Ritto Onsen

Ritto Onsen serves the young city of Ritto—incorporated only in 2001, one of Japan's newest cities—in the southern Shiga Prefecture near the Uji River watershed, where the proximity of Kyoto and the ancient highway town of Kusatsu has historically made this area a busy corridor between the imperial capital and the eastern provinces. The siliceous thermal waters provide mineral-enriched bathing for the growing suburban community that has developed along the Biwako Line railway south of Shiga's prefectural capital, offering warm relaxation for commuters and families in a city still defining its cultural identity. The surrounding Shiga lowlands, the ancient Tokaido road heritage, and easy access to both Kyoto's temples and the Lake Biwa waterfront give Ritto Onsen a convenient and quietly appealing gateway character.