Ōtsu, Shiga, Japan uses Asia/Tokyo, currently JST (UTC+09:00). No clock changes are scheduled in the next 12 months.
Ōtsu is a city in Japan, home to around 345,100 people. Unlike many places, it does not observe daylight saving time.
The band below is your local scale — accent shows when everyone's business hours overlap. Add or remove a city on the left and this updates too.
Written for people arriving, calling in, or planning a trip around the time difference.
Ōtsu is the capital of Shiga prefecture, on the southwestern shore of Lake Biwa and separated from Kyoto only by a low range of hills. The city runs along the lakeshore, and its proximity to Kyoto makes it a quieter and cheaper base for the region.
Enryaku-ji, the temple complex on Mount Hiei above the city, is a World Heritage site and the historic headquarters of Tendai Buddhism, reached by cable car with wide views over the lake. Mii-dera temple on the lower slopes and the lake itself, Japan's largest, are the other main draws, and boat cruises run from the shore.
Trains reach Kyoto in around ten minutes, which is the city's great practical advantage. Buses and a cable car serve Mount Hiei, and the lakeshore is walkable and cycled.
Spring and autumn are mild and the most comfortable, with good colour on Mount Hiei in autumn. Summers are hot and humid, and winters are cold with snow on the higher ground.
Japan uses the JPY, calling code +81.
Japan uses the yen, and Japanese is the everyday language with limited English outside Kyoto. Quiet courtesy is expected, and tipping is not practised.
