I would like to Otsu city trip of Osaka Barrier gate, Zeze Castle Ruins Park, Otsu Science Museum, Ishiyama Temple, Mii Temple, Sakamoto Castle Ruin.
Osaka Barrier gate
Ride Keihan train at Yamashina and get off at Ohtani station.
About 200m walking to the east, you arrive Osaka Barrier gate ruin.
This is a Barrier gate between Kyoto and Shiga Otsu.
In front of this ruin, Route 1 road has a lot of cars.
Mountain is closing in on both sides of the national highway, it is a place of mountain trees are beautiful.
This area was a rest place for travelers at old days.
This small town has a restaurant eel, Semimaru shrine, and traditional town.
Walking trip at this area is good for you.
Next is a Zeze Castle Ruins Park.
Getting off at Zeze-Honmachi station, 15minutes walking, you arrive at Zeze Castle Ruins Park.
This castle was made by Ieyasu Tokugawa for patrolling West Daimyos.
Current there are only Castle gate and Zeze Castle Ruin Stone.
You can see a wonderful view at this park.
Near this park, Otsu Science Museum is existing.
This museum is a science museum for Lake Biwa.
Exhibiting Lake Biwa history, and fishes, education models for science.
This museum has also a model of Zeze castle at Edo period.
You understand Zeze castle.
Next is Ishiyama temple.
For going to Ishiyama temple, Riding bus at Keihan Ishiyama station is convenient.
Number of buses is often.
First is a long approaching road, 2nd is steep stone steps, then you arrive at Precincts of the temple.
Crimb a steep stone steps again, you reach a Main temple.
Murasaki Shikibu, who was a famous writer, was writing Genji-Monogatari at this temple.
So, this temple has Murasaki-Shikibu statue in a Main temple.
From this temple, you can see a Lake Biwa.
I go to Mii temple.
Get off at Miidera station, and walk along First Sosui river of Lake Biwa. About 15minutes walking, you arrive at Mii temple.
Mii temple has 13 temples in Precincts of the temple.
Visiting all temples needs you over 1hour.
At center of the Precinct, there is Kondo main temple.
When you pay a monetary offering, you can enter this temple and walk around veranda.
Next is Sakamoto Castle ruin.
Get off at Matsuno-baba station of Keihan train, after 20minutes walking, you arrive at Sakamoto Castle ruin.
Stone statue and Jin-Gasa are only existing along the road.
This castle was made by Mitsuhide Akechi.
From this castle ruin, go to Lake Biwa 5minutes, you find a Statue of Mitsuhide Akechi.
Mitsuhide Akechi was a member of Nobunaga Oda, but he killed Nobunaga.
But he was a good governer at Sakamoto Town, and had a good reputation in Sakamoto town, and Fukuchiyama citywide.
This trip needs 6 hours.
Please visit Otsu castles and temples.
That's it.
Osaka Barrier gate
Ride Keihan train at Yamashina and get off at Ohtani station.
About 200m walking to the east, you arrive Osaka Barrier gate ruin.
This is a Barrier gate between Kyoto and Shiga Otsu.
In front of this ruin, Route 1 road has a lot of cars.
Mountain is closing in on both sides of the national highway, it is a place of mountain trees are beautiful.
This area was a rest place for travelers at old days.
This small town has a restaurant eel, Semimaru shrine, and traditional town.
Walking trip at this area is good for you.
Next is a Zeze Castle Ruins Park.
Getting off at Zeze-Honmachi station, 15minutes walking, you arrive at Zeze Castle Ruins Park.
This castle was made by Ieyasu Tokugawa for patrolling West Daimyos.
Current there are only Castle gate and Zeze Castle Ruin Stone.
You can see a wonderful view at this park.
Near this park, Otsu Science Museum is existing.
This museum is a science museum for Lake Biwa.
Exhibiting Lake Biwa history, and fishes, education models for science.
This museum has also a model of Zeze castle at Edo period.
You understand Zeze castle.
Next is Ishiyama temple.
For going to Ishiyama temple, Riding bus at Keihan Ishiyama station is convenient.
Number of buses is often.
First is a long approaching road, 2nd is steep stone steps, then you arrive at Precincts of the temple.
Crimb a steep stone steps again, you reach a Main temple.
Murasaki Shikibu, who was a famous writer, was writing Genji-Monogatari at this temple.
So, this temple has Murasaki-Shikibu statue in a Main temple.
From this temple, you can see a Lake Biwa.
I go to Mii temple.
Get off at Miidera station, and walk along First Sosui river of Lake Biwa. About 15minutes walking, you arrive at Mii temple.
Mii temple has 13 temples in Precincts of the temple.
Visiting all temples needs you over 1hour.
At center of the Precinct, there is Kondo main temple.
When you pay a monetary offering, you can enter this temple and walk around veranda.
Next is Sakamoto Castle ruin.
Get off at Matsuno-baba station of Keihan train, after 20minutes walking, you arrive at Sakamoto Castle ruin.
Stone statue and Jin-Gasa are only existing along the road.
This castle was made by Mitsuhide Akechi.
From this castle ruin, go to Lake Biwa 5minutes, you find a Statue of Mitsuhide Akechi.
Mitsuhide Akechi was a member of Nobunaga Oda, but he killed Nobunaga.
But he was a good governer at Sakamoto Town, and had a good reputation in Sakamoto town, and Fukuchiyama citywide.
This trip needs 6 hours.
Please visit Otsu castles and temples.
That's it.