Drive an avenue that's a different thing each season
Fresh green, autumn color, snow. The 2.4 km avenue changes color with the seasons. Skip the crowded midday and drive at dawn or dusk for its real quiet.
GETAWAYS — Shiga / Takashima
Through the avenue of trees, on the lake's west shore
In Makino, Takashima, west of Lake Biwa, a roughly 2.4 km metasequoia avenue runs on. Beyond the avenue — which shifts its face with each season — lies a lakeshore not yet given over to tourism: the cherry trees of Kaizu-Osaki, Makino Sunny Beach, and more. Just over an hour from Kyoto, it's the nearest "west of the lake."
What kind of place
Takashima is on the west shore of Lake Biwa. A little apart from the bustle of the east shore, quiet towns stretch on, hemmed in by lake and mountains. The avenue of about 500 metasequoias becomes an entirely different road each season — fresh green, autumn color, snow.
Many come just for the avenue, take their photos, and head home. But what's truly quiet is the lakeshore beyond it: the cape at Kaizu-Osaki, the near-empty Makino Sunny Beach, the surface of the lake at dusk.
Come by car and you can drive the avenue slowly, both ways, then wait by the shore for the day to end. Not sightseeing time, but a day spent west of the lake.
What you can do here
Spend time on a near-empty shore
Makino Sunny Beach and the shore at Kaizu-Osaki aren't fully touristed. Good for time spent doing nothing but looking at the lake.
Wait for the sun to set over the lake
Because it's the west shore, the sun sets over the far side of the lake. With a car you can watch the surface darken without minding the time.
Spots to stop by
* See the scenery on the map. Tap a pin for anywhere that catches your eye.
メタセコイア並木
About 2.4 km. Its face changes with the season.
海津大崎
A cape on the shore. Known for its cherry trees too.
マキノサニービーチ
A near-empty lakeshore.
Nearest RV park
RVパーク リラクピング メタセコイア店
Right by the metasequoia avenue, in Makino, Takashima. Free power, a private bath, and a dog run.
Trip tips
From the garage
About 1 to 1.5 hours from the garage in Nagaokakyo, Kyoto (toward the west lakeshore, as a rough guide).
Best seasons
Year-round. The avenue is worth seeing in fresh green, autumn color, and snow alike.
Notes on staying
Roadside parking around the avenue can be a problem when it's crowded. Park and stay overnight only at designated places such as the RV park above.
Head out to Shiga / Takashima with your companion.
It starts by choosing your dates and checking availability.