🗺️ Shiga Prefectural Biwa Lake Museum

The Shiga Prefectural Biwako Museum is located on the Karasuma Peninsula in Kusatsu City, standing by the shores of Lake Biwa. It is an experiential museum where visitors can understand the formation of Lake Biwa and the interdependent relationships between the lake, humans, and other living beings through their five senses. Covering an area of approximately 55,000 square meters, it is the largest lake-themed museum in Japan and is also renowned for its rare freshwater aquarium. The museum collaborates with local residents with the mission of building a more harmonious symbiotic relationship between humans and the lake. It has undergone multiple upgrades and renovations since its opening in October 1996, attracting over 11 million visitors. After reconstruction in 2016, the freshwater aquarium inside became the largest of its kind in Japan, featuring the Baikal seal, which was previously only seen in western Japan. A new aerial walkway was also built, allowing both adults and children to experience the entire ecosystem of Lake Biwa and freshwater lakes through their senses. In addition to the aquarium, the museum offers a series of exciting attractions. In Exhibition Room A, visitors can see the world's first half-skeleton fossil of a saber-toothed tiger; in Exhibition Room B, there is an AR experience using tablets to simulate the scene of a "maruko boat" navigating on Lake Biwa, along with interactive facilities that allow visitors to deeply appreciate the natural charm of Japan's largest lake, Lake Biwa.

Experience the largest lake in Japan, Lake Biwa, through a sensory museum. This is the largest museum in Japan themed around lakes. It features the largest freshwater aquarium in Japan, showcasing local rare freshwater fish. The museum includes various experiential facilities, such as an aerial walkway leading to Lake Biwa and a VR boat experience.