga Prefecture, serves as a strategic gateway between Kyoto and the expansive Lake Biwa. Known for its historic Otsu Castle and the imposing Ishiyama-dera Temple, the city offers a serene atmosphere rich in cultural heritage. It is an ideal base for travelers seeking to explore the natural beauty of Lake Biwa while maintaining easy access to Kyoto’s major attractions. The city provides a quieter alternative to busier metropolitan hubs, featuring comfortable accommodations that cater to both leisure and business travelers looking for convenience and tranquility.
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🕐 Asia/Tokyo · 💱 JPY
Getting there & around
KIX airport guide (official info · terminals · lounges) →
🚆 Kyōto Station🚆 Zeze Station🚆 Minami-Kusatsu Station🚆 Ishiyama Station🚆 Rittō Station🚆 Moriyama Station🚆 Yasu Station🚆 Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station
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Before choosing where to stay
Getting Around
JR lines connect Otsu to Kyoto in just 10 minutes. Local buses cover key sites efficiently, while ferries on Lake Biwa provide scenic transport between lakeside towns.
Best Season
Spring cherry blossoms and autumn foliage offer stunning views. Summer is warm but lively for lakeside activities, while winter provides a quiet, peaceful experience for solitary travelers.
Nearby attractions
Mount Hiei
mountain in Kyōto, Kyōto prefefecture and Ōtsu, Shiga Prefectures, Japan
Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Buddhist temple in Higashiyama, Kyoto
Enryaku-ji Temple
Buddhist temple in Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Ginkaku-ji Temple
temple in Sakyo ward of Kyoto, Japan
Kinkaku-ji Temple
Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan
Mii-dera Temple
Buddhist temple in Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Heian-kyō
former name of Kyoto, capital of Japan 794–1868
Heian Jingū
Shinto shrine in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Fushimi Inari-taisha
Shinto shrines in Kyoto, Japan
Nanzen-ji Temple
building in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Kamigamo Shrine
Shinto shrine in Kita-ku, Kyōto, Japan
Shimogamo Shrine
Shinto shrine in Sakyō-ku, Kyōto, Japan
Dining
Hyotei
The aesthetic of ‘wabi-sabi’, restraint and impermanence, breathes in the walls of this veteran ryotei. The garden of moss-covered stone lanterns and washbasins, channels flowing with clear streams from Lake Biwa and a still, quiet tea arbour all give it a shadowed atmosphere. Hyotei eggs are a tradition handed down through generations from the founder. Eiichi Takahashi changed the dashi from dried bonito to dried tuna; tomato and soy sauce gracing Akashi sea bream sashimi is a permutation courtesy of the current chef, Yoshihiro Takahashi. Over the years, layers of innovation build up to cater
Sojiki Nakahigashi
The wooden tablet at the entrance expresses the house credo: ‘Garnish rice cooked in the okudo stove with char-grilled snacks and wild grasses and flowers’. To learn more, you’ll have to visit the restaurant yourself. In an age of information exchange, Nakahigashi offers an opportunity to clear one’s mind and experience cuisine of herbs and grasses. In short, be grateful to others and for the bounty of nature, remembering that the truly important things cannot be seen with the eyes. An experience of noticing things awaits.
WebsiteMizai
The ambience is still, like a mountain retreat in the heart of the city. The flicker of votive lanterns casts a tenor of rustic simplicity. While he worked to polish his cooking skills, Hitoshi Ishihara also encountered Zen teachings. Inspired by the wabicha spirit of the tea ceremony, Ishihara strives to host each dinner as a single gathering, with guests and host in close communication. Generous portions reinforce the mood of celebration. ‘Mizai’ is a Zen word meaning ‘not yet here’; for Ishihara, tireless self-improvement is a never-ending journey.
WebsiteKikunoi Honten
Kikunoi is spreading the word worldwide about the allure of Japanese cuisine. Yoshihiro Murata sets his sights on innovation while evangelising Kyoto’s graceful ryotei culture. Occasionally Western ingredients get added to the mix, infusing a contemporary sensibility. Change accumulates in layers here, as a result of shifting personnel: Chef Murata invites trainees from overseas to pass on to them the true nature of Japanese cuisine and Japanese traditions of service. Fixing his gaze on the future of Japanese cooking, Murata cultivates the next generation of chefs.
WebsiteGion Sasaki
In a teacher-and-student quest, Hiroshi Sasaki and his understudies vie to create the greatest flavours. Combining Sasaki’s wealth of experience with the youthful sensitivity of his disciples, the restaurant builds a menu that surprises and delights, suffusing classic Japanese cuisine with fresh technique and imagination. The counter becomes a theatre that brings cooks and diners together, each playing their parts. The performances of ‘Sasaki Kitchen Theatre’, fun for eyes and tastebuds, have a presence that keeps the house packed night after night.
WebsiteIsshisoden Nakamura
The house began life as a travelling fishmonger, carrying fish from Wakasa Bay to scattered markets, then gradually transitioned into a restaurant. The sixth-generation head, Motokazu Nakamura, took over the reins having been the only one entrusted with the craft he learned at his father’s side. For the white miso zoni, he only uses water drawn from a well on the premises to dissolve the miso. Sake-grilled tilefish is doused in sake multiple times, piling flavour on top of flavour. The chef tends the kitchen with his son, who trained abroad, passing skills and spirit from one generation to the
Kyokaiseki Kichisen
Next to Shimogamo Shrine, surrounded by the Tadasu-no-Mori forest, lies Kyokaiseki Kichisen. The chef, a devotee of Japanese cuisine and the performing arts, built a ryotei on this spot. Respectful of Kyoto traditions, menu items are accompanied by charming details. Lids of soup dishes are emblazoned with dew, expressing freshness. Tuna sashimi is arrayed like a sea of clouds, creating a fairytale-like scene. Serving dishes of Kyoyaki ceramics, garnished with fresh-cut flowers, beguile the eyes. A unique interpretation of Kyoto kaiseki, accompanied by the spirit of graceful service.
WebsiteSanso Kyoyamato
During the short walk from the front gate to the main buildings, guests can appreciate the history of the buildings while feeling the presence of nature. Classic aesthetics pervade the entire site, from the sukiya design of the buildings to the space reflecting seasonal ceremonies and views of the garden. The chef wants every aspect of Sanso Kyoyamato to be beautiful, so he takes special care with the refinement of his food arrangements and their elegant flavours. The painstaking service of the proprietress and hostess is an agreeable presence. Diners will sense a complete work of Japanese art
WebsiteAttraction data from Wikidata (CC0) and open sources, ranked by notability and distance — for reference.
See all guide-listed restaurants in Otsu (Michelin / Black Pearl) →
Airport lounges (KIX)
KIX Lounge Kansai
KIX Lounge Premium
Lounge KANSAI
Airport Cafe Lounge Nodoka
Botejyu 1946
Japan Travelling Restaurant By Botejyu
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