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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Kusatsu, Shiga
草津市
Half a day: the Lake Biwa Museum and the honjin museum, then move on. Not a base — use Kyoto or Otsu for longer stays.
Kusatsu was a crossroads on the Nakasendō and Tōkaidō roads. Today it is a commuter city between Kyoto and Nagoya, with two worthwhile stops: the Lake Biwa Museum and the Kusatsu-juku honjin. Most travellers pass through on the JR Tōkaidō Line; one afternoon is enough.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 草津市
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid), Golden Week
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥6,000–10,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥10,000–16,000 excl. bed · High ¥16,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119 · Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English) 050-3816-2787
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | ¥350–600 |
| Ubaga-mochi (one piece) | ¥150–250 |
| Noodle soup (ramen or soba) | ¥700–1,200 |
| Beer: draught in an izakaya / can at a konbini | ¥500–750 / ¥250–350 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi3.1 mi (5 km) taxi | ¥2,000–2,500 |
| JR ride Kusatsu → Kyoto | ¥580 (check) |
| Lake Biwa Museum entry | ¥500 (check) |
| Kusatsu-juku honjin Museum entry | ¥300 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- KIX · Kansai International
- JR Haruka to Kyoto, then local train to Kusatsu; about 1 h 45 min
- NGO · Chubu Centrair
- Meitetsu to Nagoya, then Shinkansen to Kyoto and local to Kusatsu; about 2 h
Typical fares
- Kusatsu Station → Kyoto Station, JR
- about ¥580, 15 min (check)
- Kusatsu Station → Minami-Kusatsu Station, JR
- about ¥200, 3 min (check)
- Taxi Kusatsu Station → Lake Biwa Museum
- ¥1,500–2,000
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk between Kusatsu Station and the honjin museum (10 min). The Lake Biwa Museum is a 20-min walk from Minami-Kusatsu Station or a short bus ride. Local buses cover the city; a day pass costs about ¥600 (check).
See and do
Known for
- Lake Biwa Museum
- Kusatsu-juku honjin Museum
- Ubaga-mochi bean-paste cake
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Otsu | JR Tōkaidō Line, 5 min | 15 min |
| Hikone | JR Tōkaidō Line, about 25 min | 35 min |
| Omihachiman | JR Tōkaidō Line, about 15 min | 25 min |
| Koka | Kusatsu Line, about 30 min | 40 min |
| Nagahama | JR Tōkaidō Line, about 30 min | 40 min |
| Maibara | JR Tōkaidō Line, about 35 min | 45 min |
Sleep
- Kusatsu Station area
- Business hotels and a few mins from the train; convenient for a single night.
- Minami-Kusatsu Station area
- Quieter, near the Lake Biwa Museum; fewer dining options.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| This one, please | これをくださいkore o kudasai |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- The honjin museum is small and may close early (check hours).
- Lake Biwa Museum is closed on Mondays (or the following Tuesday if Monday is a holiday).
- Last trains on the Tōkaidō Line run around midnight; taxis are available at the station.
Very safe. The main risk is heat in summer; carry water. Bicycles on pavements are common — step aside.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kusatsu, Shiga yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Lake Biwa Museum
- Kusatsu-juku honjin Museum
- Ubaga-mochi bean-paste cake
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Kusatsu City official website: www.city.kusatsu.shiga.jp/
- Kusatsu Tourist Association (Japanese): kanko-kusatsu.com/
- Wikivoyage: Kusatsu (Shiga), revision 5064971 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5064971
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Kusatsu, Shiga草津市
ここまでお願いします
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police110
- Fire and ambulance119
- Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English)050-3816-2787
The US has a consulate in Osaka; most other countries have embassies in Tokyo.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/kusatsu-shiga). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.