Experience the best of Otsu

Otsu was briefly the imperial capital in the seventh century, and later it grew as a stop on the road between Kyoto and the east. Its lakeside has the Karasaki pine, a celebrated tree praised by poets for centuries, and the Seta Long Bridge crosses the Seta River, the lake's outflow.

Miidera, the Onjō-ji temple complex, stands on a wooded hillside with old halls and a famous bell, and Ishiyama-dera, on a rocky ridge, is linked by tradition with the writing of The Tale of Genji. Enryaku-ji, the great Tendai temple on Mount Hiei, spreads across the ridge above the city. The Eight Views of Ōmi, classic scenes around the lake, are still known across Japan.

Funazushi, a pungent fermented sushi made from crucian carp, is the lake's old speciality, and Ōmi beef from Shiga is widely served. Otsu-e, folk paintings on paper showing gods and demons, were once sold to travellers here. Summers are hot and humid, and the autumn colour in the hills around Miidera is the most striking season.