Page 239 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Japan

lake is named after the biwa,
GREAT VIEW a musical instrument whose
Upside Down outline it is said to resemble.
It is easy to see how In the 15th century the high- DRINK
Amanohashidate got lights of Lake Biwa were named
its heavenly name Omi Hakkei, “the eight views
when you bend over of Omi.” Develop ment has Kaya
and look at the sandbar changed some of these views Matsue’s only reggae
upside down from the radi cally, but the lake remains bar, this vibrant haunt
summit of Kasamatsu. a beautiful place, its shore offers Jamaican classics
From here, the sand spit fringed with shrines, temples, such as jerk chicken
appears to be literally and modest pensions. Lake and meat pies, plus
reaching into the sky Biwa Museum gives visitors a Red Stripe beer.
from the sea. chance to learn more about ! C5 ⌂ 199-1
this ancient lake. Teramachi, Matsue-shi,
Otsu, on the southwest Shimane 690-0063
from the base of Kasamatsu edge, is the lake shore’s largest ∑ m.me/kaya.diningbar
Park to its hilltop summit, city. Visitors come here to see
which is the best viewing Onjo Temple, with its huge Oideyasu Okiniya
point of the sandbar. gates, and Ishiyama-dera One of the best izakayas
Temple, which has some 8th- in Matsue, with a great
century buildings. Murasaki selection of beer and
sake, as well as tasty
p Shikibu, author of the Tale of snacks. Try the maitake
Genji, is believed to have used
Lake Biwa one of the chambers of the (mushroom) tempura.
琵琶湖 Main Hall in which to write her ! C5 ⌂ 13 Suetsugu
11th-century masterpiece. Hon-machi, Matsue-shi,
! D5 ⌂ Shiga Prefecture Shimane 690-0843
£ n Outside Otsu Stn; Hikone, on the lake’s east ern § (0852) 24-8839
shore, is home to the 17th-
(077) 522-3830
century Hikone Castle. From
With a total mass of the top floor of the keep is a Bar E.A.D.
263 sq miles (674 sq km), superb view of Lake Biwa. This cool riverside
Biwa-ko, Japan’s largest hangout offers a stylish
lake, covers an area Lake Biwa Museum space to enjoy a drink
greater than " ⌂ 1091 Oroshimocho, while taking in the view
Tokyo. The Kusatsu # 9:30am–5pm of the city at sunset. In
Tue–Sun summer, the rooftop is
open and live bands
Hikone Castle keep the crowd going
" ⌂ 1-1 Konkicho, Hikone well into the night.
# 8:30am–5pm daily ! C5 ⌂ 36 Suetsugu
Hon-machi, Matsue-shi,
Shimane 690-0843
§ (0852) 28-3130

238-239_EW_Japan.indd 239 04/02/2019 15:57