Otsu, a wonderful spot of historical, natural and cultural interest, is only a few steps away from Lake Biwa, the nation's largest lake, and a mere nine minutes by train from Kyoto Station. Such a convenient location makes it a great place for a fuss-free stay during peak tourist season – something that surely motivates the folks behind this multi-faceted, stylish complex that sits inside the recently renovated Otsu Station building and includes a capsule hotel, restaurant, café, bookstore, lounge and bar areas, and a barbecue terrace.
The hip capsule hotel offers 60 pods in two shared dormitories divided by gender. Amenities include towels and toiletries, and guests have free access to shower rooms, toilets and a laundromat. The Japanese-style shared lounge in the restaurant area features cushions, low seats and even a ping-pong table. At the restaurant you can dig into meals made with local, seasonal produce at any time of the day – make sure to check out the spacious terrace on sunny days. Also not to be missed are the fun events, put on together with the Otsu Station Tourist Information Center: these include things like guided tours to sake breweries, shogi (Japanese chess) tournaments and cooking classes.