Otsu

Otsu is the capital of Shiga Prefecture and sits on the southwestern shore of Lake Biwa, Japan's largest freshwater lake. Just ten minutes from Kyoto by train, Otsu offers a completely different atmosphere — wide lakeside promenades, forested temple grounds, and mountain views that feel worlds away from the crowds of its famous neighbour.

The city is home to Miidera (Onjoji), one of the great temples of the Tendai Buddhist tradition, whose hilltop bell tower commands sweeping views over Lake Biwa. The Otsu-e folk paintings, a 350-year-old tradition of bold, humorous images originally sold as traveler souvenirs along the old Tokaido highway, remain one of Japan's most distinctive folk art forms.