ShigaTravel

Kaizu Osaki (海津大崎)

Flow of the course

Previous stop: Experience seasonal fruit picking and enjoy a relaxed lunch at the Center House

About 30 min from the previous stop

About 60 min here

About 15 min to the next stop

Next stop: Play in the water and on the sand at the shallow lakeside beach, then rest in the shade of the pine grove

About this spot

A scenic spot near the northernmost point of Lake Biwa, where a chain of rocky reefs lines a headland jutting into the lake, counted as one of the Eight Views of Lake Biwa under the name Dawn Mist and the Rocky Shore of Kaizu Osaki. In spring, about 800 Somei-Yoshino cherry trees bloom along roughly 4km of the shoreline, making it one of Shiga's finest cherry blossom viewing spots and a selection among Japan's 100 Best Cherry Blossom Sites. The tunnel of cherry trees stretching their branches over the blue lake surface is breathtakingly beautiful. Even outside cherry blossom season, the lakeshore drive with views of the jagged rocky reefs and Chikubu Island (竹生島) floating offshore is thoroughly refreshing. The vast panorama of Lake Biwa filling the car windows is sure to draw cheers from the kids. There are spots here and there where you can pull over, so you can capture family photos in front of your favorite view.

Tips

About 15 minutes by car from Makino Pick Land, driving the prefectural road along the lakeshore. There are sections where the road narrows, so drive slowly and safely, watching for oncoming traffic. During peak cherry blossom season (early to mid-April), it gets so crowded that traffic restrictions and one-way regulations are put in place, so plan to drive early in the morning during the season, or check the traffic restriction information in advance.

Best time to visit

About 1 hour. In the afternoon, the lake surface sparkles in front-lighting, making for a lovely drive; during cherry blossom season, early morning before the crowds arrive is especially special.

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