Mt. Otowa Refreshing Waterfall Hike

We will hike to Mt. Otowayama, known for its beautiful view of Lake Biwa, while visiting waterfalls along the Otowa River. The walking distance is about 10 km. It is an easy-to-walk mountain trail that is also part of the Tokai Nature Trail. Mt. Otowayama is located southwest of Lake Biwa, with Mt. Osaka to the north and the mountains of Daigo to the south. Since it formed the border between Yamashiro Province and Omi Province, the mountain pass between Mt. Osaka and Mt. Otowayama has been an important transportation hub since ancient times. Many poets, including Ki no Tsurayuki and Ariwara no Motokata, wrote poems using Mt. Otowayama as a poetic place name, showing how familiar this mountain has been since old times. We will start from Keihan Oiwake Station and walk slowly along the Otowa River from Shiraishi Shrine. You can see seven waterfalls of various sizes, which will help ease the early summer heat. After using the restroom at Ushio Kannon, where red and blue ogres greet you, we proceed along the ridgeline and arrive at the 593m summit of Mt. Otowayama. We will have lunch while enjoying the spectacular view of Lake Biwa and Mt. Hiei. After that, we will descend to Otsu Station on the Shiga side while looking out over Lake Biwa.