Lake Biwa takes up an entire sixth of Shiga Prefecture, and half of the remaining land area is dominated by mountains, making it a prefecture of abundant nature.

There are also many historic landmarks, such as Hikone Castle, the Azuchi Castle Ruins, and Hieizan Enryaku-ji Temple, and an extensive local food scene including Omi beef and lake fish cuisine. Be sure to stay in Shiga and get a sense of all that the prefecture has to offer.

This is a 38-story Lake Biwa hotel where you can view a 180-degree panorama overlooking all of the area. Lake Biwa Otsu Prince Hotel's concept is "Lake Biwa's box seating". You can enjoy the scenery of the bountiful surrounding mountains and the lake in every direction the eye can see.

This photograph is a guest room on one of the Sky Floors, between floors 21 and 32. The room is decorated in a blue reminiscent of the wide-open Lake Biwa sky and an elegant greige, with orange chairs designed to mimic the shining sun.

You can eat your meals at the restaurant on the 37th floor, which serves a mix of Japanese and Western dishes using local ingredients and vegetables in a buffet style.

Lake Biwa Otsu Prince Hotel's uppermost 38th floor is a sky lounge, where you can enjoy the night scenery along with top-quality beverages and cocktails from around the world.

This Lake Biwa resort hotel is easy and easily accessed, with a 5-minute free shuttle bus ride from JR Otsu Station or a 5-minute walk from Keihan Biwako-Hamaotsu Station.

The guest rooms are divided into 4 floors, each with a different theme. One floor recently opened in March 2019 is the premium luxury floor "Vista". Rooms on this floor adopt the "airy bath" style combined bedroom and bathroom.

Experience a luxurious stay relaxing in the bath in your room while you gaze out at Lake Biwa.

If you stay on "Vista", you will be able to enjoy a special breakfast at Biwako Hotel's teppanyaki restaurant. Right in front of you, the chef cooks a galette using locally-grown eggs and bacon and serves it fresh and piping hot. The soft-boiled egg will gently fill your stomach for the morning.

You can also switch to the buffet-style Japanese breakfast. Whichever you choose, every meal uses plenty of fresh, Shiga ingredients.

At Biwako Hotel, you can also enjoy a natural onsen. The spacious large bath with a sweeping view of Lake Biwa will ease your travel fatigue. There is an open air bath as well, where you can enjoy a relaxing moment in the refreshing natural breeze.

As one of the Lake Biwa hotels designed with views in mind, Setore Marina Biwako has 14 separate rooms that invite a sense of being one with nature. The hotel is situated in front of Lake Biwa, such that a refreshing breeze will often whisper in.

This photograph is of the club lounge only for overnight guests. Here you can sit comfortably on the sofa, made with Shiga-grown wood, and enjoy a drink while you watch the changing panorama of Lake Biwa as the hours pass.

The guest rooms incorporate ample amounts of local cypress and cedar wood into their furnishings and interior. The rooms come equipped with flooring you can walk on barefoot and clay walls that are one of Shiga's traditional crafting methods.

Accommodations are cool in summer and warm in winter, so you can enjoy a comfortable stay while feeling harmony with nature.

The breakfast is a Shiga feast, using locally grown vegetables, eggs, milk, and more. Hotel staff provide guests with the choicest ingredients by personally visiting local growers and occasionally even helping with the farmwork in order to deepen their understanding of the food and ingredients.

One perk is the ability to also enjoy your food via room service, so you can have a leisurely meal while appreciating the gorgeous scenery.

Part of Lake Biwa's Makino Sunny Beach, which has been designated a nationally important cultural landscape, is owned privately by the hotel. Located in the pine forests alongside the lake, Okubiwako Makino Grand Park Hotel uses Omi tile for its exterior walls which makes it seem to blend into the natural environment.

From spring through late fall, you can enjoy glamping on this private beach. The tents are affectionately dubbed "onion tents" and manufactured by the British company, Lotus Belle.

There are 4 tents available in total, each with its own stylish and luxurious atmosphere. On clear days, you can see the sun rising over Lake Biwa from all of the tents. Naturally, there are also rooms available inside the Lake Biwa hotel.

Dinner is a Japanese-Western fusion style course meal made with local, Takashima City ingredients and spices. The most premium course uses Omi beef for its meat dishes. If you choose a glamping style stay, you can also select an outdoor barbecue meal plan.

This Lake Biwa hotel is situated in an ideal location, with Mount Ibuki to the east and Lake Biwa to the west. You can see the sunset over Lake Biwa, named one of "Japan's Top 100 Sunsets", right in the area.

Both the exterior and interior are designed with inspiration from the city streets of Verona, Nagahama's sister city in Italy. With features like the statue of Juliette and the winged lions, you will be able to enjoy a special time in North Biwako Hotel Grazie's extravagant atmosphere.

There are a total of 82 guest rooms that come in various styles, such as exotic, simple and modern, resort, or Japanese style, each and every room an excellent place to rest and relax.

For dinner, you can choose from 3 restaurants, either Japanese, Italian, or Chinese. The Japanese restaurant "Chikubushima" has continued its cooking traditions from the time it was once a traditional inn specializing in cuisine and today prides itself on its time-tested flavors.

Here you can enjoy cuisine unique to the Lake Biwa "lake country" featuring seasonal ingredients.

Text by:WEST PLAN