Otsu
Ōtsu (大津) is the capital of Shiga prefecture.
Enryaku-ji, a Tendai monastery located on Mount Hiei overlooking Kyoto, is the headquarters of the Tendai sect and one of the most significant monasteries in Japanese history. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)".
Get in
By plane
Otsu does not have its own airport. The nearest airport is Osaka's Itami Airport, but Kansai International Airport is an equally viable option. There are no shuttles or limosine buses from either airport to Otsu however, From Itami Airport you can take a limosine bus to Kyoto (¥1,280) or Osaka (¥490) and then continue to Otsu by train. From either airport, you can travel from the airport to Otsu by train.
By train
From Kyoto, take the JR Biwako Line from Kyoto Station to Otsu. Alternatively, you can take the Keihan Keishin Line to Hamaotsu Station. From Kyoto Station, the JR line will be most convenient, but from Eastern Kyoto or the subway Tozai Line, Keihan railway is the better option. (Sanjo-keihan to hamaotsu subway 410y / ~25min) Subway and JR station are distant of about 15min walk. Walk to Otsu SA is ~25min from JR station if you want hitchhike out.
By subway
The Subway Tozai Line connects Otsu to eastern, central, and western Kyoto. From Higashiyama, Keihan Railway connects to the subway from Sanjo Station (the subway station is Sanjo Keihan-Mae).
By bus
By boat
Get around
By train
Travelling around Otsu by train is quite convenient. The Keihan Ishiyama Sakamoto Line connects each end of the city, so no matter where you are, there will likely be a station nearby.
See
- 1 Enryakuji Temple (延暦寺), ☏ +81 77-578-0001. The head temple of Tendai Buddhism and a World Heritage Site located atop Mount Hiei.
- Gichu-ji Temple (義仲寺). The burial place of famed haiku poet Matsuo Bashō, of Narrow Road to the Deep North fame. The temple is 300m away from JR Zeze Station (膳所駅), one stop from Otsu on the JR Tokaido Line. Entrance is ¥200.
- 2 Ishiyama-dera (石山寺) (On the Keihan Line, go to Ishiyama-dera Station. Upon exiting, go right for about 15 minutes). This temple was founded in 749 and the hondō (main hall) is the oldest building in Shiga Prefecture built 850 years ago. Inside the hondo, in the room on the right, is the "Genji Room" where it is believed Murasaki Shikibu wrote her famous book "Tale of Genji", considered to be the world's first novel. The temple precincts are quite large, with a 750 year old pagoda and Muyū-en Garden (無憂園) among other things. The pathway leading to the temple is lined with cherry trees, making it especially beautiful in the spring and autumn. For those traveling on the Saigoku 33 Kannon Temple Pilgrimage, Ishiyama-dera is number 13. Entrance is ¥500.
- 3 Miidera Temple (三井寺).
- 4 Hiyoshi Taisha (日吉大社).
Do
Buy
Eat
- Kanekichi. Local Omi beef specialist.
- Matsukiya. Local Omi beef specialist.
Drink
Sleep
Go next
| Routes through Otsu |
| Osaka ← Kyoto ← | W  E |
→ Kusatsu → Nagoya |
| Osaka ← Kyoto ← | W  E |
→ Kusatsu → Nagoya |