Tour du Lac Biwa
Tour du Lac Biwa
5
Cultural ToursBike ToursEco ToursSightseeing ToursCooking Classes
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.
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(20 reviews)
(14 reviews)
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5.0
200 reviews
Excellent
197
Very good
3
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Jeanette K
1 contribution
Nov. 2023 • Couples
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Lake Biwa. The temple was gorgeous. The farm visit was wonderful. Mr Tsuji was gracious. We had a good time making mochi and sampling the different varieties of mochi. The lunch was equally delicious. 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 review. We are glad that you are blessed with the beautiful weather and had an enjoyable day in quiet rural villages. Lunch at Mr. Tsuji's house is always truly tasty and we also enjoy visiting his house. Thank you for finding and choosing us.
Written 3 December 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ramsey d
Chicago, IL2 contributions
Jul. 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.
S S
Honolulu, HI7 contributions
Nov. 2023 • Friends
This experience with the Tour du lac e-bike Tour was by far the highlight of our two weeks in Japan. Riding our bikes through the quiet back roads of a small Japanese village along with a candid description and background of each area from the perspective of our local resident guide Asami, gave us a better understanding of life in rural Japan through a close up view of a part of Japan we had only seen looking out the window of the train. The biking led us to the private home of the Ikai family where we were able to help in the preparation of a lunch guided by Mrs. Ikai. She shared not only traditional preparation techniques but revealed that many of the lunch ingredients which we've only purchased in bottles or bags in a super market, were actually made at home with products grown in their own back yard. The time spent with the Ikai family, our guide Asami, and the tour director Hiromi, while sitting around a table, sharing the lunch, and informally chatting about their lives in Japan was priceless. The experience created an emotional connection to what life would have been like if we lived there. I highly recommend this tour!
Written 25 November 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 taking the time to post the excellent review! It was our pleasure having you as our guest. We hope the cold rainy day biking along the lake has already become your great adventure memory :) We also enjoyed talking with you and are thankful for the opportunity to show you our beloved local area. Please take care.
Written 26 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ariel L
1 contribution
Nov. 2023 • Couples
Had a really amazing time. The bike tour was nice, we had an excellent guide (Misako) and meeting Mrs Sawai and having her teach us cooking techniques and then sharing a meal with her in her home might have ben the highlight of our trip. I can't recommend this enough. If you have a chnace to take this tour, don't hesitate.
Written 14 November 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 the review. We are happy you enjoyed the day with us and hope the day spent in the
Japanese countryside with the adorable grandma will become a great memory for all of you. Thank you for finding and choosing us.
Written 23 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
TnCyclegirl
TN5 contributions
Oct. 2023 • Family
Excellent tour, outstanding and knowledgeable guide, beautiful area, lovely host family. Our entire family- from youngest to oldest- enjoyed this excursion!
Written 30 October 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 for your excellent review. Mochi-making is so much fun for any age, and it's a perfect way for families to spend a peaceful time in the countryside. I hope you enjoyed the Hand-pounded mochi which is so soft and delicious. Please take care.
Written 23 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
sandy2560
Northbrook, IL22 contributions
Oct. 2023 • Couples
This was an amazing tour. We went with a total
Of four couples. Our guide was excellent and fluent in English. The e-bikes were easy to use and safe to ride. We felt very safe. Along our route to the farmhouse we made many stops and received a lot of interesting information. We had a delicious salmon lunch at the home of a 3 generation Japanese family,s home. Hospitality was phenomenal. The family was warm, open and we were able to spend time learning
About their everyday life. Don’t miss this opportunity.
Of four couples. Our guide was excellent and fluent in English. The e-bikes were easy to use and safe to ride. We felt very safe. Along our route to the farmhouse we made many stops and received a lot of interesting information. We had a delicious salmon lunch at the home of a 3 generation Japanese family,s home. Hospitality was phenomenal. The family was warm, open and we were able to spend time learning
About their everyday life. Don’t miss this opportunity.
Written 30 October 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 wonderful feedback. We are so happy that you enjoyed the tour with us. The weather was perfect and the lake was spectacular. Our host also appreciated your visit and had a great time with you. Thank you so much.
Written 23 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Gary B
1 contribution
Oct. 2023 • Friends
We, two couples in early 60s, did the e-bike tour with Tour du Lac Biwa. Pretty easy cycling. More of a cultural experience. It was awesome. Our guide, Misako, spoke very good English. She was easy to understand and discussed things that would be obvious to locals, but were very interesting to foreigners. Our lunch with a local family was one of the highlights of our 3 weeks in Japan.
Written 22 October 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 for your excellent review. We are glad you had a great time with us. Misako is passionate to introduce about our beloved local area and the beautiful lake. Our hosts are so lovely people and very accommodating, and their farm-to-table style lunches are delightful even for us locals! Please take care.
Written 23 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
linda c
3 contributions
Oct. 2023 • Couples
Great tour see review below, efficiently arranged with a warm welcoming guide and delightful host, Mr Tsugi. We learned a lot about life away from the big cities we had visited so far.
Written 17 October 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 participation. I am sure you had a lovely time at your local host's beautiful place and fun making mochi. We carefully organized the tour to provide a great opportunity to learn about the local life, culture, and food, and we are glad that you enjoyed it. Please take care.
Written 23 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mary H
2 contributions
Sep. 2023 • Friends
This tour was one of the highlights of our trip to Japan! Asami, our guide, was so welcoming and friendly. She met us at the train station and then we rode by taxi to a local Shrine. Asami shared very informative information about this particular Shrine, pointing out unique features and explaining the meaning. We were the only visitors in the Shrine at that time, which was very beautiful and peaceful. She also shared about the festival that takes place in this area during Spring, and just hearing about it made us want to visit Shiga during that time (perhaps next visit to Japan!). We walked throughout the village, admiring its beauty and character. Beautiful views of the mountains and Lake Biwa (which is the largest lake in Japan). The area was absolutely gorgeous, peaceful, and so relaxing. We arrived at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Kosaka, who were so welcoming and friendly. The mochi making experience, enjoying Mr. Kosaka's chicken sukiyaki, and learning about their life in Shiga was a highlight of our trip to Japan. Asami has such a great personality and was a great translator. Because of Asami, we were able to have a very engaging conversation with Mr. and Mrs. Kosaka and learned so much about life in Shiga. We highly recommend this tour and having Asami as a guide. She's fantastic and her English is great!
Written 7 October 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 taking the time to post the excellent review! Asami was delighted to have read this and so encouraged. Shiga is a peaceful hidden gem, and we are glad you had a chance to be here with us. We appreciate your visit and hope you can be here again, hopefully for the village festival season. Thank you.
Written 23 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jesse B
1 contribution
Sep. 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.
Hi can we take our 2 year old and 7 month old on any of your tours?
LacBiwa
Otsu-shi, Shiga, Japan5 contributions
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!