My fiancé and I will be staying in Kyoto on an upcoming vacation and I was looking at potentially taking a day trip around Lake Biwa. It looks like we can take the train up the west side of the lake to Omi-Shiotsu Station or all the way up to Tsuruga before transferring to the other line to come back to Kyoto along the east side of the lake. It looks like it could be a nice relaxing day trip through the countryside and some smaller villages
I'm wondering 3 things:
1. Is it worth it to go up to Tsuruga instead of getting off at Omi-Shiotsu?
2. Are there any short (about 1 hour) excursions along the way that are highly recommended? (Very easy trails, scenic spots, architecture/history, or unique activities/crafts)
3. Is there another day train loop from Kyoto that achieves similar things (scenic views, relaxing, things to do along the way) we should consider?
Thank you for any advice you can provide.
by Diligent-Week-4416