Otsu, Shiga, Japan｜Kanou Shojuan

It’s kind of like a Disneyland for the people over 55yo. Take your parents, they’ll love this place. Beautiful plum orchard, sophisticated yet unpretentious restaurant, pottery workshop, tea ceremony experience, cafes, bakery and sweets shop (+goats). I enjoyed walking around the hill. The restaurant was quite popular and they don’t take reservations, so I recommend going early. It was on the weekend and I waited probably 15-20 mins. Food was absolutely delicious but the portion is designed for elderly people so you may feel it is a bit expensive for the amount.

This is a nice and quiet place with various colours of ume flowers. Good to walk and take photoes among the ume flower trees. There are many delicious food in this area. Feeding goats is an enjoyable event. There is an entertainment, playing music traditional Japanese songs. We can learn how to make paper in the paper workshop.

During the plum blossom matsuri I went to the plum orchards of Kanō Shōjuan Sunai no Sato in Ōishi Ryumon village Otsu City Shiga Prefecture. The plum blossoms were at their peak, and there were lots of people. Until 1960 this property was in the hands of the Ōishi Clan. I am not sure if the famous Ōishi Kuranosuke from the Chūshingura visited here.