Kusatsu, Japan
草津市
Kusatsu is a town of 143,913 people in Shiga, Japan, founded in October 15, 1954.
Why visit Kusatsu
Townapedia lists 64 museums and landmarks, 101 parks and trails, 253 places to eat, 8 places to stay and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Lake Biwa Museum, Shiga University of Medical Science, Ise Site and Museum of Shiga Prefecture Biwako-Bunkakan.
Weather in Kusatsu
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Kusatsu
Kusatsu (草津市, Kusatsu-shi) is a city located in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. The city lies on Lake Biwa, Japan's largest freshwater lake. As of 31 January 2024, the city had an estimated population of 139,913 in 63,942 households and a population density of 2100 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 67.82 square kilometres (26.19 sq mi).
From the Wikipedia article Kusatsu, Shiga (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Kusatsu on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do4
Lake Biwa Museum
Monument and historic site · 7.0 km
Museum in Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan
Shiga University of Medical Science
School · 4.9 km
Higher education institution in Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Museums and landmarks64
Ise Site
Monument and historic site · 3.4 km
Archaeological site in Moriyama, Shiga, Japan
Museum of Shiga Prefecture Biwako-Bunkakan
Museum · 8.5 km
Museum in Ōtsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Ōmi Kokuchō
Monument and historic site · 6.3 km
Historic site in Shiga, Japan
Yasu City History and Folk Museum
Museum · 9.5 km
Museum in Yasu, Shiga, Japan
52 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds101
,_gaikan.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
89 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes253
中華料理ときわ
Restaurant · Chinese, Japanese · 1.6 km
新型コロナ感染対策として、テイクアウトを開始されました。ホテルで修行したシェフのつくる料理は絶品です。 http://sp.raqmo.com/tokiwa/
２, 草津市
Trattoria della Mela
Restaurant · Italian · 1.0 km
【テイクアウトメニュー】 ・ペンネカチャトーラ 650円 ・トマトソースのクリームペンネ肉団子入り 700円 ・ファルファッレのポルチーニクリーム 700円 ・骨付き鳥もも肉のトマト煮込み 500円 ・サーモンのマリネサラ...
Mo-Su 11:00-14:00,17:30-22:00
ちゃんぽん亭総本家草津駅前店
Restaurant · Noodle · 0.7 km
エルティ932・１F, 草津市
Mo-Su 11:00-00:00
ワンカルビ puls
Restaurant · Barbecue · 1.7 km
山田草津線, 草津市
Mo-Fr 17:00-24:00; Sa,Su 16:00-24:00
241 more on the map.
History
Kusatsu is part of ancient Ōmi Province. It has been a transportation hub for east-west travel on the ancient Tōsandō and Tōkaidō highways connecting the capital of Heian-kyō with the provinces of eastern Japan from the end of the Nara period onwards. During the Muromachi period, it developed as a relay point between Kyoto and the Ise Grand Shrines. In 1422, when Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimochi made a pilgrimage to Ise, he built a palace, the "Kusatsu Goshō" in this location. Around 1568, Oda Nobunaga forced Ashikaga Yoshiaki to cede the Kusatsu area, which he viewed as strategically critical to controlling the approaches to Kyoto. Nobunaga made extensive road repairs and reconstructed the Seta Bridge. In the early Edo period, the system of post stations on the Nakasendō and Tōkaidō was formalized by the Tokugawa shogunate in 1602. Kusatsu-juku developed at the junction of these two highways as a post town from around this time.
The town of Kusatsu was established within Kurita District, Shiga with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. On October 15, 1954, Kusatsu merged with the neighboring villages of Shizu, Oikami, Yamada, Kasanei and Tokiwa to form the city of Kusatsu.
From the History section of Kusatsu, Shiga on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay8
Churches and places of worship44
Shopping35
Gas and EV charging9
Schools, colleges and libraries17
Healthcare30
Map of Kusatsu
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Osaka Itami Airport (ITM) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 55 km away.
- Ōtsu 9 km west, about 9 min by car
- Kyoto 19 km west, about 19 min by car
- Takatsuki 37 km southwest, about 37 min by car
- Ibaraki 43 km southwest, about 43 min by car
- Ikoma 44 km southwest, about 44 min by car
- Kadoma 47 km southwest, about 47 min by car
- Moriguchi 48 km southwest, about 48 min by car
- Nagahama 49 km northeast, about 49 min by car
- Minoh 50 km southwest, about 50 min by car
- Osaka 56 km southwest, about 56 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- JR Kusatsu Station East Gate View 200711, HA200711, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 滋賀県立琵琶湖博物館外観, Kekero, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shiga University of Medical Science, The original uploader was Wiki班 at Japanese Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ise Site (Moriyama), gaikan, Saigen Jiro, CC0
- Biwako-Bunkakan DSCN2823, Brakeet, CC0
- 近江国庁跡 石碑, Saigen Jiro, Public domain
- Yasu City History and Folklore Museum ac (1), Asturio Cantabrio, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Otsu nagisa park, Rock.jazz.cafe, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 小槻神社 境内, Saigen Jiro, Public domain
- Oshioi-shrine, イココ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shiga Prefectural Konan Agricultural High School, Haruno Akiha, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Shiga Prefectural Kusatsu Higashi High School, Haruno Akiha, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Shiga Prefectural Kusatsu High School, Blue sapphire, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ayaha High School 01, Abasaa, Public domain
- Shibukawa-ES, イココ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- KUSATSU ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, イココ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kusatsu-JHS, イココ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Takaho-JHS, イココ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- KUSATSUDAINI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, イココ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- AL.PLAZA kusatsu, イココ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- RITTO-NISHI JHS, イココ, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 立木神社本殿, 中西雅幸, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kusatsu-juku Honjin 201905-1, Suikotei, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Moriyama Isasa jinja01, Higa4, CC0
- Kaidoukoryukan-museum, としみん, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kusatsu-juku honjin, Douggers, CC BY 3.0
- Kusatsu junior high school 2024-3, 運動会プロテインパワー, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kusatsu city Kusatsu elementary school main gate, 運動会プロテインパワー, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ritto city Ritto Nishi Junior High School 20260328, Suikotei, CC BY 4.0
- 立木神社, 中西雅幸, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built November 4, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.