Day 2 - 100km - Moriyama to Makino

I rose early with excitement and continued South past the city of Kusatsu. This was the first section of the trip where I could truly see the opposite side of the lake from the shore as I was in the slimmest part in the South. I crossed the Setagawa Bridge at the Southern point of the lake and pressed on up the other side through Otsu city. This was the most built-up section of the trip so was not necessarily the most attractive however, the Ukimido or 'floating temple' was a pleasant surprise and felt like a real hidden gem.

I eventually escaped the urban sprawl of Otsu city and soon found myself in the multi-coloured rice paddies scattered around Wani and Hira on the Eastern banks. This was a particularly enjoyable part of the ride as I could just get my head down and focus on the ride without worrying about traffic. The further North I went, the more impressive the scenery was.

The Shirahige shrine was my next stop, which is a red tori gate that stands in Lake Biwa about 30 metres from the coast. The gate itself attracted lots of visitors all posing for photos from the shore but I took a stroll around the area, stumbled across the Iwato-sha shrine in the foothills of the mountains, and took refuge there from a sudden downpour. It was a well-needed rest and extremely atmospheric so I would recommend anyone visiting to look around the surrounding area.

The remaining 20km to Makino largely consisted of the city of Takashima, which was home to some lovely old-style backstreets away from the main road. Upon arriving at my hotel on the lakeshore, I was so tired I headed straight to the property's private beach and lay down to enjoy the sun setting behind me and reflecting off the lake.

Read next article - Day 3 here

Trick or Treat? One of our favorite events to date!

This event took place right in the hotel called Royal Oak Spa & Gardens in Otsu City, Shiga prefecture. 100+ Guests enjoyed Halloween special dinner including cakes, drinks, dancing and a ghoulish decor for Halloween in Shiga.

Of course, me and my girls as well.

This Halloween party will be annualy in Royal Oak Spa & Gardens (Hopefully), If you are travelling to Shiga during Halloween period in next year, make sure to join a party with your special outfits.

Happy Halloween!

https://www.royaloakhotel.co.jp

On July 18th I spent a fantastic day in Takashima City courtesy of the Biwako Visitor's Bureau! We went to several places that I had never been to before and I was definitely not disappointed.

Takashima City is located north of Otsu on the west side of Lake Biwa. It is a more rural area, made up of an amalgamation of several smaller towns and filled with an abundance of history, culture, and nature.
Shirahige Shrine:
Our first stop was Shirahige shrine. This shrine's most distinctive feature would be its torii gate located in the water of Lake Biwa. This gate is located across a busy road, but looks out onto the beautiful waters of Japan's largest lake, and some people were even taking advantage of the lake warm waters to swim a little bit and do SUP (Stand Up Paddle.)
I got a couple good pictures of the torii gate as well as the rest of the shrine itself.

Nishitomo：
July 20th is Japan's "unagi"aka Eel Day. Eating freshwater eel such as this during the brutally hot summer months in Japan is said to give you more energy and strength to face the heat. Unagi is not something I ever had the chance to eat back in the United States, but I soon learned how delicious it was soon after the first time I came to Japan. At this restaurant called Nishitomo, a well-known restaurant in the area, we were served a delicious unagi meal that included all kinds of side dishes and seasonings, and were encouraged to try eating the unagi in various different ways. I absolutely love unagi and this meal definitely did not disappoint!

Suzuki Sesu :
Takashima is also well known for its Japanese folding fans, so we were given the opportunity to make our own! I am not particularly skilled at anything involving arts and crafts, but I was willing to give it my best shot. There were many pictures that we were able to trace over the fan itself, and then we began to color our various picture creations. Although I am aware that the fan I managed to make is not going to win any awards for outstanding design, I still very much enjoyed the experience.　（http://www.suzukisensu.com/）

Hata-no-tanada: Our final stop was some of the beautiful terraced rice fields located in the countryside. Terraced fields such as these are a Japanese agricultural process made so that rice can still be grown in hilly or mountainous areas. This area was, in my opinion, the absolute epitome of Japanese countryside beauty.

In the middle of this natural beauty was an older shrine off to the side of the road, called Hachiman Shrine. I have seen many shrines during my time in Japan, but the placement of this one right in the middle of all this natural beauty felt like something out of a Ghibli film, and I tried to take as many pictures as I could to capture it.

This was a fantastic day trip, and I very much enjoyed being able to see and go to places that I had never been before. Shiga Prefecture is definitely a very underrated prefecture in my opinion, and I could not encourage people enough to take the time to visit it someday.

(Author : Emily Hammond)

It feels like the time stopped flowing here - Rokasensuiso.

It located on Zeze, inside the urban jungle of the Otsu city, Shiga prefecture since 100 years ago. It is designated as a National Important Cultural Property.

I feel I found a new place to be relax. The reason why I felt like this - it builded by Shunkyo Yamamoto, the Japanese traditional painter was born here, 1872. There is a painting room on up stairs, which you can see his masterpieces.

Awesome Japanese traditional garden beside the Lake Biwa (Biwako).

There are 4 Japanese Tea ceremony rooms here. Each room has theme and secret designated decoration. I cannot tell you the details, so you will find it.

Easy access to Otsu from Kyoto, it takes 10 minutes by train. If any chance, please visit to Rokasensuiso to see the Japanese traditional painting here.

Meditation, walk around the Japanese garden or just see the masterpiece....etc. Ideal for relax, how to enjoy whatever you want.

Rokasensuiso (1-19-23 Nakasho, Otsu City, Shiga prefecture) Booking in advance : info@rashinban.main.jp

On February 17th, we had the opportunity to go to Otsu city, the capital of Shiga Prefecture, and visit Ogoto Onsen and Miidera temple. We got to try a few different things; at Ogoto Onsen we did a foot bath, and at Miidera temple we participated in Zazen and made our own personal Juzu!

We first went to the Ogoto Onsen, the oldest onsen in Shiga prefecture, to try a hot foot bath. We expected the water would be hot, of course, but it turned out to be so hot that we couldn't even keep our feet in it at first. Although, once we got accustomed to the heat, it really did feel fantastic. It was a very soothing experience.

After the footbath, we ate lunch at the Onsen. We both ordered some Ohmi beef Gyudon, and it was delicious. The beef was juicy and flavorful, and it was a wonderful meal.

After having lunch at Ogoto Onsen, we went to the Miidera Temple, which is one of the four largest temples in Japan.

A monk from the temple took us on a tour of the temple grounds and various temple buildings, while teaching us about the history of it.

From the main gate, which is called the Niomon Gate, we went to the bell pavillion which houses on the Japan's three famous bells.

This bell is known for having a beautiful tone, and Tom and I were both allowed to ring it. We also saw Reisyo-do, another bell that was built in the 8th Century.

We then walked around the main hall where we saw statues of many different Buddhas.

We were also able to see the Issaikyo-zo, which is a library for the temple's scriptures, and To-in, which is the mausoleum of the temple's founder.

At this time we made our way over to a building that was outside of the usual tour route. Here, we learned about Zazen meditation, and were able to try it ourselves. It was a little difficult to maintain the proper sitting posture, but we thought the experience was very interesting.

Here, we learned about Zazen meditation, and were able to try it ourselves. It was a little difficult to maintain the proper sitting posture, but we thought the experience was very interesting.

Next, we walked over to the Bimyo-ji Temple to make our own juzu, which is a bracelet of beads often used as a charm.

The juzu consist of three stone beads and 24 wooden beads. The different kinds of stone and wood represented different things. We ended up picking beads that will help us in times of stress and in our studies.

We all had trouble tying the elastic string together at the end, but all our bracelets turned out very nicely!

Lastly, we walked up to Kannon-do where we said a prayer at the temple and took a picture with our guide.

The tour of Miidera Temple was fascinating and we both enjoyed it very much. The trip to Otsu has left us excited and eager to visit more places in Shiga and to learn more about Japanese history.

(Author : Charles Hill)

Do you know how to make a Japanese kite?

Normally, no special materials are necessary, unfortunately only you need a Japanese paper called Washi "和紙".

He is a Japanese kite master who working at Sunai-no-sato, Kanou Shojuan (Otsu city, Shiga prefecture)

My little two British / Brazilian girls are tried to making her own kite, but its too complicated. Firstly, my kids draw on her kite with cute animal pattern and some lovely items.

Very difficult!!!!

But finally....

Making and flying a kite with your child is a great way to spend time together and teaches useful skills, even some basics of aerodynamics. Best of all, it's fun to take advantage of blustery and freezing days!

Thanks to all staff in Sunai-no-sato! We had a great family day out!

De bon matin, j'ai pris le train jusqu'à la gare d'Ishiyama, à Ôtsu, pour prendre la première navette du jour jusqu'à Kanô Shôjuan Sunaï-no-Sato.

Situé dans les montagnes du sud de la capitale de Shiga, ce complexe sert de maison-mère à une compagnie de pâtisseries traditionnelles japonaises, et offre une foule d'activités. Au menu du jour : fabrication de mochi et de décorations du Nouvel An, et cérémonie du thé.

C'est à l'ombre d'une ancienne chaumière que nous prenons pilon en main pour pétrir du riz encore fumant. Le mochi est fait de riz gluant, que l'on frappe répétitivement avec un maillet jusqu'à l'obtention d'une pâte légèrement collante. C'est l'un des goûters traditionnels du Nouvel An et sa fabrication est tout un rite, appelé mochitsuki. Après avoir mis l'huile de coude chacun à notre tour, nous savourons le fruit de notre labeur : du mochi bien chaud, préparé de trois façons. Aux classiques pâte de haricots rouges sucrés et poudre de soja grillé s'ajoutait du radis blanc finement râpé, piquant et juteux, une nouveauté pour mon palais. Des trois, je préfère toujours le soja, mais je ne dis pas non à une deuxième part des autres.

Après ce délicieux goûter, nous nous dirigeons vers le bâtiment central pour fabriquer des mochibana. Ces « fleurs de mochi » servent de décorations traditionnelles au Nouvel An, et les boulettes roses et blanches sont censées appeler la chance et la prospérité. La tâche est plutôt facile, voire relaxante; il suffit d'orner des branches de saule de petites boules de mochi avant qu'il ne refroidisse. Une fois durci, son poids tire les branches vers le bas; le produit final me rappelle un feu d'artifice.

Toutes les branches ainsi alourdies, nous faisons le tour des boutiques de pâtisseries traditionnelles avant de nous déplacer vers la salle de cérémonie du thé.

Espace intime, la salle s'ouvre sur le jardin pour permettre aux visiteurs d'observer la nature au rythme des saisons. En effet, la cérémonie du thé est un moment de contemplation autant qu'une expérience gustative, et chaque détail honore le temps de l'année. En ce début décembre, les dernières feuilles rouges persistent sur les branches et les décorations du tokonoma (un poème, un objet d'art et un ikebana) reflètent le temps froid. À son arrivée, la maîtresse de cérémonie nous explique le sens de chaque objet avant de commencer la préparation du thé, et nous laisse déguster une pâtisserie exclusive en laissant errer notre regard. Comme j'ai la chance d'être la première en ligne pour le thé, elle me passe une tasse spéciale, ornée de lapins... Au Japon, on dit qu'un lapin vit sur la Lune, où il fabrique du mochi. Quelle meilleure façon de couronner cette journée!

Kanô Shôjuan Sunaï-no-Sato offre une variété d'activités tout au long de l'année; la fabrication de mochibana est offerte du début décembre à la mi-décembre (réservation requise dans certains cas).

La navette gratuite part de la gare d'Ishiyama quatre fois par jour (±30 minutes, premier arrivé, premier assis).

(By Émilie Lamont-Cardinal)

Olá pessoal! Aqui é a Natália, brasileira que mora em Hikone e eu quero escrever um pouco sobre minha experiência no "Biwako Dai Hanabi Taikai" em Otsu, Shiga. Para quem não sabe, o verão no Japão é conhecido como a época dos festivais ("matsuri"), no qual as pessoas saem de casa com a família e amigos para se distrair e esquecer um pouco o calor. Uma das tradições desse período é assistir os famosos festivais de fogos de artifícios ("hanabi taikai") que acontecem em toda parte durante o mês de agosto.

No dia 8 de agosto de 2017, eu fui pela primeira vez ao "Biwako Dai Hanabi Taikai", que acontece no porto da cidade de Otsu, capital da província de Shiga. O "Biwako Dai Hanabi Taikai" é o maior festival de fogos de artifício da região de Shiga e aproximadamente 350 mil fogos são liberados durante o evento, colorindo o céu de Otsu de maneira sem igual.

Como eu moro em Hikone, na região norte de Shiga, saí do serviço e peguei um trem até a estação JR Otsu. De lá, encontrei com a minha amiga Emily que trabalha na cidade e decidimos jantar em algum lugar, já que tinhamos um tempinho até o início do evento.

Saímos pela saída norte ("kita guchi") da estação e seguimos o fluxo das pessoas que estavam indo para o evento. Logo de cara acabamos achando a placa do "Saigo ni Katsu", um restaurante especializado em pratos com carne, à 3 minutos à pé da estação de Otsu.

O restaurante ficava no fundo de um corredor, então percorremos o corredor e entramos no local. Apesar de pequeno, o restaurante era bastante confortável e lembrava bares antigos japoneses que a gente vê na televisão.

Depois de ficar uns bons minutos em dúvida sobre o que pedir, eu optei por um "tonteki", um filé de carne de porco com molho especial. Além do filé de 200 gramas, o prato veio com salada, arroz à vontade e sopa. O mais impressionante foi o preço, apenas 900 ienes por tudo.

A Emily optou pelo "bifuteki", praticamente o mesmo prato que o meu, com a diferença que o filé era feito de carne de vaca. Além das opções de carne de 200 gramas, havia a opção de pedir a carne com 400 gramas.

O menu também tinha outras opções muito interessantes, como curry especial da casa ("kare"), filé de carne servido sobre o arroz branco ("suteki don") e filé com molho demi glace ("bifu demi"). Definitivamente vou precisar voltar mais vezes para experimentar os outros pratos.

Obviamente, eu e a Emily ficamos muito felizes com o nossos pratos. (^_^) Depois da janta, saímos e continuamos nosso caminho até o festival de fogos de artifício.

Para chegar no "Biwako Dai Hanabi Matsuri", basta sair da estação JR Otsu pela saída norte ("kita guchi") e seguir o fluxo de pessoas. Há muitas policiais e staffs orientando até o local, então não há como errar. O local do evento é aproximadamente 10 mins a pé da estação de Otsu, então foi bastante tranquilo para chegar.

Uma dica para chegar no local do evento é seguir as pessoas que estão vestidas de yukata. Muitos casais de namorados aproveitam para assistir os fogos de artifício juntos. (^_^)

Como o evento é o maior da região de Shiga, há diversos locais para assistir os fogos de artifício. O evento em si é gratuito, mas aqueles que quiserem ver os fogos em um lugar privilegiado e com direito à assento, podem adquirir um ingresso especial, que pode ser comprado antecipadamente ou no dia mesmo.

O evento começou às 19h30m, com um show de fogos impressionante. Durante o festival, os fogos foram divididos por tema, então havia fogos de diferentes cores e formatos para admirar. Muitas pessoas aproveitaram para tirar fotos e vídeos do céu.

Além dos fogos tradicionais, havia fogos temáticos com formatos de objetos, planetas e bichinhos. A cor e quantidade de fogos também era impressionante, deixando o céu de Otsu com um aspecto multi-colorido.

Às 20h30m, o evento chegou ao fim, com outra chuva de fogos. Ficamos tão entretidas pelos fogos de artifício que nem sequer vimos o tempo passar. Para aqueles querem experimentar um festival de fogos de artifício tradicional do Japão, eu definitivamente recomendo ir ao "Biwako Dai Hanabi Taikai" de Otsu!

PARA ASSISTIR O "BIWAKO DAI HANABI TAIKAI"

Aqueles que desejam adquirir os ingressos especiais para assistir os fogos de artifício do "Biwako Dai Hanabi Taikai" podem conferir a página oficial do evento. A página é atualizada todo ano no mês de julho e os ingressos são vendidos a partir dessa data. A página oficial do evento é https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/hanabi/

Você poderá adquirir os ingressos reservados de diversos sites de compra online. Basta seguir as instruções de cada site para efetuar sua compra. Para aqueles que querem ver os fogos de artifício bem de pertinho e com conforto, é uma excelente ideia comprar o ingresso especial. Lembrando que o evento em si é gratuito, então mesmo aqueles que não tem ingresso podem ir até o local e assistir os fogos de um dos locais não reservados. (^_^)

COMO CHEGAR NO "BIWAKO DAI HANABI TAIKAI"

Para chegar no local do "Biwako Dai Hanabi Taikai" de trem você deverá descer na estação JR Otsu ou JR Zeze e caminhar até o local do evento. Também é possível descer na estação Hamaotsu da linha Keihan e caminhar até o local. Os arredores do evento costumam ficar bem cheio de pessoas, por isso é recomendável chegar o mais cedo possível antes do início dos fogos! Não deixem de perder a oportunidade de assistir o maior festival de fogos de artifício da região de Shiga!

August 8th is the day of the Great Lake Biwa Fireworks Display!

This year I went with the Hikone City CIR Natalia at Otsu Port right on the lake.

Natalia and I met up at Otsu Station and headed down Suehirocho road, the street to the far left of Otsu station near 7 Eleven.

Even though we met up hours before the start of the show, the streets were already crowded with people on their way to finding a good spot to watch from.

We walked for less than two minutes before we arrived at the restaurant we had decided to go to for dinner. It was called Saigo ni Katsu Part 2 (yes there is a part one.)

We ordered a pork and beef steak respectively, and it came with plenty of shredded cabbage, rice, and soup.

The beef steak that I ordered was very tender and juicy and was absolutely wonderful.

Natalia and I about to dig into our feast. We ordered the normal size portions, but we were very full by the end of our meal.

The Restaurant was located down a small pathway off from the main road, marked by the big sign with the Chinese character for "MEAT." My kind of restaurant right there.

After eating, we headed down toward the lake so we could find our seats. The streets were full of people in colorful yukata looking forward to seeing a really spectacular fireworks show. Once we found our seats, we got our cameras ready and waited for the show to begin!

We didn't have to wait long before the show began. Here are some of the pictures I got!

The fireworks this year were full of spectacular displays of reds, greens, and golds.

Although it was a bit challenging to catch the brief moments when the fireworks were at their peak, here are some of the best shots I got! If you have not yet had the opportunity to go to see this particular firework show over Lake Biwa, I highly recommend that you do!

For those interested in getting the seats we got!

Paid-entry seating tickets go on sale every year at the beginning of July. Please see this website for more info. 　https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/hanabi/
Tickets are sold both online and at tourism centers.
Paid-entry tickets have assigned seats and are right up close to the fireworks for a great view!

There is of course also free-seating areas where everyone can view the fireworks from. You can access these areas by either JR Otsu or Zeze Station, or by getting off at Hamaotsu via the Keihan Line. My one piece of advice here would be to allow plenty of time to find a seat though as this area is always very crowded, but I definitely recommend that you come and see these fireworks for yourself!

One pleasant morning in April, we found ourselves at Biwako Valley, a mountain resort in western Shiga.Biwako Valley is more well-known for its Winter Season ski slopes, but this time we visited at the start of their Green Season. The base of the resort is also famous for its cherry blossoms.

Biwako Valley is on the summit of a mountain, so to reach it we rode the Biwako Valley ropeway. Here we got our first glimpse of Lake Biwa and the surrounding countryside.

Mrs. Tarao was kind enough to give us a tour of the facilities. The snow was still melting, so not all of the Green Season attractions were up and running. Later in the spring and summer, Biwako Valley offers zip-lining, a ropes course, and a space for kids called "Summer Land."

One of the newer areas at Biwako Valley is The Biwako Terrace, a cozy café with a beautiful deck overlooking the lake.

The Biwako Terrace had a nice homey atmosphere and huge windows, so even on cold days customers can enjoy the view. There is also a separate room for groups to rent out.

The day we visited was pretty foggy, but on a clear day you can see all the way to Mt. Ibuki and the Suzuka Mountains - literally the other side of Shiga Prefecture.

Maybe it was just us being constantly hungry, but the first thing we noticed upon entering The Biwako Terrace was a display of delicious-looking gelato. Flavors ranged from local tea and fruits to the ever-popular cookies 'n' cream (referred to here as "biscuit").

We chose the three local flavors: Adoberry, a berry-bearing bramble from Takashima (say that three times fast), and Omi Wa Koucha and Omi Genmaicha, two different kinds of tea grown in Shiga.

The unanimous favorite was Adoberry. Omi Wa Koucha (black tea) was subtle and fragrant, with just the right amount of sweetness. The Omi Genmaicha was, as Roddie put it, "not for beginners." At first glance, it looks like matcha, but its flavor is distinctly that of Genmaicha, a type of green tea combined with roasted brown rice.

The multi-level decks outside the café are lined with blue reflecting pools, which complement the colors of the sky and lake.

There's another lookout point beyond the deck called "Lover's Sanctuary." It is shaped like - surprise! - a heart.

Speaking of love, here's something we all love: buffets. Since we couldn't decide what to eat, we ended up getting a little bit of everything, from tempura to local red konyaku.

They also had a good variety of Japanese-style sweets, fruits, and yogurt for dessert.

Near the ropeway station at the base of the mountain there was a small marche with stalls from all over Kansai selling malasadas (Hawaiian donuts), bagels, and more classic festival food, like yaki imo (baked sweet potatoes).

Next, we took the scenic train up to Makino, a town in northern Takashima City. Across the station was a small place to rent bicycles.

From the station, it was only about a five minute ride to Makino Sunny Beach. The day had cleared up, and the crystal clear water made for some gorgeous photographs.

After another ten or fifteen minutes of cycling, we stopped to take some more pictures. From this one, you can see the cherry blossoms that line Kaizu Osaki Peninsula, our next destination. There were also lots of ducks and a few black kites soaring overhead.

We finally made it to Kaizu-Osaki Peninsula, which is part of the Biwako Quasi-National Park. It is said to be famous for its 600 Yoshino cherry trees, and it was no lie. There was a great number of families and couples picnicking and wandering among the trees.

There are a couple docks along the peninsula where you can join boat tours to enjoy views of the cherry blossoms from the lake.

The landscape of northern Shiga is completely different from the cityscapes of Otsu. In this picture, you can see how sparkly the water was on that sunny day.

Even for people who like to be present and savor the moment, it's impossible to resist taking pictures (and the results are well worth it!).

A few stores along the way to the peninsula were selling locally-made sweets. We felt it fitting to have some sakura-mochi (sweet pounded rice wrapped in pickled cherry blossom leaves).

We took a few more pictures before getting back on the bikes.

This is a humble example of the kind of photos you can take. The contrast of the delicate cherry blossoms and the lichen-covered bark is especially striking.

The unique part of Kaizu-Osaki Peninsula is that the journey itself is beautiful. Instead of visiting different attractions and then getting back into a car or onto a bus, here you find yourself surrounded by pink blossoms and sparkling blue water. It was an easy twenty-minute ride to Osaki Temple, and we loved every minute of it.

Here we are at Osaki Temple. It's actually partway up the mountainside, so you can't see it in the picture, but there's a beautiful view here as well.

This is a person from the temple signing Maddie's shuincho, a book for collection of shrine and temple seals.

After getting all spiritual, we stopped by a little shop and bought some tempura made with ayu, a small fish endemic to Lake Biwa. The shop was also selling funazushi, among other things.

This photo was taken mere minutes before our photographer was drenched by a rather large wave. Fortunately, the two of us and our food got away unscathed.

A close-up shot of the deep-fried goodness: ayu tempura.

It was an idyllic spring day by the lake, and we hope to come back again next year.