Recommended by the Locals! Must Visit Cafes in Kusatsu City and Lake Biwa Area

• Table of Contents
• How to get to Kusatsu City
• 1. Strawberry Factory
• 2. Japanese Confectionery Ototo
• 3. Light Charon
• 4. Kanae Shojuan Kusatsu Branch
• 5. NICOLAO Coffee and Sandwich
• 6. All Day Dining Liberty
• Enjoy Kusatsu! 

How to get to Kusatsu City

It is about 17 minutes from Kyoto by train (JR Biwako Line) and about 50 minutes from Osaka Station. There is also a highway, so it is also convenient to access by car.

1. Strawberry Factory

"Honey Strawberry Parfait" is available from December to May every year. You can also enjoy a picnic on the lawn in front of the facility. There is a full menu including sandwiches made with homemade bread and coffee.

Strawberry Factory

525-0061 3267-4 Kitayamada-cho, Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture

A complex facility that includes a dog run and a cafe in a farm where you can directly sell "honey strawberries" and go strawberry picking. The cafe has a full menu of strawberry parfaits, sandwiches, and coffee.

2. Japanese Confectionery Ototo

In addition to Japanese sweets, they also have a wide variety of Japanese and Western fusion sweets. The limited-edition rice dumplings that incorporate seasonal fruits and motifs are popular. Look for the wooden sign.

Japanese/Kafeoto

525-0058 5-25-21 Nojihigashi, Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture Mariebel...

A Japanese sweets shop and cafe that sells a variety of sweets such as dango, dorayaki, strawberry daifuku, and shaved ice. The shop owner, who trained in Kyoto for 10 years, creates and sells Japanese sweets by adding ideas to confectionery making techniques. There is also an eat-in corner.

3. Light Charon

Enjoy authentic dim sum made by the husband, a chef, and tea selected by the wife, who is a certified tea artist and a national professional qualification in China. Steamed meat buns are made in a large bamboo steamer, and the skin and fillings change depending on the season. Relax with the aroma and flavor of Chinese tea.

light chahun

525-0034 2-8-26 Kusatsu, Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture

A Chinese tea specialty shop run by a couple has opened near Kusatsu-juku Honjin. You can enjoy tea selected by the wife, who holds a Chinese national professional qualification and is a high-class tea artist, as well as authentic dim sum prepared by the husband, who is a chef. The relaxing space with a tatami room and a counter is also attractive.

4. Kanae Shojuan Kusatsu Branch

Fresh confections and seasonal sweets are sold on the first floor, and there is a cafe on the second floor where you can enjoy freshly made sweets such as anmitsu, matcha, and dorayaki.

Kanoshojuan Kusatsu branch

525-0026 1-1-60 Shibukawa, Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture, Kusatsu niw...

Kano Shojuan is a famous store in Shiga Prefecture that sells fresh sweets and seasonal Japanese sweets, including the famous confectionery "Amo." The Kusatsu store sells sweets on the 1st floor and has a cafe on the 2nd floor. You can enjoy freshly made sweets such as anmitsu, matcha, and dorayaki.

5. NICOLAO Coffee and Sandwich

In addition to espresso, there is a full drink menu including tea, frappes, and drinks for kids. There are three types of bread dough for sandwiches, all of which use bread from "Ichi Bakery", and the fruit sandwich is also popular.

NICOLAO Coffee and Sandwich Founding Head Office

525-0029 3203 Shimokasa-cho, Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture (Inside Ku...

Nicolao is a shop specializing in espresso and sandwiches. We offer a wide selection of high-quality espresso drinks, including cafe lattes, and sandwiches made with luxurious fresh vegetables and fruits. Please also enjoy shopping at Kusatsu Aobanakan.

6. All Day Dining Liberty

The restaurant is spacious and has 100 seats, including private rooms. You can enjoy authentic French cuisine in a casual setting for lunch. In the evening, they also offer a full-course dinner. They also have a wide selection of wines. The head chef is Executive Chef Tsunogaki, a gold medalist at international competitions who has won numerous awards. And how about dessert? The Mont Blanc made with Japanese chestnuts, squeezed right before your eyes, is something you can only enjoy on the spot! There are also limited edition Mont Blanc menus available each season.

All Day Dining Liberty

525-0037 1-27 Nishioji-cho, Kusatsu, Shiga Prefecture Hotel Boston Pla...

A dining room located on the 1st floor of Hotel Boston Plaza Kusatsu. You can enjoy a casual meal, from French full course to a la carte. Please enjoy the sophisticated hotel cuisine created by a top-notch chef that incorporates local ingredients.

Enjoy Kusatsu! 

How about touring historical sites and cafes in addition to visiting other cafes and gourmet spots? Kusatsu has streets full of history and a shrine famous for its wisteria flowers. Please do visit.