[09] Tour du Lac Biwa (Otsu City) / Guided Adventure of Shiga’s Rural Charm

Guided Adventure of Shiga’s Rural Charm

Tour of the Lake, Villages, and Local Communities

Tour du Lac Biwa (Otsu City)

Keywords: nature / history & tradition / local food

Season: All year 

English Assistance: Fluent

Nearby Accommodation: Yes

Kyoto welcomes many international visitors, drawn to its rich history and deep culture. However, its popularity often means crowded streets and busy attractions nowadays. Just about 10 minutes northeast by train, Shiga Prefecture offers a tranquil alternative. With the serene landscapes of Lake Biwa—the largest freshwater lake in Japan—and the region’s rich natural and cultural heritage, Shiga provides a peaceful retreat from Kyoto’s hustle and bustle.

In the southern part of Shiga, neighboring Kyoto, a unique tourism program has taken root in Otsu City. Themed as a “tour of the lake,” these experiences are tailored for international travelers seeking authentic and memorable connections with rural Japan. Operating from Otsu, the program guides visitors to destinations such as Takashima to the north and Koka to the east, offering a glimpse into the timeless harmony between rural life and nature.

These tours provide a rare opportunity to explore the road less traveled, introducing visitors to places they might not discover on their own. Guests savor seasonal produce grown by local farmers and, for a short time, take part in their way of life. It’s less about luxury and more about forging genuine connections—sharing meals prepared with host families, a tradition encapsulated in the Japanese phrase “eating from the same pot.” With the guidance of locals, these immersive experiences leave visitors with lasting memories of heartfelt hospitality and meaningful cultural exchanges.

In the foothills of Mount Hiei, just over the Kyoto border, and nearby the well-known hot spring town of Ogoto Onsen, a gentle climb up the slopes leads to the peaceful rural village of Oogi. This quiet area is home to scenic terraced rice fields, traditional houses, and beautifully crafted stone walls that add to the timeless charm of the village.

On this particular day, a guided tour, conducted by the Otsu-based company, Tour du Lac Biwa, brought visitors to the home of a farming couple who have lived in this village for generations. Guests visited their home, where they enjoyed a hands-on mochi pounding experience, followed by a delicious meal featuring homemade dishes made with vegetables from the family’s fields, creating a warm and memorable opportunity for cultural exchange with the welcoming hosts.

The visitors that day were a couple from the United States. After enjoying a morning walk through the natural scenery of satoyama field and the Lake Biwa area, they arrived at the family home around lunchtime. They received a warm welcome of tea and homemade dried persimmons, a seasonal treat, before moving on to the highlight of the visit: mochi pounding. The kine (wooden mallet) used for pounding weighed 5 kg, slightly larger than usual, as it was custom-made for a more enjoyable experience.

The freshly-pounded mochi was served in two traditional styles: the popular kinako-mochi, coated with sweet roasted soybean flour called kinako, and natto-mochi, made by wrapping the mochi around natto, or large-grain fermented soybeans, a unique mochi variation with a long local history, found only in the Oogi area.

The meal continued with chicken sukiyaki as the main course. While sukiyaki is typically made with beef, this region’s version features chicken. The host carefully layers the chicken and vegetables into a beautiful arrangement in a pot.

Throughout the visit, the guide plays an essential role, offering insights into local customs and fostering meaningful interactions between guests and hosts. The hosts, with their natural warmth and hospitality, actively engage visitors using gestures and simple English, creating a welcoming and friendly atmosphere. Guests often highlight the authenticity of these exchanges, describing the rare and special feeling of being treated like part of the family. They enthusiastically sampled every dish, expressing curiosity about the unique flavors and savoring each bite—a moment that perfectly captured the deep connection between the hosts and guests. 

Tour du Lac Biwa organizes and operates this and other tours, specializing in unique and immersive experiences in the rural areas of southern Shiga Prefecture. Beyond Oogi, their tours highlight other facets of Shiga’s cultural heritage. For example, in the Asamiya district of Shigaraki in Koka City, guests explore one of Japan’s oldest tea-growing areas in this region where tea cultivation first made its way into Japan from China 1,200 years ago. Guests stroll through picturesque tea fields, visit local tea farmers, roast hojicha (roasted green tea), and savor tea-inspired dishes like tea porridge, immersing themselves in the region’s rich tea traditions.

Another itinerary takes visitors to Takashima City, where they can explore Shirahige Shrine, known for its iconic torii gate, standing gracefully in Lake Biwa, and Hata Village, celebrated for its terraced rice fields. Cycling through the scenic countryside, guests learn about sustainable farming practices and enjoy a meal made with freshly harvested ingredients at a local farm. For those seeking a deeper spiritual experience, another tour offers a guided hike along the ascetic training paths of Hieizan Enryakuji Temple on Mt. Hiei, a UNESCO World Heritage site known as the birthplace of Japanese Buddhism. Accompanied by a monk from the Temple, guests gain profound insights into the spiritual practices that have deeply shaped Japan’s cultural identity and beliefs.

These thoughtfully designed tours offer guests an immersive experience in Japan’s timeless cultural and natural landscapes. As these places are not easy for international visitors to navigate on their own with just a guidebook, the guidance of local experts and their connection with the community opens up these rare and meaningful experiences, creating opportunities for deeper engagement and authentic discovery.

Tour du Lac Biwa (French for “Lake Biwa Tour”) began offering English-guided tours for international visitors in 2014. Since then, their business has grown steadily, operating almost daily during the busy spring and fall seasons, and welcoming about 800 guests every year.

The founder and director, Hiromi Kawaguchi, originally from Shizuoka, moved to Shiga after studying in Kansai and relocating for her husband’s work. Previously a certified business consultant, she combined her passion for Shiga’s rural beauty with her expertise in English to create tours that connect international visitors with local communities.

Their tours differ from those offered in Kyoto by focusing on the region’s unique perspectives and experiences. While many locations may not be famous, they provide rare opportunities for guests to immerse themselves in rural life. Guides act as bridges, facilitating meaningful exchanges between visitors and locals, such as the farming couple who have hosted Tour du Lac Biwa guests for over a decade. The tour operator credits their success to the strong relationships the team has built with such dedicated local host partners.

Currently, most guests come from English-speaking regions such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, and Singapore. Many come together as a family, and their feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. One family noted that their children enjoyed the mochi-pounding experience more than a trip to a Tokyo amusement park. At such parks, you passively experience predictable fun, and the children found great joy immersing themselves in rural life, feeling like part of the family.

The guests often express deep appreciation for the authentic rural lifestyle and the connections they form with the locals—experiences that are impossible to replicate elsewhere. The culture of harmony and thoughtfulness is often cited by international visitors as a defining and memorable part of their Japan experience. Rural life, as the tour director observes, exemplifies these values, where a deep sense of community and mutual care is actively practiced. Through these tours, the team strives to offer participants more than just an appreciation of Shiga’s rural beauty—they aim to foster a deeper understanding of Japan’s cultural richness and the enduring traditions that shape its identity.

Please book directly through the provider

Name of Provider
Tour du Lac Biwa

Contact
https://www.lacbiwa.com (EN)
[email protected] / 077-575-4117

Activities & Pricing
Tour Price
●From 16,250 yen per adult (Visiting a Local Farmer & Mochi-Making Tour)
●Tour price per person differs by group size.
●Please see the website for more info on other tour options and detailed pricing.

Other Notes
●Vegan and vegetarian options are available by request. Halal options are not available. Allergies accommodated where possible.

Reservation
●Please book through the website
●Include any special dietary needs when booking.

Business Hours & Holidays
Closed on Sundays and Japanese National Holidays. Extended holidays: New Year’s (Dec. 20-Jan.9), Golden Week (Apr. 26- May 6), and Summer (Aug. 1-25).

Location
Various locations (office in Otsu City)

Payment Method
Advance payment by major credit cards

Age Requirements
Depends on the type of tour

Support for Foreign Visitors
Foreign language speakers: Yes (English)

Insurance
Not provided (individual coverage is recommended)

Wi-Fi Access
N/A

Disabled Accessibility
N/A

Access
Meeting point and tour venue vary by tour

Ride Service
N/A
*However, various forms of transport are included depending on itinerary