• Situated in the center of Shiga Prefecture, Lake Biwa, easily accessible from Kyoto, offers beautiful lakeside scenery and plenty to do.
• Takashima and Kosei Areas are home to the Shirahige Shrine. It is said to bring a variety of good fortune. Also, there is a famous cherry blossom spot, Umezu Osaki.
• Omi Shrine, Biwako Terrace, and Ukimido are situated in Otsu and Konan Areas. Biwako Terrace is a popular spot for a breathtaking view. Ukimido is believed to have been built to pray for safety on the waters of Lake Biwa.
• If you are interested in the Sengoku period, you cannot miss the Azuchi Castle Ruine, the residence of the famous warlord Oda Nobunaga.
• Hikone Castle, one of Japan's most beautiful castles, is set in the Koto Area. In the Koga area, there is the Miho Museum and "Shigaraki Toen Tanuki Mura" where you can see Shigaraki ceramics of Japanese tanuki!
• Lake Biwa is certainly an amazing destination for a one-day trip from Kyoto!

Oumi Jingu is enshrined in the site of Capital Otsu ”Otsukyo”. Emperor Tenji was the great accomplisher of Taika Reformation and the great establisher in the ancient Japan. After His demise, also, people worshipped particularly as the Shinto God. In the Meiji Era, the believers began the movement to build the Emperor's Shrine all over Japan. At last, in Nov.7, 1940 (15th year of the Showa Era), the Shrine was completed here, site of Capital Otsu, near the site of old His Palace "Oumi-Otsu-no-Miya". Soon afterwords, the shrine was raised to "Chokusai-sha". Annual Great Festival is celebrated in April 20, on the occasion of a visit by a specially dispatched imperial messenger.