Shiga Prefecture surrounds Lake Biwa, Japan's largest freshwater lake, just a short train ride east of Kyoto. Landlocked and often overlooked by international visitors, it pairs the UNESCO-listed temple complex of Enryaku-ji on Mt. Hiei with the National Treasure castle at Hikone, Edo-era merchant towns, Shigaraki pottery villages, and some of Japan's finest wagyu in Omi beef.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Shigaraki tanuki (raccoon-dog) statue
The iconic ceramic figure of Shigaraki-yaki, sold from palm-sized to garden-scale. Price: ¥500–100,000 ($3.15–630)
Where: Shigaraki Pottery Village kiln shops; Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park shop
Omi cotton and hemp textiles
Woven cotton and hemp goods (tenugui towels, noren curtains, small bags) tied to Omihachiman's historic textile trade. ¥800–15,000 ($5.04–94.50)
Where: Shops along Shinmachi Street, Omihachiman
Kurokabe glass art
Hand-blown glassware, ornaments, and jewelry produced in Nagahama's Kurokabe Square studios. ¥500–30,000 ($3.15–189)
Where: Kurokabe Square glass shops and galleries
Omi beef (gift-boxed)
One of Japan's three great wagyu brands, sold vacuum-packed for gifting or travel. ¥3,000–30,000 ($18.90–189)
Where: Omi Beef Kanekichi, Otsu; Omi beef specialty shops in Omihachiman and Hikone
Local sake
Small-batch sake from Shiga's roughly 30 breweries, several offering direct sales and tastings. ¥1,200–5,000 ($7.56–31.50)
Where: Ota Sake Brewery, Kusatsu; Hirai Shoten, Otsu; Tomita Brewery, Nagahama
Lake Biwa freshwater pearls
Irregularly shaped freshwater pearls cultivated in Lake Biwa, sold as necklaces, earrings, and loose beads with a distinctive satin luster. ¥3,000–100,000+ ($18.90–630+)
Where: Specialty pearl jewelers in Otsu; department store jewelry counters in Kyoto and Otsu
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Shigaraki Pottery Village (Tanuki Mura)
A working pottery town built around historic climbing kilns, where the iconic Shigaraki tanuki statue was popularized nationwide.
Where: Shigaraki, Koka
Hours: 9:00–17:00 daily (individual shops vary)
Kurokabe Square
Nagahama's historic banking-district buildings now house glassblowing studios, retail galleries, and hands-on glass workshops.
Where: Motohama-cho, Nagahama
Hours: 10:00–18:00 daily; some workshops close Wednesdays
Omihachiman Shinmachi Street
The historic trading street of the Omi merchants, still home to shops selling local textiles, tea, and traditional sweets.
Where: Shinmachi, Omihachiman
Hours: Most shops 10:00–17:00; individual hours vary
Yume-Kyobashi Castle Road
A reconstructed castle-town street with whitewashed shopfronts, built to complement the adjacent Hikone Castle.
Where: Konki-cho, Hikone
Hours: 10:00–17:00 daily (individual shops vary)
Omi Beef Kanekichi
A century-old Omi beef specialist offering vacuum-packed, gift-ready cuts of one of Japan's most prized wagyu brands.
Where: Imakatata, Otsu
Hours: 10:00–19:00; closed Wednesdays
Ota Sake Brewery (Ota Shuzo)
A working sake brewery on the historic Tokaido post road offering bottle sales and tastings of its Kokoro label.
Where: Kusatsu-juku, Kusatsu
Hours: 9:00–17:00; tours and tastings by reservation
Malls & modern shopping
Air-conditioned, international brands, and food courts.
Aeon Mall Kusatsu
A large suburban mall near Kusatsu Station offering standard-issue Japanese retail chains and a food court for practical shopping stops.
Hours: 10:00–21:00 daily (restaurants until 22:00)