Passeios por Lake Biwa

This is the very first time we've booked this kind of service. It isn't cheap, but it's worth the money. The driver was professional and on time. He picked us up from our hotel and dropped us off at the same location in the evening. The vehicle was clean and comfortable. We communicated with the driver via Viber. We really enjoyed our day in Kyoto and Nara. I will book this again the next time I have guests who want to visit Kansai.

Tour guide Sangtian and two colleagues, a total of three people. There were only four members in our group. Tour guide Sangtian was very professional, and we had a very pleasant day. Highly recommended! A perfect 100 points.

Sonrika was our driver for the day. He arrived at our hotel promptly, and confirmed the destinations we wanted to visit. He used translation apps to communicate with us, and always remained transparent with us throughout the trip. The driver assisted us with buying tickets for the Ine Boathouse ride and the Amanohashidate cable car/chairlift ride. The commute was 4 hours overall (2 hrs both ways), but it was a smooth journey. Our family had a great experience due to the driver's assistance.

The Floating Shirahige Shrine Torii Gate and the Mangetsu-ji Ukimido, floating on Lake Biwa, are quite unique and beautiful. La Collina's grass-roof pavilion in Omihachiman also has a somewhat fairytale-like feel, and their Baumkuchen is worth trying. The only downside was that after several days of heavy rain, the Biwako Valley Ropeway we were supposed to take was under maintenance, so we went to Sanzen-in Monzeki instead. Fortunately, the temple was tranquil and a good place to purify the mind. The guide, Mr. Roman, was a courteous, thoughtful, and responsible person. He maintained accurate time management, provided brief introductions and reminders before reaching each attraction, and thoughtfully catered to the needs of every member of the group. It was a valuable experience.

Thanks to our tour guide Xiaoyu, who was incredibly helpful. The area around Lake Biwa is perfect for a leisurely exploration, and first-time visitors on a group tour can hit the major attractions. Before heading to the top of Mount Biwa, prepare a thick jacket and enough cash. The scenery at the summit is like a fairyland, but it's also very cold. Tourists accustomed to swiping Alipay everywhere for taxis and subways in big cities should still prepare some cash when visiting less-traveled spots; I exchanged some with the guide. It's good that Japan doesn't constantly demand exorbitant tips like the US, nor does it aggressively push sales like some domestic destinations. Very professional and well-regulated.

This is a meaningful tour visiting four locations: Shirahige Shrine, Sanzen-in Temple, Mangetsuji Temple, and La Collina. I chose it to see Shiga Prefecture, which is not well-known in the Kinki region, and it was great to see the magnificent Lake Biwa, which is quite large. Sanzen-in Temple, included as an alternative to the Lake Biwa Terrace during the winter season, unfortunately turned out to be a temple located in Kyoto Prefecture. Personally, I would prefer a schedule that only includes attractions in Shiga Prefecture, excluding Sanzen-in. It seems that an image upgrade is needed for Shiga Prefecture tours. Unfortunately, the tour bus (18-seater) was old and fully booked with no empty seats, so if you ended up in a bad seat, you had to endure the discomfort of a long journey.

Had a great time exploring Lake Biwa! I was the only non-Chinese speaker in the group, but our guide made sure I was included the whole time—translating key info and checking in with me throughout the tour. I forgot her name, but she was incredibly helpful and friendly. All the stops were beautiful—I loved every place we visited!

Aunque llovió por la tarde, disfruté mucho del recorrido. Erina fue muy servicial y siempre nos asistió, es amable y siempre sonríe y, por supuesto... hermosa, jeje. ¡MUCHAS GRACIAS, ERINA!👍