Otsu

Otsu is the capital of Shiga Prefecture, curling around the southern end of Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, just over the mountains from Kyoto. It served briefly as Japan's capital in the seventh century, and its monasteries and lake trade shaped a thousand years of history next door to the imperial city.

Cable cars and trails climb Mount Hiei to Enryaku-ji, the sprawling monastery that shaped Japanese Buddhism for centuries, now a UNESCO site. At Ishiyama-dera, Murasaki Shikibu is said to have begun The Tale of Genji while gazing at the moon over the water.

Lake cruises leave the harbor through the warm months, including runs on the Michigan paddle steamer, and Ogoto Onsen lines the western shore with lakeside baths. Frequent trains connect Otsu with Kyoto, so the lake makes an easy escape from temple crowds. Summer fireworks over the water draw the year's biggest crowds.