| Otsu 大 津 | ||
 | ||
Flag  | ||
| State | Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Kansai | |
| Territory | Shiga Prefecture | |
| Surface | 464.51 km² | |
| Inhabitants | 341.784 (2016) | |
| Time zone | 9 | |
Position
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| Institutional website | ||
Ōtsu is a city of Kansai.
To know
Ōtsu is the capital of Shiga prefecture.
Geographical notes
The city overlooks the Biwa Lake to the east, while to the west it is flanked by the Mount Hiei.
How to orient yourself
Otsu: full screen map.Neighborhoods
- 1 Sakamoto
How to get
By plane
There are two nearby airports:
- 1 Kansai International Airport (関 西 空港, IATA: KIX) (Take the airport limousine bus to Shin-Osaka (25 min, JPY 500), then JR train to Ōtsu (35 min, JPY 840). You can also take a bus to Kyoto (1 hour, JPY 1,310), then a JR train to Ōtsu (1 hour, JPY 200).). Airport for international flights.
- 2 Osaka International Airport (伊丹 空港, itami kūkō, IATA: ITM)) (Take the JR Haruka Express train in Kyoto and change to a local train to Ōtsu (1hr 45, JPY 3.1230 for a non-reserved seat).). Airport of most domestic flights.
On the train
There JR Biwako line runs from Osaka Station and Kyoto Station to Ōtsu Station.
- 3 Ōtsu station (大 津 駅, ōtsu-eki).
From eastern Kyoto or the Tōzai metro, the Keishin line of the Keihan company is your best choice. Consider JPY 410 and 25 minutes from Sanjō-Keihan station in Biwako-Hamaōtsu (び わ 湖 浜 大 津). The latter is a 15-minute walk from the JR station and is on the Keihan Ishiyama-Sakamoto line running from the south of the lake to the west bank.
- 4 Ishiyamadera Station (石 山寺 駅, ishiyamadera-eki).
- 5 Zeze station (膳 所 駅, zeze-eki).
- 6 Biwako-Hamaōtsu Station (び わ 湖 浜 大 津 駅, Biwako-Hamaōtsu-eki).
By metro
From 7 Sanjō station (in the part eastern Kyoto) you can take the Tōzai subway line which crosses the Keihan Keishin line at the 8 Yamashina railway station with which you can then get to the city.
| Streets that pass through Otsu |
| Osaka ← Kyōto ← | OR  IS | → Kusatsu → Nagoya |
| end ← | No.  S. | → Misasagi → verse  → Karasuma Oike |
| Osaka ← Kyoto ← | OR  IS | → Kusatsu → Nagoya |
How to get around
By public transport
The city is served by the Keihan railway with various stations including those that allow you to take the rack:
- 9 Sakamoto-hieizanguchi station. Served by the Keihan Electric Railway company, it follows the Keihan Ishiyama Sakamoto line.
- 10 JR Hieizan Sakamoto Station (比叡 山 坂 本 駅 Hieizan Sakamoto-eki). JR station. The station is connected to the rack and pinion station by a bus.
There is also a rack railway (Sakamoto):
The lower station of the rack
- 11 Sakamoto Lower Station (The station can be reached by bus from JR Hieizan Sakamoto Station or on foot in 25 minutes. From Sakamoto-hieizanguchi station 15 minutes on foot.).
adults 840 ¥, children 430 ¥. Round trip adults ¥ 1620, children ¥ 810 (Mar 2019), group discounts. 
8: 00-17: 00 (times vary according to the season, check the link). The cog railway covers a distance of 2 km in 11 minutes and allows you to climb the peaks of the Mount Hiei where you can visit the Enryaku-ji temple.
adults 840 ¥, children 430 ¥. Round trip adults ¥ 1620, children ¥ 810 (Mar 2019), group discounts. 
8: 00-17: 00 (times vary according to the season, check the link). The cog railway covers a distance of 2 km in 11 minutes and allows you to climb the peaks of the What see
Enryakuji
1 Enryaku-ji Temple (延 暦 寺) (on top of the mount Hiei. Accessible by cog railway, for details see above), ☎ 81 77-578-0001. The main temple of Tendai Buddhism and one of the holiest places in Japan, it is also a UNESCO heritage site. It was the first Japanese settlement of the esoteric Buddhist sect Tendai, founded by Saichō (Dengyō Daishi) in 788. The temple was later razed by Oda Nobunaga in 1571 to suppress the rise of the Tendai warrior monks, but it was rebuilt and remains the seat of the Tendai to this day.
- The large complex is generally divided into three sections known as the Eastern Pagoda (東 塔 Tōdo), Western Pagoda (西塔 Saito) and Yokawa (横 川); the pagodas no longer exist, but the names have remained. Most of the most famous temples are concentrated in the eastern pagoda area.
Main hall of the Gichū-ji temple
- 2 Gichū-ji (義 仲 寺) (The temple is 300m from JR Zeze Station (膳 所 駅), one stop from Ōtsu on the JR Tokaidō Line.). 200¥. The burial place of the famous haiku poet Matsuo Bashō, known for The Path to the End of the World.
Ishiyama-dera
- 3 Ishiyama-dera (石 山寺) (On the Keihan Line. Upon exiting Ishiyama-dera station, go right for about 15 minutes.). This temple was founded in 749 and the 850-year-old Hondō (main hall) is the oldest building in Shiga prefecture. Inside the Hondō, in the room on the right, is the "Genji Room" where Murasaki Shikibu is believed to have written his famous book "The Tale of Genji", considered the first novel in history. The temple complex is quite large, with a 750-year-old pagoda and Muyūen Garden (無憂 園), among other things. The path leading to the temple is lined with cherry trees, which makes it especially beautiful in the spring and fall. For those traveling on the Kansai Kannon Pilgrimage, Ishiyama-dera is temple number 13 of 33.
- 4 Mii-dera Temple (三井 寺, formerly Onjō-ji (園 城 寺)). Buddhist temple at the foot of Mount Hiei.
- 5 Hiyoshi Taisha (日 吉 大 社). Shinto shrine.
Events and parties
What to do
Shopping
How to have fun
Where to eat
Average prices
- 1 Kanekichi (近 江 牛 か ね 吉), 1 Chome-10-１８ Banba, Otsu, ☎ 81 77-522-3744. 11:30-22:00. Specialized in local Ōmi beef.
- 2 Matsukiya (松 喜 屋), 14-17 Karahashicho, Otsu, ☎ 81 77-534-2901. 11: 30-15: 00 and 17: 00-22: 00.
Where stay
High prices
- 1 Ogoto onsen (雄 琴 温泉) (Near the JR Ogoto-onsen station). A spa with accommodations ranging from mid-range to luxury. Information in English on the website.
Safety
How to keep in touch
Around
- Kyoto - The ancient capital easily accessible.
- Uji - City home to some of the temples protected byUNESCO along with those of Otsu.
