Jinbo Pearls

Jinbo Pearls is a jewelry shop specializing in pearls cultivated in the fresh water of Lake Biwa (Biwa Pearls). Biwa Pearls are totally different from ocean pearls. They are pinkish in colour and come in various shapes. It' s an accessory meant solely for a woman of high class.

Shiga Mitsui Ryuo Outlet Park

Mitsui Outlet Park Shiga Ryuo is one of the largest outletmall in the KANSAI region. This outlet mall has 237shops. Adjacent to the Ryuo Interchange on the Meishin Expressway, the major artery of the Kansai area, the mall is easily accessible from not only the KANSAI region, but also the Tokai and Hokuriku areas. In addition to brands that are opening stores for the first time in Japan or the KANSAI region, the mall also features a wide variety of stores from luxury brands to import and casual brands, boutiques, sporting and general goods, as well as much more. Mitsui Outlet Park Shiga Ryuo also offers gifts and gourmet food that are a culmination of things uniquely Kansai. By using its location in a rich and natural environment, Mitsui Outlet Park Shiga Ryuo offers visitors a resort-like shopping experience.
URL http://www.31op.com/shiga/index.html

Aito Margaret Service Area

As you drive along the regional National highways in Japan, service areas will sometimes catch your eye. Aito Margaret Roadside Station is one of these captivating service areas. Similar to a farmer' s market, you' ll find fresh vegetables and fruit grown by local farmers here. Depending on the season, there is also a field of flowers growing sunflowers and other seasonal flowers where you can enjoy taking pictures. A complimentary fresh fruit gelato is included in this tour.

Charter Cruise

Jinbo Pearls is a jewelry shop specializing in pearls cultivated in the fresh water of Lake Biwa (Biwa Pearls). Biwa Pearls are totally different from ocean pearls. They are pinkish in colour and come in various shapes. It' s an accessory meant solely for a woman of high class.

Oki Island

Oki Island is the only Japanese island located inside a lake, inhabited by people. Almost all of the residents are fishermen who catch freshwater fish from Lake Biwa. The tour features these fishermen who instruct you on how to use a net and do dragnet fishing. For lunch we will have a barbeque with the fish you caught. There is nothing fresher than the fish from Lake Biwa. In the case you don' t catch anything, we have a bento box lunch kindly prepared by the wives of the fishermen.

Fujii Honke Sake Brewery

From ancient times, Shiga has been well known for its rice production. Shiga is proud of its sake brewing, using its rice grown exclusively in Shiga. We take a tour Fujii Honke, one of a few family run sake breweries still using the traditional rice and sake brewing techniques, for over a few hundred years. While taking a tour, including an incredible wooden pillar storehouse, we receive a thorough explanation about the brewery, sake' s main ingredients and its brewing process. Finally, it' s time to taste the sake.

Kiyomizuyaki Pottery Workshop

Just over the prefectural border of Shiga, there is a Kiyomizuyaki potter in the Yamashina Area of Kyoto prefecture. Kiyomizuyaki is a unique Japanese ceramics style. It originated from Kyoto, to a large degree supported by Kyoto nobles possessing vast sums of money and power to employ master potters who produced exquisite pieces. Unlike pottery used in our everyday lives, these pieces were meant to be gorgeous artistic pieces, displayed in the homes of nobles. In our tour, we visit the workshop of the 3rd generation potter Saito Unraku, allowing us a first hand look at the amazing techniques and exquisite beauty of Kiyomizuyaki Pottery.

Hikone-Inoue Buddhist Alter [Hands on Experience]

During the feudal period, Hikone was a stronghold of the powerful Ii-shi clan who supported Shogun Tokugawa. From these traditional times, large numbers of highly skilled groups of craftsmen have lived in this town of Hikone. Inoue Buddhist Alter shop is connected to this long lineage of craftsmen. The Buddhist alter is very precious, making it a very important feature in traditional Japanese homes. Spirits of Japanese people' s ancestors are enshrined inside the Buddhist alter to which prayers and other offerings are made by family members.

At the Inoue shop we get a chance to learn and try our hand at a few of the techniques used in making a Buddhist alter. You choose from these three techniques:

1. Application of delicate gold leaf
2. Makie-decoration with sprinkles of fine gold or silver powder
3. Lacquered chopsticks

Of course you can take home what you' ve made. As an option, you can also put on 0ld Samurai armour and kimono.

Samegai Post Town

We visit the 61st post town located along the Nakasendo Highway [Edo period highway connecting Kyoto and Tokyo] and explore this town named after “to be awakened by pure water” from the Jizo River, along which traditional style buildings of the town still exist. Samegai Post Town also has the largest fresh water fish-breeding farm in Asia.

Lunch-Samegaishuku Inn (traditional style inn)

In Japan, Samegaishuku Inn is very rare. It still has one of the few buildings used as a wholesaler shop preserved as it was from the feudal period, conveying the lifestyles of merchants. We enjoy a walk along the clean water flowing river of Samegai Post Town and a fresh Rainbow Trout lunch.

Kunitomo Rifle Museum

In Kumitomo, close to Lake Biwa' s northeast mountains, Kunitomo Rifle Museum features a history of the gun in Japan. In the Edo Period (1603-1867), the village of Kunitomo was home to some of the most highly skilled metal workers in Japan. Remarkably, they adapted and reproduced the first guns from the Portuguese, creating an immediate technological advantage for up and coming warlords. The gun would prove critical in their gaining and maintaining power during the Warring States Period.

Hiei Mountain Summit - Enryakuji Main Temple

About 1200 years ago, a young monk named Saicho built the humble temple on the northeastern peak of Mount Hiei where he established the eternal light of Buddhism. This is where Enryakuji Temple began. Saicho was revered by the Japanese Imperial court and is known as one of the most famous monks in Japanese history. In the long history of Enryakuji, it' s said the light has never been extinguished. Not even once.

Sagawa Fine Arts Museum

On the east coast of Lake Biwa lies a wondrous art space. The museum focuses on Japanese paintings by Ikuo Hirayama, statues by Churyo Sato and pottery from the 15th Raku Kichizaemon Potter. Hirayama' s paintings are showcased in rooms with benches specially arranged to enhance the viewer' s experience and extra care is given to create a very quite and relaxed environment to enjoy the masterpieces.

Shiga Prefecture Biwako Museum

This museum is a place to learn about Lake Biwa' s over 200,000 year history, bringing humans and the natural environment of Lake Biwa together. With lots of things to see and experience, this museum has the largest display of fresh water fish in Japan and offers lots of hands on experiences.