Hello! My name is Anna and I am a German student living in Kyoto, Japan. While Osaka and Kyoto are both famous tourist spots, most tourists and international residents in Japan do not consider taking a trip to Shiga prefecture. Maybe it is exactly because big cities with entertainment facilities such as Kyoto and Osaka are nearby, that beautiful places such as Shiga are often overlooked. Most guides for foreigners do not mention this less known prefecture either. Even if you have heard of Shiga, you might not know what to do there. In this article I will share all about my adventure during a tour in Maibara, Shiga and hope I will be able to convince you that this might be a new must-visit spot for you as well!
■What I loved about activities in Maibara:
1. Easily accessible not just from areas in Shiga, but also from Kyoto and Osaka
2. Activities to be in touch with nature, both in the forest and near water
3. Fun for all ages and constellations: Families, friend groups, couples...
Regarding the activities, more detail will be explained in the article below!
■Schedule for the day:
10:00-12:30 Forest Adventure 13:00-16:00 Oumi Wave: BBQ lunch, tent sauna and SUP
■Forest Adventure Maibara
This activity just newly opened in Green Park Santo in July 2023. Climbing parks, where you can move and climb high up in the trees, have been a popular outdoor activity in Europe for a long time. As someone having spent their whole childhood in Germany I have great memories in climbing parks, such as visiting one with my elementary school class more than ten years ago. Forest Adventure was inspired by its development in France and brought this fun activity to Japan. Athletic wear and sports shoes are recommended, gloves are available for purchase. Up in the trees challenges such as bridges, ropes and zip slides await you. The first course is a practice course, at rather low height, so that everyone can get used to the equipment. There are 4 more courses after that, varying in difficulty and height. As a person a little bit scared of heights myself it was reassuring to have an introduction and all the safety instructions available as a video in English before starting. A staff was also in the course with us helping and answering questions for those who were unsure or a bit scared. Sometimes the staff near me did a demonstration for people who were not sure how to overcome the next obstacle. I personally really enjoyed the zip line at the end of each course, where you can feel like you are almost flying through the forest!
■Oumi Wave
Oumi Wave is a spot in Maibara directly at Lake Biwa where you can eat, be active and chill. Lake Biwa is the largest freshwater lake in Japan and looking at it from one side you are often not able to see the other side, making it feel like being at the sea, rather than at a lake.
We arrived at Oumi Wave just in time for lunch. At Oumi Wave, facilities for BBQ are available so that you can make your food together while having a great view of Lake Biwa! Other than BBQ, a kitchen car is also located conveniently at the entrance of Oumi Wave, so you can buy yourself a snack whenever you feel hungry.
Another activity, one that is inspired by saunas in Finland and rather rarely seen in Japan, is the tent sauna. You can sweat inside a sauna in a tent and cool-down yourself in Lake Biwa afterwards.
My favorite activity here was SUP (Stand-up paddleboarding), a water sports where one stands on a board floating on water and uses a paddle to dive through the water. At the beginning it can be difficult to stand up, but once used to it is not just a fun activity, but also a good way to enjoy the scenery while out on Lake Biwa. An instructor is a site to help, especially for visitors trying SUP for the first time. If SUP is not for you, you can alternatively use a mirage eclipse, a board that has a handle and is easier to use for beginners, or just swim and play in the lake. During the hot summer months, cooling down in Lake Biwa can help you survive the heat and have fun at the same time. For activities you get wet it is best to bring swimming wear and a towel. In summer it is also recommended to bring sunscreen and enough drinks to stay hydrated. Both restrooms and showers, with shampoo, body soap and dryers are located at the entrance and can be used by visitors. A small fee is charged for shower usage. The shower room can also be used to change clothes.
■Conclusion
Through this article I introduced two activity spots, both located in Maibara in Shiga Prefecture, which I was able to explore in August 2023. How was it? Do you want to spend time in nature in Shiga Prefecture soon too? While there are many fun places in bigger cities in Kansai such as Osaka in Kyoto, Maibara in Shiga with its access to Lake Biwa is a great place to experience activities in nature. Through Forest Adventure and Oumi Wave you can take part in activities that are not available in bigger cities or other areas of Japan, including SUP, a tent sauna and a climbing park.
★Link Homepage Forest Adventure here
★Link Homepage Oumi Wave here