Introducing the top 8 most popular souvenirs from Ogoto Hot Spring! Enjoy local flavors with tsukudani (simmered seafood and vegetables), Omi sake, Lake Biwa specialties, and original products exclusive to the "Yumotokan" gift shop. Perfect as a memento of your trip or as a gift.
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Ogoto Onsen is said to have been opened about 1,200 years ago by Dengyo Daishi Saicho to reward the work of the craftsmen who built Enryakuji Temple on Mount Hiei, a World Heritage Site. Among them, Yumotokan is a long-established inn with a history of 96 years. The secret to its popularity is its four different hot springs, including an open-air bath overlooking Lake Biwa from the 11th floor and an open-air bath that gives the illusion of being a hot spring in the forest, as well as its Kyoto-style kaiseki meals made with carefully selected seasonal ingredients, including "certified Omi beef," one of Japan's three great wagyu beef brands. Although it is only 20 minutes by train from Kyoto, this inn allows you to feel the warmth of nature and Japan, such as Lake Biwa and the Hira mountain range.
Ogoto Hot Spring is located on the shores of Lake Biwa. Shiga Prefecture was once known as "Omi Province" and flourished as an important route to Kyoto. While delicious food was delivered to Kyoto from all over Japan, a unique food culture of this region also developed.
This article introduces popular souvenirs unique to Ogoto Onsen, a hot spring resort blessed with abundant nature.
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Table of Contents
- 1. Yumotokan's Original Braised Pork Belly & Tenderly Cooked Potatoes
- 2. Yumotokan Original Dressing
- 3. Pistachio Mochi "pis-mo!"
- 4. Local Japanese Sake from Omi Area
- 5. Ooya's Tsukudani (Simmered Seafood/Vegetables)
- 6. Strawberry Jam from Moriyama-Kawanishi Farm
- 7. Pickled Mayo from Marucho, Otsu City
- 8. Lake Biwa Shrimp Crackers
- Visit Yumotokan Shop for the Best Souvenirs
1. Yumotokan's Original Braised Pork Belly & Tenderly Cooked Potatoes
This dish, featuring tenderly braised pork and creamy potato puree, is a perfect match and highly recommended for Ogoto Hot Spring. It's a signature dish at Yumotokan Onsen, and many repeat guests stay at Yumotokan just to enjoy this dish!
You can also use the shop at Yumotokan without staying overnight. Please give it a try.
2. Yumotokan Original Dressing
This dressing is also available at the breakfast buffet at Yumotokan, and comes in three flavors: sweet corn, edamame, and daidai. It pairs well with Omi vegetables, so please choose the flavor that best suits your taste.
3. Pistachio Mochi "pis-mo!"
This is Yumotokan's original pistachio daifuku, made with pistachio raw chocolate wrapped in mochi. It is served as the final dessert course at dinner!
4. Local Japanese Sake from Omi Area
Miyoei Junmai Daiginjo Muenso
Despite being a Junmai Daiginjo, its affordable price is one of its attractions. Miyosakae Junmai Daiginjo Muenso is a simple, dry sake that pairs perfectly with meals. Look for the round label.
Biwa no Choju Junmai Daiginjo
Made with rice milled to less than half (40%) of the original brown rice grains, this sake has just the right amount of acidity to enhance the flavor. It is an exceptional product that allows you to savor a delicate and refined umami taste.
5. Ooya's Tsukudani (Simmered Seafood/Vegetables)
"Moroko Tsukudani" is made by carefully simmering "moroko," a precious fish caught in Lake Biwa. The delicious flavor of the moroko and the savory taste of the simmered fish are a perfect match, making it an ideal accompaniment to rice.
"Ebi Tsukudani" is made by simmering small shrimp in a sweet sauce. When you bite into the crispy shrimp, a sweet flavor comes out from the inside. The crispy texture and sweetness are superb. It goes well with rice, but it's also delicious as a snack.
Other popular items include "gori no tsukudani" (a type of preserved food) and "ayu no ame ni" (a type of candied sweetfish).
6. Strawberry Jam from Moriyama-Kawanishi Farm
Kawanishi Strawberry Farm, a popular farm in Moriyama City , Shiga Prefecture , offers homemade jam made with plenty of freshly picked, perfectly ripe strawberries, carefully simmered without any additives to create a jam bursting with fruity texture.
7. Pickled Mayo from Marucho, Otsu City
This product is a collaboration between a long-established pickle manufacturer in Shiga Prefecture, Otsu City, and a bakery. The pickled radish mayonnaise filling comes in a tube. It can be used in a wide variety of ways, such as a filling for rice balls, on bread, or as a sauce for fried chicken.
8. Lake Biwa Shrimp Crackers
These shrimp crackers are unique to Shiga Prefecture, made with ingredients sourced from the region, such as "suji shrimp" caught in Lake Biwa, which have been loved by locals for Shiga in dishes like sweet and savory simmered shrimp and shrimp tempura, and "Omi rice" grown in the rich soil and water of the Omi Hirano . Furthermore, the rice crackers are hardened by trapping air with starch syrup, resulting in a light and distinctive texture.
Visit Yumotokan Shop for the Best Souvenirs
The souvenir shop "Rakuichi" has a wide selection of Omi specialties and Yumotokan original products. Why not choose a favorite souvenir for that special someone, such as Lake Biwa's specialty "simmered candy-simmered lake fish" or pickles from Omi, Kyoto?
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