From red lights to a family-friendly brand: the ten remaining ryokan serve Ōmi beef.
Founded, according to tradition, 1,200 years ago by the monk Saichō, the Ogoto onsen, on the western shore of Lake Biwa, had a reputation as a red-light district from the '70s to the '90s; from the 2000s the municipality steered it towards families, and today all ten remaining ryokan are certified as restaurants specialising in Ōmi beef. The water, simple alkaline at about 30°C, contains potassium, sodium, calcium and metasilicic acid. In 2006 Ogoto Onsen became the first regional geographical trademark registered in Japan.
Hot spring resort on the western shore of Lake Biwa, in Ōtsu.
ℹ️ The municipal tourist park ‘Ogoto Onsen Kankō Kōen’ (open since 1 February 2011) is a free public area; the individual ryokan have their own prices and hours for day bathing.
🚉 Ogotoonsen · 17 min walk
Holidays in Japan? Plan them with us.Over 2,000 real places, a day-by-day itinerary.FreeOpen the map →Sources: ja.wikipedia.org
Nearby
Shigain Monzeki3.2 kmphoto by 663highland · CC BY 2.5
Enryaku-ji4.5 kmphoto by 663highland · CC BY 2.5
Lake Biwa Museum5.3 kmphoto by Kekero · CC BY-SA 4.0
Jikkō-in6.3 kmphoto by Susumu331 · CC BY-SA 4.0