Discover 10 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Otsu (Japan). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Enryaku-ji, Omi Shrine, and Hiyoshi Taisha. Also, be sure to include Ishiyama-dera in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Otsu (Shiga).
Table of Contents
Enryaku-ji
Also known as: 延暦寺
Buddhist monastery with a long history. Enryaku-ji is a Tendai monastery located on Mount Hiei in Ōtsu, overlooking Kyoto. It was first founded in 788 during the early Heian period by Saichō, also known as Dengyō Daishi, who introduced the Tendai sect of Mahayana Buddhism to Japan from China. The temple complex has undergone several reconstruction efforts since then, with the most significant taking place in 1642 under Tokugawa Iemitsu. Enryaku-ji is the headquarters of the Tendai sect and one of the most significant monasteries in Japanese history. As such, it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto ". The founders of Jōdo-shū, Jōdo Shinshū, Sōtō Zen, and Nichiren Buddhism all spent time at the monastery. Enryaku-ji is also the center for the practice of kaihōgyō.[1]
Address: 4220 Sakamoto Hommachi, 520-0116 Otsu
Omi Shrine
Also known as: 近江神宮
Shinto shrine in Otsu, Japan. Omi Jingu or Omi Shrine is a Jingū shinto shrine in Ōtsu, a city in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. It was constructed in 1940 and is dedicated to Emperor Tenji. It was formerly an imperial shrine of the first rank in the Modern system of ranked Shinto Shrines.
The shrine is located near Ōmijingūmae Station.[2]
Address: 1-1 Jingucho, 520-0015 Otsu
Hiyoshi Taisha
Also known as: 日吉大社
Shinto shrine in Otsu, Japan. Hiyoshi Taisha is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Ōtsu, Shiga Prefecture Japan. This shrine is one of the Twenty-Two Shrines. Known before World War II as Hiei Taisha or Hie jinja, "Hiyoshi" is now the preferred spelling. It was also known as the Sannō Gongen. The head shrine in Ōtsu heads the seventh largest shrine network in Japan, with approximately 3800 Hiyoshi, Hie, and Sannō shrines nationwide. Torii of this shrine have a distinctive configuration, known as the "Sannō torii", with a gaggle above the main crossbeam. The 400,000 square meter precincts centered is designated as a National Historic Site, and the east and west main shrine buildings, the Nishi Hongū and Higashi Hongū are designated as National Treasures, and many of the structures in the precincts are designated as National Important Cultural Properties.[3]
Address: 5-1-1 Sakamoto, 520-0113 Otsu
Ishiyama-dera
Also known as: 石山寺
Temple in Otsu, Japan. Ishiyama-dera is a Shingon temple in Ōtsu in Japan's Shiga Prefecture. This temple is the thirteenth of the Kansai Kannon Pilgrimage.[4]
Address: 1-1-1 Ishiyamadera, 520-0861 Otsu
Miidera Temple
Also known as: 園城寺
Temple in Otsu, Japan. Mii-dera, formally called Onjō-ji, is a Buddhist temple in Japan located at the foot of Mount Hiei, in the city of Ōtsu in Shiga Prefecture. It is a short distance from both Kyoto, and Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake. The head temple of the Jimon sect of Tendai, it is a sister temple to Enryaku-ji, at the top of the mountain, and is one of the four largest temples in Japan. Altogether, there are 40 named buildings in the Mii-dera complex.
Mii-dera is temple 14 in the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage.[5]
Address: 246 Onjojicho, 520-0036 Otsu
Tenson Shrine
Also known as: 天孫神社
Shinto shrine in Otsu, Japan. The Tenson Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Ōtsu, Shiga, Japan.[6]
Address: 3-3-36, KyomachI, Otsu
Mangetsu-ji
Also known as: 満月寺
Buddhist temple in Otsu, Japan. Mangetsu-ji is a temple beside Lake Biwa in Ōtsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. The Heian period statue of Shō Kannon is an Important Cultural Property.
The temple, specifically the Ukimidō "floating temple" hall, features in one of the remaining views of the Eight Views of Ōmi, originally drawn by Hiroshige. The print featuring the temple is "The wild geese returning home at Katata" (堅田の落雁).[7]
Address: 1-16-18 Honkatata, 520-0242 Otsu
Takebe taisha
Also known as: 建部大社
Shrine in Otsu, Japan. Takebe Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Ōtsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. It is the ichinomiya of former Ōmi Province. The main kami enshrined are Ōkuninushi and Yamato Takeru. The shrine's main festival is held annually on April 15.[8]
Address: 1-16-1 Jinryo, 520-2132 Otsu
Gyarari tang qiao
Museum, Art gallery
Address: 23-3 Karahashichō, Ōtsu-shi, 520-0851 Otsu
Shiga Junior College
Also known as: 滋賀短期大学
Junior college in Otsu, Japan. Shiga Junior College is a private junior college in Otsu, Shiga, Japan. Founded in 1970 as a junior women's college, it became coeducational in 2008.[9]