 Ōtsu's location in Shiga, Japan. |
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| Location | |
| Country | Japan |
| Region | Kansai |
| Prefecture | Shiga |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Area | 374.06 km² (144.4 sq mi) |
| Population (as of 2003) | |
| Total | 324,497 |
| Density | 867.50/km² (2,246.8/sq mi) |
| Location | |
| Symbols | |
| Ōtsu Government Office | |
| Official website: Ōtsu City | |
Ōtsu (大津市 Ōtsu-shi?) is the capital city of Shiga, Japan. As of February 2007 the city has an estimated population of 329,355 with an age average of 40.7 years (15.42% of which are younger than 15 and 16.81% are older than 65) and a density of 880.49 persons per km². The total area is 374.06 km².
The city was founded on October 1, 1898. Prior to the existence of a settlement called 'Ōtsu' the location was known as 'Awazu: one of the battles of the 12th century Genpei War occurred there. Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan, is in the center of the prefecture and also a site of significant relevance to the Japanese tourism industry. Sightseeing tours in Lake Biwa usually take up to several hours and tourists are given an opportunity to swim and take long strolls around the region. Lake Biwa is also a famous beaching spot in the Summer. Built during the 1890s and later expanded during the Taisho Period, the Lake Biwa Canal played an important role in connecting Ōtsu and the nearby city of Kyoto, facilitating water and passenger transportation and also providing electrical energy to power Japan's first streetcar railroad services.
Sister cities
- Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Würzburg, Bavaria, Germany
- Interlaken, Bern, Switzerland
- Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang, China
- Kumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea
| Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)* | |
|---|---|
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| State Party |  Japan |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | ii, iv |
| Reference | 688 |
| Region† | Asia-Pacific |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 1994 (18th Session) |
| * Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. † Region as classified by UNESCO. |
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Gallery
 Grave of Matsuo Bashō at Gichū-ji |
 Ishiyama-dera, a temple at which Murasaki Shikibu stayed |
 Entrance of Biwako Sosui |
External links
- Official website in English
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| Cities | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Higashiōmi | Hikone | Kōka | Konan | Kusatsu | Maibara | Moriyama | Nagahama | Ōtsu (capital) | Ōmihachiman | Rittō | Takashima | Yasu | |||
| Districts | |||
| Echi | Gamō | Higashiazai | Ika | Inukami | |||
| Former Districts | |||
| Kanzaki | Koka | Kurita | Nishiazai | Sakata | Shiga | Takashima | Yasu | |||
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Buddhist Monuments, Hōryū-ji Area · Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu · Himeji Castle · Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome) · Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) · Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara · Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama · Itsukushima Shinto Shrine · Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine and its Cultural Landscape · |
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The subject of this article has been identified by the Missing Encyclopedic Articles project as being a high priority for expansion. |
