Kansai's hidden gem: Lake Biwa 2025 with transportation and babysitting tips

Lake Biwa, with a total area of 670 square kilometers, reveals a vast expanse of vibrant energy and charm that changes with the climate and seasons. This is why it's home to magnificent and ever-changing natural landscapes such as the "Eight Views of Lake Biwa" and the "Eight Views of Omi." A visit to Lake Biwa is essential on a sunny day with good visibility to admire the lake surrounded by vibrant greenery. Enjoy a cup of coffee and a sea of clouds from the mountaintop Lake Biwa Observatory. In winter, the area transforms into the Lake Biwa Ski Resort, offering skiing and snow fun. 🎫 Tickets: 4,000 yen/adult, 2,000 yen/elementary student. Purchase in advance online for 3,000 yen/person. ✅ Transportation ❗ 🚗 From Osaka → Take the JR Kyoto Line to Kyoto Station (30 minutes) → Take the JR Kosai Line to Shiga Station (40 minutes) → Take a bus to the cable car terminal (10 minutes). 🚗 From Kyoto → Take the JR Kosai Line to Shiga Station (40 minutes) → Take a bus to the cable car terminal (10 minutes). ⚠️Please note the cable car and shuttle bus schedules within the area (transfer to a direct bus to the cable car station). See page 6 for the bus schedule. ❗ 🎫 Bus fare: 410 yen for adults, 210 yen for children. ⏰Cable car service is open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Tickets close at 4:00 PM and service ends at 5:00 PM. Cable car runs every 15 minutes. 1⃣ First cable car: The first 🚠 💰 express cable car takes you to an altitude of 1,100 meters in just 5 minutes! 2⃣ Second/Third Gondola: Slow, open-air gondola, chairlift-style cable car for skiing; transfer point offers rides such as unicycles, stilts, and Frisbees; 3⃣ Summit Experience: Enjoy stunning views of Lake Biwa from Cafe 360, high above Lake Biwa. ✅ Summit Dining ・ Ekinaka Kitchen ・ HALUKA Grill & Bar ・ Terrace Café ・ Infinity Lounge ・ The Main Coffee Stand ・ Café 360 ✅ Lake Biwa Attractions: 🏯 Ukimido Home to the Katada Rakugan, one of the Eight Scenic Views of Omi 🏞 Shirahige Shrine Maintains a festival on May 3rd and September 5th-6th each year, praying for longevity and health. 🎨 Sagawa Museum of Art: Admission: 1200 yen for adults, 800 yen for students 🏝 Okinoshima Cat Walk ✅🍣 Food 🍱 Korian · Sushi Kaiseki Signature Dish: Two-year-fermented "Kanruzuke" sushi, served with mochi pancakes and chazuke (tea rice), a true revelation of traditional sushi. Must-Tries: Biwa trout sashimi with sansho soy sauce and grilled ayu (the roe bursts with a delicious texture). 🍝 Sower's Contemporary Cuisine Cooked by a Michelin-starred chef, sushi pasta and biwa trout sashimi with sansho soy sauce are both creative and delicious. Hidden Menu: Shichibon Gunnoku Namamoto (award-winning IWC wine), only available in select restaurants. 🍵 Shiga Station Snacks Satiate your cravings with freshly grilled Omi beef skewers and matcha ice cream right at the station; The tea-flavored gelato at the café halfway up the mountain is rich and refreshing without being cloying. Nearby Attractions: Hikone Castle, Mitsui-dera Temple, Ishiyama-dera Temple, Daidori-ji Temple, Takebushima Island, Kurokabe Square, Omi-Hachiman Temple, Kyurin Bamboo Garden ⚠️ Tips 1. Check the weather before your trip; sunny days are beautiful. 2. Make sure you arrive at the cable car before 5:00 PM to descend the mountain. Watch for the last bus back to Shiga Station and catch the return bus as soon as you get off the cable car. #July2025