How about a Christmas night by the shore of Lake Biwa? Biwako Hotel in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, will serve limited Christmas menus at its restaurants from Friday, December 18 to Friday, December 25, 2026. Events to enjoy alongside a meal, including a soap-bubble performance and a chapel concert, are also planned.
Dinner buffet and teppanyaki built on Shiga ingredients
At the second-floor restaurant Italian Dining Bellago, a Christmas dinner buffet runs from Saturday, December 19 to Wednesday, December 23. Dishes include a caprese of Shiga tomatoes and mozzarella, roast chicken, beef spezzatino, and a modern take on a Shiga traditional food: bagna càuda made with funa-zushi (fermented crucian carp sushi) and rice koji, served with pizza-oven-roasted vegetables. Margherita pizza baked in the in-house oven is on offer too.
On Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25, a special edition lets diners listen to a session by DJ YUMIKO, who is active mainly in Kansai, and a violinist: 中本梨香 on the 24th and 小夜子 on the 25th. Dishes such as porcini ravioli with Omi beef ragù are also served.
At the teppanyaki restaurant Omi, a limited-edition Christmas course called “Seiya” (Holy Night), with eight dishes including Omi beef and lobster, is served from December 18 to 25. You can enjoy it while watching the chef cook right in front of you.
Free bubble show and chapel concert
“Bubble Night × Moët & Chandon” takes place on Saturday, December 19, 19:00–19:30, at the illuminated main entrance on the 2nd floor. The performer is Shabotaawao (Awao Sekkenda), a professional soap-bubble performer born in Kyoto, who uses handmade tools to create everything from tiny bubbles to giant ones, alongside the bubbles of champagne. Viewing is free, and a glass of Moët & Chandon champagne is sold for ¥2,000.
On Sunday, December 20, the “Chapel Concert” is held in the 3rd-floor chapel, with soprano 寺田結美, flutist 土佐友理咲 and electric pianist 荻原里奈. There are two 30-minute sets, at 17:00 and 19:00. Viewing is free here too.
A Christmas cake to take home
The “2026 Christmas Cake” is made with Shiga-grown flour and eggs and butter from Yamada Farm. Reservations run from Sunday, November 1 to Friday, December 18, and pick-up is December 19–25.
Event information
- Dates: Friday, December 18 – Friday, December 25, 2026
- Christmas dinner buffet (Bellago): Saturday, December 19 – Wednesday, December 23, 17:30–19:00 / 19:30–21:00 (last entry 20:00). Adults ¥8,500, children (age 5 to elementary school) ¥4,250, free for ages 4 and under
- DJ × violinist dinner buffet (Bellago): Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25, same hours. Adults ¥9,000, children ¥4,500, free for ages 4 and under
- Teppanyaki course “Seiya” (Omi): December 18–25. Lunch 11:30–15:00 (last entry 14:00); dinner 17:00 or 17:30–19:00 / 19:30–21:00 (last entry 20:00). ¥25,000 (includes a toast champagne). Children of elementary school age and under are not admitted at dinner on December 24 and 25
- Bubble Night: Saturday, December 19, 19:00–19:30, 2nd-floor main entrance, free to watch
- Chapel concert: Sunday, December 20, 17:00–17:30 / 19:00–19:30, 3rd-floor chapel, free to watch
- Christmas cake: ¥5,900 (¥5,600 if reserved in November)
- Restaurant prices include tax and 15% service charge; the cake price includes tax
- Address: 2-40 Hamamachi, Otsu, Shiga
- Access: about a 5-minute walk from Keihan Biwako-Hamaotsu Station; about 5 minutes by shuttle bus from JR Otsu Station
- Website (Japanese): https://www.keihanhotels-resorts.co.jp/biwakohotel/
