There are three major festivals (matsuri) celebrated in Otsu. The Otsu Festival - October 9-10; Sanno Festival - April 12-15; and Senko Festival - August 16. Although the most popular of times is a pageant of dancing and lights during the Otsu Summer Festival which begins early August with the annual summer fireworks lighting the skies on August 8.

Otsu is also proud of its traditional tastes and crafts which range from Otsu-e Pictures (which date back to 1624), Braided Rope for kimono accessories (1602), Freshwater Fish from Lake Biwa (50 varieties), Funazushi (long-keeping food), Zezeyaki Pottery, Karahashi-yaki (named after the famous bridge), to Gampishi Silk Paper (intangible cultural asset). Other special products and souvenirs include Lake Biwa freshwater pearls, bamboo and shell crafts, silk thread, tea, pickles, sake, miso, soba, rice cakes and senbei crackers.

Citizens and visitors can enjoy sipping tea while viewing beautiful gardens; worshiping at temples and shrines; tolling a temple bell; Zen meditation; or relaxing in the hot springs (onsen).

The Japanese language, as any traveler to Japan will tell you, can be intimidating, if not downright scary. When you stop to think Japanese uses three alphabets, has numerous social and cultural nuances, and can be dialectically different depending on where you go in Japan; it can make any would-be student throw up her hands in despair. All is not lost, however, for there are numerous reference books and phrase guides available which will simplify things to a degree. One of the best is called "Speedy Japanese" and it gives the traveler a wealth of phrases which are all keyed to different situations in a pocket-sized flip-chart format.  If the traveler to Japan takes the time to learn even five phrases (i.e., Good Morning, Afternoon, Evening, Please and Thank you) in Japanese and use them regularly, the Japanese people will be most appreciative of your efforts to try and learn their language.

Since Otsu is situated nearly in the center of Japan, it is quite convenient to the railways and highways. By JR train, it takes approximately 80 minutes to travel from Kansai International Airport (Osaka) to Kyoto and then a short 10 more minutes to reach Otsu. Keihan Railway is very convenient for traveling to and from downtown Kyoto. Otsu is served as well by several highways. Buses and taxies are easily hailed.

Important contacts for tourist information include:

Tourist Information Center at JR Otsu Station - Telephone 0775-22-3830

Tourist Information Center at Kansai International Airport - Telephone 0724-56-6025

Tourism Section of Otsu City Office - Telephone 0775-28-2756

Otsu Tourism Association - Internet - or E-mail to Otsu

Emergency - Police - 110

Otsu is well known for its beaches and large waterfront. It provides tourist and recreational activities year-round in the mountains and water. You can enjoy various recreational sports such as skiing, skating, camping, swimming, golf and archery; or take scenic drives, ride yachts or motor boats, and take strolls in its numerous parks.

Japan has one of the most efficient and fast transportation systems in the world, and you would certainly be missing something during your trip to Japan if you didn't ride on the famous "bullet train" at least once. Buying a Japan Rail Pass before leaving America can save you an amazing amount of money, especially if you intend to use the train system heavily during your trip. This Pass is good on ALL JR (Japan Railways) lines, including the Shinkansen (bullet train; except for the "Nozomi" trains). Please note, however, that the Japan Rail Pass is not valid on private railways like Keihan and Kintetsu lines that exist in the Kyoto area.

One of the easiest ways to get around Japan is making sure that, before you leave to go out somewhere, you have your destination (as well as your return information) written down in both English and Japanese. This way, if you need assistance, you can simply show that piece of paper to a train conductor or taxi driver and they will help you find your way.

As Otsu is on the same longitude (35 degrees) as that of Charlotte, North Carolina, their climate is much the same. Because Otsu lies around Lake Biwa, the early spring strong winds tend to prevail. In the summertime, the weather is hot with winters colder and more severe. The average temperature is 40 degrees Fahrenheit for January and 87 degrees Fahrenheit for August.

To check weather conditions in Otsu, go to the Weather Channel's forecast website.
The weather in Japan will vary depending on the region. One of the easiest ways to estimate what the weather will be like in the region of Japan you will be visiting is to look at an atlas or world globe. First determine the parallel where you are right now, then follow it over to the same parallel in Japan. You will find that if you live in Lansing, Michigan, for instance, you are approximately parallel to Akita in the northern end of the main island of Honshu. You can then contact a weather web site like weather.com and access what the weather will be like while you are in Japan. Please be aware that the climate in Japan can go from very tropical (the southernmost islands of Okinawa) to very winter-like (the northernmost island of Hokkaido), so knowing what kind of weather there will be at the time of year you are traveling will have a definite effect on other travel preparations you make, such as what kind of clothes and shoes to pack.

WEATHER TIP When traveling to Japan in the summer months, we usually advise Westerners NOT to wear short pants. Although short pants may seem very practical from the standpoint of comfort in hot weather, in Japan most Shrines and Temples frown on the wearing of short pants in their environs. We suggest comfortable, loose cotton trousers for most sightseeing and touring during the summer months. Also, be sure to pack a compact, collapsible umbrella as sudden, short rain showers are not unusual in Japan, especially in the summer and fall.

As Otsu is the capital of Shiga Prefecture, the prefecture offices are located in Otsu. It has developed into the political and economic center of the surrounding area. Otsu's Mayor is Toyosaburo Yamada.

The primary governing body of Japan is the DIET, which is located in Tokyo. Their government is based on the New Constitution which came into being on November 3rd, 1946 after the close of the Pacific Conflict. This Constitution set up the basic structure of the government, with the Emperor as the symbolic head of state; and three governmental branches the legislative, the executive, and the judiciary, which utilize a check and balance system, much like the type of government used in the United States. The DIET is composed of two houses, the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors; while executive power lies in the hands of the Cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is generally elected by the DIET, and the Prime Minister then chooses the members for the various Cabinet posts. This is a very simplified explanation the Japanese governmental system, to be sure, but you can find further in depth information on the Japanese Political System by going to the following web sites: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs web site as well as the NTT (Nippon Telephone and Telegraph) web site.

Japan has a very well structured educational system, largely due to the standardization of learning materials and subject matter. The Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, and Culture (Monbusho) in Japan sets the curriculum, which is followed by all teachers in all schools, at all levels. This has the effect of creating an easier transition if a student moves from one school to another, and also assures that all students in the Japanese primary and secondary schools are on an equal footing academically in terms of the materials presented.

From pre-school through the end of high school, Japanese students are expected to work extremely hard in order to pass the College Entrance Examinations. They often attend a Juku, or cram school, after their regular school day in the hopes of gaining a competitive edge when it comes time to take the college entrance examination. Doing well on these Examinations generally guarantees entrance into a top-level university, which is what prospective employers will look for when the time comes to hire new recruits into their companies. Strange as it may sound, the college years for Japanese are not a time to work hard, but a time to relax and have some fun before entering the work force. This is their reward, if you will, for having labored so very hard for twelve years at the primary and secondary levels of their schooling.

The Japanese system of education is not without its problems, though. The intense competition, especially at the secondary level, to do well on the College Entrance Examinations, often leads to a host of problems such as eating disorders, stress related breakdowns, and sometimes even suicide. Many Japanese we have spoken with recently, who have small children, feel that they would rather put their child in an school in America, where they will not have the difficulties caused by such a competitive system of education as exists in Japan. Bullying is also a large issue in the educational system in Japan, with continual research being done as to how to stop this at all levels of the educational system.