Kitakoku Kaido Kinomoto-juku

A drive of 18.8 km runs through the mountains of the Tsuzurao Peninsula, which juts out at the northernmost point of Lake Biwa. You can enjoy beautiful panoramas throughout the seasons, but spring, when about 3,000 cherry blossoms bloom along the roadside, is particularly stunning. Depending on snow conditions, it may be closed from early December to mid-March. Traffic is two-way from Sugaura to the Tsuzurao-zaki Observatory. From the Tsuzurao-zaki Observatory to Iwano, it is one-way traffic.

It is located in an inlet northeast of the Kuzugao Peninsula, which protrudes into Lake Biwa. It is a settlement in an environment reminiscent of an isolated island on land, surrounded on three sides by mountains, and once organized a village community, such as police and military, that kept order on its own. Its history dates back to before the Heian period, and an ancient document called the "Sugaura Document", which describes the state of the village between the Kamakura period and the early Meiji period, remains. There are two gates in the east and west of the settlement, called the quadruped gate, which used to conduct prosecutions for entry and exit. It was recognized as the National Important Cultural Landscape in 2014, and the Japanese Heritage Lake Biwa and its Waterfront Landscape-Water Heritage of Prayer and Living in 2015.

It is a popular observation deck located at the tip of the Kakudao Peninsula, with spectacular views of Lake Oku Biwa and Mount Ibuki. In the spring, about 3200 cherry blossoms along the Okubiwako Parkway are in full bloom, and in the fall, you can see the autumn leaves that dye all sides red. There is a monument of the sacred place of lovers on the site, which is attracting attention as a love power spot.