Tour du Lac Biwa
Tour du Lac Biwa
5
Cultural ToursBike ToursEco ToursSightseeing ToursCooking Classes
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Full view
About
Spend quality time with your family, friends or a special person at the tranquil lakeside which is a hidden gem away from all the main tourist's hot spots of Japan. On our tour, you can experience quality Japanese traditional life as well as cooking experience using plentiful fresh local vegetables and rice through heart-warming communication with our friendly local host families. We offer programs where you can enjoy the beautiful scenes of Lake Biwa or terraced rice fields either by bicycles or by foot at your own pace. Other programs are offered where one can learn about traditional local culture and art. All the tours are either private or as part of a small group attended by a guide to ensure the quality of your tour. Discover and participate in the traditions of Shiga life in un-crowded, natural surroundings. We believe that our tours offer a real heart to heart cross-cultural experience, which will remain as one of the highlights of your trip to Japan.
Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
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5.0
251 reviews
Excellent
248
Very good
3
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
PCO
1 contribution
Nov 2019
What a wonderful, memorable experience. We visited the tea terraces at Asamiya, had lunch prepared by the gracious ladies of the village, and then roasted our own tea. The women are so proud of the tea growing heritage of the area and so enthusiastic in describing the cultivation of the tea plants and how the tea is harvested. The best experience was being able to sit with them as they prepared our lunch and how comfortable and welcomed they made us feel. There are beautiful sights in Japan, however, we have found that spending time with the Japanese people in this type of setting can be the most memorable.
Also, our guide, Keiko, was excellent. She was knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the area and the tour we were on. We have been on many tours in Japan and experienced many guides. This is one of our best experiences and Keiko was one of the best guides we've had the pleasure to spend time with. We would recommend this experience to anyone who would like to spend time away from the cities.
Also, our guide, Keiko, was excellent. She was knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the area and the tour we were on. We have been on many tours in Japan and experienced many guides. This is one of our best experiences and Keiko was one of the best guides we've had the pleasure to spend time with. We would recommend this experience to anyone who would like to spend time away from the cities.
Written 1 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your warm & courteous message.
Keiko was super happy to have read your wonderful comment on her guiding, and I will surely share it with the ladies at the tea farm who will also be very glad to have received such a lovely comment.
Our tour is so small and the challenge has just started, but as long as we have great people like you from around the world and enjoy sharing our beautiful natural environs and its blessings (tea), we take it would be worth keeping on trying. Thank you for the encouraging comment, we wish you all the best. from Keiko & Hiromi
Written 2 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jesse B
1 contribution
Sept 2023 • Family
My son and I had an absolutely wonderful time in Biwa with guide Misako and host family the Nakais. The food was very delicious and we enjoyed the conversation. Mr and Mrs Nagai have a very beautiful home and garden. We felt very much at home, and Misako was a wonderful and knowledgeable guide. I can tell she loves her local community of Shiga.
After our tour we enjoyed the peaceful lakeside and did catch 2 bass, although very small😃🎣. We highly recommend your tour to anyone who wants to visit Kyoto area and have a relaxing cultural experience on the shores of Lake Biwa
Thanks again!
Jesse and Ian Brown
After our tour we enjoyed the peaceful lakeside and did catch 2 bass, although very small😃🎣. We highly recommend your tour to anyone who wants to visit Kyoto area and have a relaxing cultural experience on the shores of Lake Biwa
Thanks again!
Jesse and Ian Brown
Written 26 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for choosing our tour for your special father-and-son trip. We are glad to hear that you did catch 2 bass :). Although what we did was simple, we hope this will be a memorable experience. We also appreciate your excellent review. Please take care.
Written 19 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jesse G
10 contributions
Oct 2024 • Family
My family and I had an amazing experience with Tour du Lac Biwa. Starting from the beautiful and informative bike tour around Lake Biwa and ending with an unforgettable lunch with Grandma Sawai-san, we will never forget this glorious and fun-filled day. Special thank you to Misako and Miromi for making the experience as memorable as it was. Would highly recommend them to anyone looking to enjoy a unique area of Japan one might otherwise miss.
Written 14 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anne J
13 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
Our trip organised by Tour du Lac Biwa was one of the highlights of our extensive visit to Japan.
We started the morning with a bike ride. Hiromi and Asami ensured that we were comfortable on the electric bikes before we set off to Lake Biwa. The view was stunning and the silence was a great contrast to the previous few days spent in Kyoto. We left the lakeside and cycled through the surrounding paddy fields where Asami, our guide, explained the annual harvesting process. We had a short tea-break by the roadside and then cycled higher up the hillside to visit a simple shrine. This bit of the ride might be a bit challenging to those of a mature age who have no experience of electric bikes. Though mature in age we have used electric bikes on steep hills before so it was just part of the fun of the day for us.
We then traveled by train and taxi to the home of the Iwami family where we had a wonderful lunch and an afternoon sharing experiences and laughter. Asami’s ability to translate in both directions whilst maintaining the flow of the conversation was remarkable and was a major contribution to the success of the day.
We started the morning with a bike ride. Hiromi and Asami ensured that we were comfortable on the electric bikes before we set off to Lake Biwa. The view was stunning and the silence was a great contrast to the previous few days spent in Kyoto. We left the lakeside and cycled through the surrounding paddy fields where Asami, our guide, explained the annual harvesting process. We had a short tea-break by the roadside and then cycled higher up the hillside to visit a simple shrine. This bit of the ride might be a bit challenging to those of a mature age who have no experience of electric bikes. Though mature in age we have used electric bikes on steep hills before so it was just part of the fun of the day for us.
We then traveled by train and taxi to the home of the Iwami family where we had a wonderful lunch and an afternoon sharing experiences and laughter. Asami’s ability to translate in both directions whilst maintaining the flow of the conversation was remarkable and was a major contribution to the success of the day.
Written 2 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the great review. We are so glad you had a great day of countryside touring with beautiful weather. Was it hard on the hills on the electric bike? We saw you active folks just enjoyed it. We are also delighted to celebrate your anniversary day. Have a wonderful new year!
Written 7 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Susannah B
5 contributions
Feb 2024 • Family
We (family of 4, two teenage kids) took the Roof Masters tour, where we learned about the production of onigawara roof ornaments and then about traditional roofing techniques, ate a lunch of fresh soba noodles, and visited some of the shrines at the foot of Mount Hiei. Our guide Misako was lovely and the tour director Hiromi was friendly and helpful over email. We could easily have spent another day in Kyoto seeing the bigger tourist attractions instead, but this was a wonderful chance to meet real artisans and learn about their work. Misako's photos of the tour were wonderful, too.
Written 1 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for your excellent review. We are so glad everyone, including the children, enjoyed the day with us. Now that you know the basics of architecture, you can see the temples or traditional buildings differently. Thank you very much for choosing this tour.
Written 7 March 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ramsey d
Chicago, IL9 contributions
July 2023 • Family
I visited Japan with my teenage son in July/August 2023, and we had an absolutely wonderful day trip to Lake Biwa with Tour du Lac. We took an e-bike ride around part of the lake with our guide Misako and were hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Nakai to a wonderful lunch in their home. It was great to see life in Japan outside of the larger cities. The area was beautiful, and we learned so much about local life and culture. It was definitely one of the highlights of our trip.
Written 1 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your excellent feedback. It must have been a very hot day, but we are glad you had a wonderful time with Misakok and Mr. & Mrs. Nakai. We hope that your precious time with your son will be a great family memory. Thank you for choosing us for your special occasion.
Written 3 December 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ADB
Montgomery, NJ4 contributions
July 2024 • Family
We had a wonderful time with Lac Biwa Tours. We did an ebike ride followed by a visit to a terraced rice farming village including lunch with an old grandma in her beautiful farm house. This tour would be worth doing even if it were just about a nice ride, seeing pretty places, eating tasty food, and nice photo opportunities. But the best part is the experience talking to wonderful local people and learning about the area, their lives, their traditions, how things were, and how they are changing. Everyone involved is extremely nice and interesting to talk to. The grandma told us her legs may be getting weaker, but her mouth is still strong (she's a charming and willing conversationalist). Our guide, Asami-san, was knowledgeable, a very capable translator, and overall a great guide. The director of the tour company, Hiromi-san is also very kind and thoughtful. I think she is doing a beautiful thing creating these experiences while benefiting her community. Highly recommended!
Written 8 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for your excellent review. We are so glad you enjoyed the tranquil atmosphere and the relaxing time in the countryside. Grandma always looks forward to our tour, where she can meet people from all over the world while staying in Japan. Thank you for visiting us and keeping her mouth busy to stay healthy :)
Written 28 July 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
EllieO
Near London, England55 contributions
Nov 2024 • Couples
What a great trip! We travelled out from Kyoto on the local train to be met by our friendly guide Misako who led us round the village of Shiga on e-bikes, with stops along the way by the lake and a local temple where we had some tea and cakes. Misako was a great guide, talking about life by the lake, the traditions and customs. We then left the bikes and went on another short train trip followed by a taxi ride to Mr and Mrs Kosaka’s house. They are the most delightful elderly couple who welcomed us into their house and cooked us a delicious traditional lunch, which we helped prepare. Lots of chat and laughter with Misako translating. Photos at the end and their visitors book signed, we left to return to Kyoto. A real pleasure. Our thanks to all concerned.
Written 2 December 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Roving616439
1 contribution
Oct 2024 • Couples
The lake was glorious, the cycling easy - thanks to pedal power - and we thoroughly enjoyed meeting our local hosts. Having lunch with them was like eating with old friends - we all got on so well we barely stopped laughing and finding experiences in common despite our different cultures. Special mention must go to our tour guide who was wonderful: friendly, fun to be with, informative and warm hearted. A great trip deserving full marks.
Written 14 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jesse M
Bothell, WA7 contributions
Sept 2024 • Couples
We went on the half-day bike tour and farm lunch during our honeymoon, and whenever people ask us about the best day we had in those two weeks, we always talk about this tour! It was so nice to connect to the local people and actually get to know them by talking. Misako did an incredible job translating conversations with the host family, and she had so much knowledge about Lake Biwa to share too. And they were all so excited to hear about our wedding! We even got lots of marriage advice for free. If you want to experience a side of Japan that is different from the big cities, I can't think of a better way to do it.
Written 3 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Congratulations on your wedding! We are truly grateful that you chose our countryside tour to be a part of such a precious and memorable moment in your life. Although I’m not sure what advice you received on keeping a strong relationship with your partner, I hope it proves helpful! May this experience remain a joyful and lasting memory for both of you. Wishing you all the happiness in the world!
Written 6 October 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hi. Thank you for your inquiry.
If you have small children, why not try our Mochi pounding tour? It is a fun activity for both adults and small children. Also, we all help parents take care of their children and make sure parents get relaxed and enjoy the tour at most.
We look forward to meeting you & your family in Shiga!
Written 28 May 2018
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.