Lake Biwa Boat Cruises 琵琶のクルーズ

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Lake Biwa Boat Cruises 琵琶のクルーズ

The "Rio Grande" cruise boat awaits at Imazu Port on a miraculously sunny day during the rainy season. 梅雨でありながら、奇跡的にこんないい天気になった。今津港

Boarding time at Imazu Port. In the forefront is a song monument for Biwako Shuko no Uta.

Boat name "Rio Grande" operated by Biwako Kisen. Named after Shiga's sister state in Brazil. There is also the "Michigan" paddlewheel boat named after Shiga's sister state in the USA.

Inside the front of the Rio Grande boat. 琵琶湖周航クルージング

We passed by various scenic spots such as Shirahige Shrine, noted for the torii gate in the lake.

Shirahige Shrine 白髭神社

Misty Horikiri Port in Omi-Hachiman. Boats leave here for Okishima island, Lake Biwa's largest island.

Shirahige Shrine torii as seen from the cruise boat.

Omi-Maiko with green pines on white sands.　近江舞子の「松は緑に　砂白き」

Boat for Okinoshima at Horikiri Port

Rolling with the waves

Okino-shiraishi Rocks, a favorite resting place for birds which turned the rocks white from bird droppings. Four rocks stand 80 meters deep in the lake. Out of the water, the tallest stands 14 meters high. 沖の白石

Entering Okinoshima Port

Side of boat

Okishima Port

Leaving Okinoshima (we'll be back).

Dock for Setagawa River boat cruise in Otsu.

Setagawa River boat cruise modeled after the Ichiban-Maru paddlewheel steamboat which cruised on Lake Biwa in the 19th century. In operation during warmer months from Ishiyama-dera port and stopping at Nango Aqua Biwa and Seta-no-karahashi ports.

Nagahama Port is where you board the boat for Chikubushima. No reservations necessary. Within walking distance from Nagahama Station.

View of Mt. Ibuki as we leave Nagahama Port.

Nagahama Castle from Lake Biwa

Mt. Ibuki from Lake Biwa

Inside boat

Top deck of boat going from Nagahama to Chikubushima

Heading for Chikubushima.

Chikubushima used to be a lush green island. Now it is turning brown by the thousands of cormorants which nest on the island, beyond the reach of humans.

Chikubushima

Boat landing 宝厳寺

Chikubushima Port is always busy with boats coming from Nagahama, Hikone, and Imazu.

Boat to Imazu at Chikubushima.

North face of Chikubushima is also badly damaged and going bald. The cormorant bird droppings and nesting activities (breaking off branches) are killing off the trees.

Keihan Maru boat during the early 1900s. This is a vintage postcard showing a steamer called Keihan Maru moored at Chikubushima. This boat landing is still being used.

Hikone Port. Takeshima is a small island in Lake Biwa off Hikone, accessible by a short boat ride.

Boat for Takeshima at Hikone Port.

Hikone Port

Hikone Castle as seen from Lake Biwa.

Cormorants. There are to many of them and they deplete fisheries in the lake and cause forest damage.

Kawau cormorants. Shiga has over 40,000 of these birds, and 30,000 of them live on Chikubushima whose trees are being destroyed by the droppings and branches broken off to make bird nests.

To Takeshima

Almost no one in the boat

Takeshima in Hikone, Shiga.

Nichiren Monument on Takeshima.

View of Takeshima, an island with many shapes.

Another view of Takeshima

Otsu Port as seen from Hama-Otsu Station. It's a 3-min. walk from the station.

Most of Lake Biwa's cruise boats are named after Shiga Prefecture's sister states or cities. Michigan, USA is Shiga's sister state. Michigan is home to the largest lake in the US, while Shiga is home to Japan's largest lake.

This was going to be a one-hour cruise around the Lake Biwa. This cruise which departs Otsu at 3:30 pm is called Michigan 60. Costs 2,200 yen for adults and half price for elementary schoolers.

Michigan paddlewheel boat leaving Otsu Port, Shiga Prefecture, Japan.

Leaving Otsu Port as the ground crew wave us off.

Wooden staircase on the Michigan paddlewheel boat.

Michigan paddlewheel.

Open deck.

Featuring an entertainment stage, Becky's Square on the 3rd floor is the largest area for passengers. Unfortunately, it's not air-conditioned.

Western Otsu.

Mt. Mikami (Omi-Fuji).

Letter of appreciation from the governor of Michigan in 2006. Click to read the letter.

Photographers are on the prowl on the boat, offering to take your picture. After the cruise, you can buy a photo for 1,000 yen.

Operated by Shiga Prefecture's Board of Education since Aug. 2, 1983, the Uminoko "Biwako Floating School" is an educational boat going on overnight voyages year-round on Lake Biwa, taking Shiga's 5th graders.

Uminoko means "Child of the Lake" (湖の子). This expression was made popular by the famous song, Biwako Shuko no Uta (Lake Biwa Rowing Song).

The Uminoko boat was moored next to the Bianca (left), Lake Biwa's largest cruise boat. While Crown Prince, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko once visited Uminoko in Aug. 1984. Prince Akinoshino and Princess Kiko visited in Nov. 2001.

Uminoko is 65 meters long, 12 meters wide, and 20 meters high. It weighs 928 tons and can carry 240 people. It can cruise up to 8 or 9 knots. Hitachi Zosen built the boat in pieces in Kanagawa Prefecture which were then trucked to Lake Biwa and assembled.

Mother Lake logo on Uminoko. From April 2001, the boat started using BDF (biodiesel fuel). It also has a small elevator (wheelchair accessible). Since the boat is over 25 years old, donations are being accepted for its replacement in several years.

The number of people who went on an Uminoko voyage this year is on top, and the total number who went on a voyage on Uminoko since 1983 on the bottom. The 432,401 people is equivalent to one-third of Shiga's population.

Sleeping quarters for girls have a pink carpet. There are six rooms for girls like this one, each one is named after a flower like Ume, Shakunage, and Botan. 宿泊室

One activity they held during the tour was plankton observations through a microscope, held in sleeping quarters for girls.

Bunk beds in teacher's quarters. One of my cousins is a school teacher in Shiga who went on Uminoko twice as a chaperone. She complained that you can't even sit up on the bunk bed. Well, I've seen worse on US Navy ships.

On the 4th floor is the bridge of the Uminoko. There is a small observation room behind the bridge where people can watch the captain and crew steer the boat. 操舵室

On the 3rd floor top deck, Uminoko has five cutter boats for 12 rowers each. There is also a motor boat. The cutter boats are used for rowing excursions. The cutters are named after waterfowl.

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