Lake Biwa Museum

The Lake Biwa Museum, run by Shiga Prefecture, stands on the Karasuma Peninsula that reaches into the southern lake. Its exhibitions trace Lake Biwa as one of the world's few ancient lakes, formed some four million years ago, through geology, the history of people living alongside the water, and the plants and fish of its watershed. The aquarium wing is among the largest freshwater displays in Japan, with tanks of native Lake Biwa species and a tunnel of the lake's fish, alongside a hands-on discovery room popular with children. The surrounding lakeside park and lotus-filled inlets make an easy walk before or after a visit.