What to Expect

The Shiga Prefectural Biwako Museum, located on the Karasuma Peninsula on the shores of Lake Biwa, is a comprehensive museum that allows visitors to “understand Lake Biwa through their bodies.” The museum dedicated to Lake Biwa, Japan's largest ancient lake, presents a complete picture of the lake's origins and the surrounding culture.

Exhibits

The museum guides visitors through a complete understanding of this “Mother Lake,” from the formation of Lake Biwa and its natural environment to the historical changes in people’s lives along its shores, through clearly planned exhibition areas. The aquarium exhibit allows for close observation of over 2,000 species of organisms and native species in Lake Biwa, offering visitors a chance to see the “living appearance” of Biwa Lake's creatures and observe its ecosystem, including many endemic species.

The exhibits offer a rich array of sensory experiences, including touch and smell, making it a fun and educational experience for families. The museum also has experiential exhibition spaces that allow visitors to explore with their five senses, enabling children and adults alike to learn and discover through interaction.

Additional Information

Purchase permanent exhibition tickets on Traviia.

Visitors aged 18 and under (including primary/secondary/high school students) and those holding a disability certificate are admitted free of charge. Some tanks in the aquarium exhibition hall (such as the Biwa Lake catfish tank and the small catfish tank) are currently under renovation and are temporarily closed.

Biological organisms are prohibited from being brought into the exhibition room. Assistance dogs are allowed in the facility. Discovery Room (Experience Zone) Usage Rules: Places are limited and entry may not be possible.

Things to do in Shiga Prefectural Lake Biwa Museum

Activities in Shiga Prefectural Lake Biwa Museum