A Journey Designed for You

[1 Night] Lakeside Luxury: Stay in a Private Villa Perched Along the Scenic Shore of Shiga’s Lake Biwa, with Optional Sake Brewery Tour

Overview

Shiga Prefecture’s Lake Biwa is one of the oldest lakes in the world – and the largest in Japan. Its size, natural beauty, and proximity to the erstwhile capital city of Kyoto have given it a prominent place in the culture and history of western Japan on par with the fame of Mount Fuji in the East. This plan offers the chance to savor unparalleled lakeside luxury here in the quaint former Edo-period post town of Takashima with a one-night stay in your own private vacation villa nestled up against Biwa’s shore with exceptional views from virtually every elegant room – including the baths and the wooden deck. As optional add-ons, enjoy a tour and tasting of the nearby Kawashima Sake Brewery, and a dinner prepared for you in the comfort of your own kitchen by a private chef.

location_on Shiga

schedule 1 night

account_balance_wallet from ¥112,400 / group

group 1 - 4 participants

record_voice_over Available in English

event_available Cancel free up to 11 days prior

* The indicated price is a reference estimate based on the selection of all listed content. Each component can be arranged individually.The price represents the lowest available rate. Please note that prices are subject to change based on the season and room availability.

* The itinerary and prices depicted are a model plan. Itineraries can be customized at guest request, so please feel free to enquire.

* For groups of three or four, an additional fee applies. Please contact us for more information.

* If fewer than 2 participants, the minimum fee will be JPY ¥112,400.

Itinerary Highlights

Usagiya

Relax in private lakeside luxury in this former hatago inn, which has today been reborn as a fully renovated private villa that sumptuously blends traditional elegance with modern comfort and sophistication. Lounge in the traditional tatami room, enjoy spacious western-style living, dining, and bedrooms, soak in one of two baths balancing privacy with semi-open-air lake views, or bask in the sunshine and fresh air on an all-wooden deck perched directly over the shore of Lake Biwa.

Kawashima Sake Brewery

Founded in 1865, Kawashima brews locally grown rice with legendarily delicious soft well water accumulated from Hira snowmelt, producing such acclaimed sakes as “Matsu-no-Hana” using the traditional kanzukuri winter brewing method. With a philosophy of tradition and quality, Kawashima prizes harmony with and among people, and works to preserve local culture. In addition to connecting visitors with the essence of sake culture through brewery tours and tastings, the brewery has recently also made a foray into the world of Japanese whisky, opening its adjoining Biwako Distillery.

Lake Biwa & Takashima City

Enjoy the gorgeous natural scenery, fresh air, open skies, and tranquil atmosphere of Japan’s largest lake in this former Edo-period post town. With Usagiya as your base, enjoy relaxing strolls to nearby points of beauty such as the beautiful metasequoia-lined riverside road known as Chinaigawa no Namiki Avenue or the child-friendly Makino Sunny Beach, or take a short drive or ferry ride to such sights as the famed cherry blossoms of Kaizu Osaki, or the sacred Chikubu Island within Lake Biwa itself.


* The itinerary depicted is a model itinerary – transportation arrangements, schedule, and length of stay can all be modified to suit guest needs. Please enquire for itinerary details.

*Additional fees apply for optional features.

Details

Day 1 | 1:00 PM

Erstwhile Post Town in the Land of the Lake: Takashima City, Shiga

Once a vital link in the trade routes connecting Kyoto with the Hokuriku region (central coast of the sea of Japan), Takashima has long been a popular stop for travelers. During its heyday as an Edo Period post town, merchants passing through on business would frequent its lakeside Hatago inns. Today, it is largely known for its pure and delicious mountain meltwater, which underpins its thriving farming and sake brewing communities – as well as for its natural lakeside beauty, rustic tranquility, and historic traditional Funa-zushi cuisine.

Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest lake, is the site of extensive natural beauty and a rich culinary culture

Day 1 | 1:00 PM

Delicious Sake from Pure Waters: Kawashima Sake Brewery Tour and Tasting

The Harie district of Takashima is a quiet village environment where beautiful water and traditional Japanese scenery abound. It is also a designated Japan Heritage site as "Lake Biwa and its Waterside Landscape - A Water Heritage of Prayer and Living."

Spring water flows in abundance from various sites in Takashima’s Harie district

Founded in Harie in 1865, Kawashima has been producing sake using the traditional kanzukuri method for over a century and a half, brewing only in the winter using the abundant groundwater from the Hiras and high quality locally grown sake rice. Its brewing is based in harmony with and appreciation for the rhythms of nature, producing smooth sake with rich flavor. Its signature brand “Matsu-no-hana” was named after an old pine tree that was cut down at the time of the brewery's founding, which has become an enduring local community symbol of sake brewing.

Kawashima Sake Brewery is a storied brewery with many brands beloved across Japan and beyond

Company president Tatsuro Kawashima devotes himself to brewing true deliciousness with the health of his drinkers in mind. He also places great value on preserving the local culture and the connections between people fostered by tours and tastings. In recent years he has also branched out into whisky distilling. His Biwako Distillery whisky has attracted attention internationally.

Fans flock from all over Japan to visit this long-standing brewery and its newer whisky distillery

Day 1 | 1:00 PM

Savor Sake and Shiga’s Culinary Heritage in a Historic Setting

This exclusive Wabunka plan offers a private tour of Kawashima’s sake brewing process, where you'll get to look around the brewhouse with Mr. Kawashima's commentary on its methods, equipment, and the history and culture of sake. Kawashima’s sake is brewed under the supervision of the traditional Noto Toji brewing guild. The refined senses of the guild brewers yield unparalleled instinct-level insights from the temperature and aroma of the tank, catching in their sight every complex and subtle change in the fermentation process. Kawashima Sake Brewery is the only place to witness this masterful ability up-close.

Learn all about the sake brewing process from Mr. Kawashima himself in the brewhouse

When the tour is complete, the tasting experience takes place in a Japanese traditional room in the renovated old Kawashima brewhouse. Sample three types of kanzukuri sake from Kawashima Sake Brewery, paired with Shiga specialty drinking snacks made of tofu and ayu sweetfish. Enjoy a lineup of Toju, which won the gold medal at the 2007 National New Sake Tasting Competition, “Matsu-no-hana Josen”, a popular brew dating back to the brewery's founding, and “Samukura Tezukuri Junmai Shu”, a handmade junmai sake.

After appreciating the aroma and color of the brew, tasters are recommended to tilt their heads slightly upward while tasting to spread the sake across the whole tongue

“Toju” is a ginjo type, high quality sake brewed with rice polished down to half off the original mass of the grain and low-temperature long fermentation for a light, fruity aroma. “Matsu-no-hana” is a futsu-shu (table sake), brewed simply with distilled alcohol added to increase the yield. “Samukura Tezukuri Junmai Shu” is a handmade junmai brewed with nothing but rice, rice koji mold, and water – for a clear and neutral flavor that pairs with rich cuisine.

Lake Biwa’s cuisine pairs perfectly with Kawashima Sake (photo for illustration purposes only)

As an additional option, delight in a special paired lunch provided by "Kawashin," a long-established local ryotei restaurant that has served the community for over 140 years. Enjoy the exquisite pairing of delicious local spirits with Lake Biwa country cuisine craft from an assortment of seasonal vegetables and lake fish from this water-rich region.

Day 1 | 3:00 PM

Elegant Villa by the Lake: Usagiya

Before the modern renovations that rebirthed it as the elegant private Japanese villa it is today, the structure of Usagiya began its life as one of the Hatago inns that served travelers passing through the town during its bustling days as a post town. Today, it is a luxury private vacation villa designed for more privacy, freedom, and independence than the more traditional ryokan-style stay. Usagiya is a place where guests can truly enjoy Takashima as if they had a second home here.

The renovated Usagiya structure sacrifices none of the town’s original traditional rustic charm

Day 1 | 4:00 PM

Tranquil Lakeside Luxury

Designed from the ground up for the perfect blend of modern luxury and rustic getaway, the only amenity Usagiya doesn’t offer is distraction. There is no television on the property, but there are stunning views of Lake Biwa, Chikubu Island, and Mount Ibuki from its traditional tatami room, western-style bedroom, living and dining room, full kitchen, wooden deck, and two luxurious baths (which can be opened to the lakeside air).

Usagiya’s second-floor tatami room offers a traditional alternative space to the modern Western-style living, dining, and bedroom on the first floor

Unplug from the demands of the world and let the sloshing sounds of waves and the calls of wild waterfowl soothe you. If you don’t want to leave your tech pleasures behind completely, you’re covered with Wi-Fi throughout the property and Bluetooth Bose speakers in the living room.

One of Usagiya’s two lakeview, semi-open-air baths

Day 1 | 6:00 PM

Whip up Meals Like a Local, or Enjoy Dinner Served by a Private Chef (Additional Option) 

Because Usagiya is a fully private, Japanese lakeside house, it does not offer meal service. Its kitchen, however, is stocked with every cooking utensil you need to make dinner and breakfast just the way you like it. Ingredients can be bought at a local supermarket or brought in with you (basics like salt, sugar, and soy sauce are prepared on-site).

For maximum relaxation, the in-home private chef service is a great option

If you’d like to just take it easy and have dinner prepared for you in the comfort of your vacation home, Wabunka can also arrange for a private chef to be dispatched straight to you.*

*Additional fees apply. Dinner only.

The perfect vacation home space for four friends or family members

Day 2

A Home Base for Exploration

Though you might not want to leave the lavish comforts of the Usagiya villa during your stay, there are excellent excuses to stretch your legs and explore the vicinity. Chinaigawa no Namiki Avenue is a beautiful metasequoia-lined riverside road that draws big crowds in peak season, and you can reach it in just 45 minutes from Usagiya by train, 15 minutes by car, or a little over two hours on foot through rustic rural scenery.

The Biwa shore offers long tranquil walks in stunning natural scenery

Makino Sunny Beach, a similar distance away, is a popular spot for lake campers or local families with children to splash around – or to rent kayaks for a jaunt out on the lake (arrangements not provided by Usagiya or Wabunka). Visitors in springtime shouldn’t miss Kaizu Osaki – one of the top 100 cherry blossom spots in Japan – also within a fifteen-minute drive. If you enjoy a ferry ride, the temple of Hogonji on the sacred Chikubu Island within Lake Biwa itself is certainly worth a trip. Usagiya is a perfect jumping-off point from which to enjoy Biwa in all seasons.


Usagiya

location_on 63 Imazucho Imazu, Takashima City, Shiga, 520-1621

near_me 10 minutes walk from Omi-Imazu Station on the JR Kosei Line

Kawashima Sake Brewery

location_on 83 Asahi Shinasahicho, Takashima City, Shiga, 520-1501

near_me14 minutes walk from Shinahashi Station on the JR Kosei Line

Things to know

Check-in and Check-out Times

Check-in: From 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Check-out: Until 11:00 AM

Experience Start Time

Kawashima Sake Brewery Tour: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Meal Start Times

Dinner: Prepared by a private chef (Additional Option)

Breakfast: Self-prepared by guest

Hotel Facilities

  Onsen
  Large bath
✓ Free parking
  On-site restaurant
  On-site bar
  English-speaking staff
  Room service
  24-hour front desk
  Shuttle service

Room Information

  • Non-smoking
  • Room type (Japanese-style / Western-style)
  • Bed type (Twin / Futon)
  • Room size (125 in square meters)
  • Free Wi-Fi available

Amenities

Click here 

Price

The price covers accommodation, exclusive facility access, curated experiences, and relevant taxes for two adult guests.

The minimum guarantee charge will be applied if the requested number of guests is less than 2 people.

*Additional fees apply for optional features.

Maximum number

Up to 4 people per booking

All experiences are private for your group. We do not arrange mixed sessions.

Experience itinerary

Day 1

  1. Kawashima Sake Brewery tour and tasting experience (80min) * 1:00 PM
  2. Check-in at Usagiya (or the neighboring sister property of Fukudaya depending on arrival time) 3:00 PM
  3. Free time 4:00 PM
  4. Dinner at Usagiya prepared by a private chef (Additional Option) 6:00 PM

Day 2

  1. Breakfast (self-prepared by guest) 7:30 AM
  2. Free time 8:30 AM
  3. Check-out 11:00 AM
  4. Kawashima Sake Brewery tour and tasting experience (80min) * 12:00 PM

*Optional brewery experience can be selected for the first day before check-in or the second day after check-out.
*The itinerary depicted is a model itinerary – transportation arrangements, schedule, and length of stay can all be modified to suit guest needs. Please enquire for itinerary details.

Payment

Payment in advance

(Credit card (JPY) only)

Booking deadline

Inquiry Deadline for Arrangements:

If you wish to arrange the following services, please contact us no later than the deadlines below:

<Accommodation/Experience>

At least 10 days before the check-in date.

<Chauffeur / Private Car Service>

At least 14 days before the service date

We may not be able to accommodate your request after the above deadlines, and we appreciate your understanding.

Cancellation policy

You may cancel your reservation and receive a refund as follows:

<Accommodation>
11 or more days before the check-in date: 100% refund
10 days or less before (including same-day cancellation or No-show): 100% cancellation fee

<Experience>
7 or more days before the check-in date: 100% refund
6 days or less before (including same-day cancellation or No-show)100% cancellation fee

<Chauffeur / Private Car Service>

11 or more days before the service date: 100% refund

10 days or less before (including same-day cancellation or No-show): 100% cancellation fee

Cancellations are calculated based on the check-in date.

Please contact us by 5:00 PM (JST) on the day you wish to cancel.

Important Notes:

Changes to the reservation (including number of guests or schedule) are not permitted after the cancellation policy takes effect.

If you wish to make changes, please contact us before the cancellation policy applies.

Guest Requirements

Minimum age: 1 year old

Adult rate applies to 6 years old and over.

Up to one child may share a bed with an adult (ages 1-2 only).

Further Remarks

Usagiya has no on-site staff, so please contact local staff at +81740-22-0029 in the event of any problems.

Smoking is prohibited in all areas of the building, including the outer wooden deck.

Depending on arrival time, check-in may take place at Usagiya or the neighboring Fukudaya ryokan, approximately 2-3 minutes away on foot, along the road along the same shoreline road.

If your expected time of arrival changes, please contact staff at +81740-22-0029. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes.

An interpreter will not accompany the private chef. Please note that communication may be done via a translation app depending on the chef's English ability.

Please refrain from driving to or after the tour of Kawashima Sake Brewery.

The experience during your stay is exclusive.

Due to unavoidable circumstances, programs or workshops are subject to last-minute changes and cancellations.

Itinerary Request

A Journey Designed for You

[1 Night] Lakeside Luxury: Stay in a Private Villa Perched Along the Scenic Shore of Shiga’s Lake Biwa, with Optional Sake Brewery Tour

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