Although it’s only the start of March, on a fine sunny day there is nothing better than a walk along the lake. Living in Shiga prefecture is such a joy, thanks in part to Lake Biwa, the biggest lake in Japan. The lakeside mall Pieri recently re-opened with a lot of new shops, including H&M, Zara and Old Navy. Over the weekend we enjoyed shopping and dining in the sparklingly new mall. 
While there, we enjoyed a walk along the beach, which extends north from the mall. Looking across the lake, we had a wonderful panorama of the Hira mountain range, including Biwako Valley which still has snow on it. Blue sky, sunshine, the lake spread before us and the snow capped mountains in the background made for such an glorious walk. I couldn’t stop myself from taking some landscape shots with my camera. Spring is just around the corner but the weather is already marvellous and I can’t wait for the flowers to open and the weather to warm up so that we can enjoy camping, hiking and picnics. There are so many great spots to explore in Shiga that every year is a new adventure.
Edward, Smith’s School of English Otsu
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