Ōtsu, Shiga

Ōtsu
Ōtsu; 大津
	— Core city —
大津市 · Ōtsu City
	City view from Hieizan, the city of Ōtsu
	; Flag
	; Flag
	Location of Ōtsu in Shiga
	; Ōtsu
	Coordinates: 35°1′N 135°51′E / 35.017°N 135.85°E
Country	Japan
Region	Kansai
Prefecture	Shiga
	Area
- Total	374.06 km2 (144.4 sq mi)
Population; (2003)	324,497
- Density	867.50/km2 (2,246.8/sq mi)
Website	Ōtsu City

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Ōtsu (大津市, Ōtsu-shi^?) is the capital city of Shiga, Japan.

On March 20, 2006 the town of Shiga, from Shiga District, was merged into Ōtsu.

As of February 2007 the city has an estimated population of 329,355 with an average age of 40.7 years (15.42% of whom are under 15 and 16.81% are over 65) and a population density of 880.49 persons per km². The total area is 374.06 km².

Around 667 to 672, the Ōmi Ōtsu Palace was founded by Emperor Tenji. In the 12th century, the Battle of Awazu occurred in southern Ōtsu, during which Kiso Yoshinaka was killed.

In Edo Period, the haiku writer Matsuo Bashō had sometimes visited Ōtsu and made many apprentices such Kyoroku. After Oku no Hosomichi jorney, Bashō had lived in 4 months at Genjū-an (幻住庵^?) in Ōtsu. Now Bashō lies buried at Gichū-ji (義仲寺^?) with Minamoto no Yoshinaka.

On 11 May 1891, the Ōtsu incident happened.

The city was founded on October 1, 1898.

Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan, is in the center of the prefecture and also a site of significant relevance to the Japanese tourism industry. Sightseeing tours usually take up to several hours and tourists are given an opportunity to swim and take long strolls around the region. Lake Biwa is also a famous beach spot in the summer.

Built during the 1890s and later expanded during the Taishō period, the Lake Biwa Canal played an important role in connecting Ōtsu and the nearby city of Kyoto, facilitating water and passenger transportation and also providing electrical energy to power Japan's first streetcar railroad services.

[edit] Sister cities

[edit] Gallery

Grave of Matsuo Bashō at Gichū-ji	Ishiyama-dera, a temple at which Murasaki Shikibu stayed	The bell of Mii-dera, the sound of which is one of the Eight Scenes of Ōmi	Hiyoshi Taisha
Entrance of Biwako Sosui	Biwako Hall	From Ōtsu, the Michigan paddlewheel boat offers cruises on Lake Biwa.