Ōtsu: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Ōtsu is a city of 345,070 people in Japan (Shiga), 131 m (430 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Osaka Itami International Airport (ITM), 46 km (29 mi) from the centre. It has a dozen or more railway stations on record, including Ishiyama Station.
Key facts
Daylight in Ōtsu runs from about 9 h 51 min a day in late December to 14 h 34 min in late June (computed for 35° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Ōtsu is served by 4 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Osaka Itami International Airport (ITM), 46 km (29 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 9,840 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft. The alternatives are Kobe Airport (UKB, 71 km), Kansai International Airport (KIX, 85 km), Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO, 87 km).
Flights to Ōtsu: every airport, routes and times
By rail: stations on record include Ishiyama Station, Seta Station, Ōtsukyō Station, Ōtsu Station, Zeze Station, Katata Station. Trains to Ōtsu
Buses to Ōtsu · Driving and car hire
What people come for
UNESCO World Heritage in the city: Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.
Tours, tickets and day trips from Ōtsu
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Tokyo, 355 km — flights · trains · buses · car rental
- Yokohama, 347 km — flights · trains · buses · car rental
- Osaka, 48 km — trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Nagoya, 97 km — trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Kawasaki, 354 km — trains · buses · car rental
- Kobe, 71 km — trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Kyoto, 11 km
- Saitama, 358 km — trains · buses · car rental
- Hiroshima, 319 km — trains · buses · car rental
- Chiba, 391 km
Twin towns and sister cities: Interlaken, Würzburg, Lansing, Mudanjiang, Gumi.
Common questions
Which airport serves Ōtsu?
Osaka Itami International Airport (ITM), 46 km (29 mi) from the centre, plus 3 other airports with scheduled flights within 100 km.
How big is Ōtsu?
About 345,070 people live in Ōtsu, across 464 km² (GeoNames and Wikidata).
What time zone is Ōtsu in?
Asia/Tokyo, currently UTC+9.
What currency is used in Ōtsu?
The Yen (JPY). Traffic drives on the left.
Which cities are near Ōtsu?
Tokyo (355 km), Yokohama (347 km), Osaka (48 km), Nagoya (97 km), Kawasaki (354 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.