[2025 Otsu Attraction] Travel Guide for Biwako Bridge (Updated May)

5 days in Japan, classic tour! Super practical guide to help you experience Japanese style with ease and not miss a single wonderful moment. Save it now! -------- 🎈Itinerary: DAY 1: Arrive at Chubu Centrair International Airport, Nagoya, and walk to your cozy hotel🏨. DAY 2: Stroll through the ancient Magome-juku -> Explore Tsumago-juku -> Enjoy the soothing time at Gero Onsen🛀. DAY 3: Experience the natural beauty of Hida-Takayama -> Visit the historic Takayama Jinya -> Visit the fairytale-like Shirakawa-go -> Experience the unique flavor of the Tsuzumi-mon Gate🥁. DAY 4: Admire the garden art of Kenrokuen -> Stroll through the ancient Higashi Chaya District -> Explore the unique Tojinbo -> Visit the mysterious Shirahige Shrine -> Enjoy the spectacular view of the Biwako Ohashi Bridge🌉. DAY 5: End your pleasant trip to Japan, and take a private transfer to Kansai International Airport for your flight home✈️. -------- Attraction Recommendations: Shirakawa-go ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 📍Address: Ogimachi, Shirakawa, Ono District, Gifu 501-5627, Japan ⏰Opening Hours: Open all day 🕰️Duration: 2-3 hours The unique gassho-style buildings make you feel like you're in a fairytale world. Definitely worth a visit! Kenrokuen ⭐⭐⭐ 📍Address: 1 Kenrokumachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-0936, Japan ⏰Opening Hours: Oct 16, 2024 - Feb 28, 2025, 08:00-17:00 🕰️Duration: 2 hours This garden is a masterpiece of Edo period garden design, and you can enjoy beautiful scenery in any season. Hida-Takayama ⭐⭐⭐ 📍Address: Takayama, Gifu, Japan ⏰Opening Hours: Open all day 🕰️Duration: 2-3 days This is the hometown of Mitsuha, and the scenery is like a beautiful painting that makes you linger. Takayama Jinya ⭐⭐⭐ 📍Address: 1-5 Hachikenmachi, Takayama, Gifu, Japan ⏰Opening Hours: Jan 27 - Mar 31, 08:45-16:30 🕰️Duration: 2-3 hours This Edo period district magistrate's residence is not only historic, but also offers beautiful natural scenery. -------- Travel Preparation: 🧳 Going to Japan? Bring these things! 📞 Get a Japanese SIM card first, so you can stay in touch and not get lost. 🔌 Don't forget the plug adapter. Japanese sockets are different from ours, so prepare in advance. 👕 It's still a bit cold in Japan in February, so bring a warm coat and comfortable shoes to make your trip easier! Oh, and a visa, which is very important, so get it in advance! -------- For more wonderful moments and niche activities in Japan, check out my homepage for more travel tips!

#BiwaLake has always been a place I've longed to visit. After taking the JR Lake Tour last year to explore the beauty of Lake Biwa, I decided to take a self-driving tour this year starting from Kyoto. I first crossed the #BiwaLake Bridge (bridge fee ¥150) to the #Sagawa Art Museum. The architectural style is unique, and the water shadows seem to be projected after precise processing. Then we crossed the bridge again and headed towards Takashima. On the way, we arrived at #Shirahige Shrine to see the underwater torii. There is a parking lot at the shrine. After checking in, we headed to our first night’s accommodation, Auberge RUKAWA, which can be considered a luxury B&B that combines traditional Japanese architecture with modern aesthetics. The next morning, we arrived at #メタセコイアNamiki in the north of Takashima City. Although the red leaves have not yet fully bloomed, the scenery is beautiful. There are also different camp sites and hot springs nearby, which is suitable for visiting in the summer. Follow the mountain road, pass Kaizu Osaki, enjoy the scenery along the way, and come to the #つづら尾崎Observatory, where you can see the northern side of Lake Biwa. There is also a store on the observation deck for some supplies. Then after passing #Jianyue, we came to #Jizu Temple to see the red leaves. We went up from #Sekido Temple where there were fewer people. After viewing the red leaves, we headed to our second night’s accommodation, the #Biwako Grand Mercure Hot Spring Hotel in Nagahama City. It includes a buffet breakfast with many varieties and a large public bath, which is very popular among Japanese people. On the third day, we drove up #Ibukiyama. It was the 60th anniversary of the Ibukiyama driveway. After parking the car at the 9th station, we could walk up the mountain road to the top of the mountain, which took about 40 minutes. However, due to the lack of cold-resistant equipment, we did not go up the mountain this time. After the tour, we went to the B&B #大津町家粋世 in Otsu, and also went to #三井outletpark石贺龙王 in Kusatsu for shopping. By the way, the three-day trip to Lake Biwa ended.

The Lake Biwa Bridge🌉 in Shiga Prefecture is a 1,350m bridge that spans between Imahama in Moriyama City and Katata in Otsu City, and was opened in 1964. The northern half of the bridge is called "Kita-ko" (northern lake) and the southern half is called "Nan-ko" (southern lake), and the bridge is designed to allow boats to pass under the girders. It can be crossed not only by car, but also on foot🚶 and by bicycle🚲, and is also known as a spot for Biwaichi, a cycling tour around Lake Biwa. In addition, on the Katata side, there is the roadside station Biwako Ohashi Rice Plaza, which has an observation deck from which you can see the Lake Biwa Bridge, and sells many local specialties, making it a tourist base. 📌Lake Biwa Bridge 📌1-1 Imakatada 3-chome, Otsu City, 520-0241 📌About 5 minutes by car from Katata Station on the JR Kosei Line 📌Famous rating: ★★★★☆ #Domestic travel #Shiga Prefecture #Shiga #Lake Biwa Bridge #Lake Biwa #Roadside station #Biwaichi #Lake