Hamaotsu

Hamaotsu is quiet at night. The streets in front of the station, where the wind blows in from Lake Biwa, are lined with chain izakayas and family restaurants, and there are few tourists. But step into an alley, and you'll find a corner with a few neon signs flickering. This is Hamaotsu, one of the few adult entertainment districts in Shiga Prefecture.

Geographically, it's a few minutes' walk from Keihan Hamaotsu Station. The shops are concentrated in back alleys off the lakeside road, away from the main street in front of the station. The scale is very small—you can walk from one end to the other in five minutes. The surrounding area is a mix of residential and commercial, and during the day it looks like an ordinary local city.

The adult venues in Hamaotsu are limited to two categories: soapland and delivery health (deliheru). There are about 3–4 soaplands and 5–6 delivery health shops. Prices are slightly cheaper than in Osaka or Kyoto: soaplands around ¥10,000 for 30 minutes, delivery health around ¥15,000 for 60 minutes. The shops are all small-scale, with no flashy touts; regular local customers come and go quietly.

However, almost all shops in this area cater to Japanese customers, and you cannot expect English or Chinese support. Many soaplands refuse foreign customers. Delivery health services are typically dispatched to hotels, but hotels may also refuse foreign guests.

Access: about 10 minutes by Keihan bus from JR Otsu Station, or take the Keihan Railway to Hamaotsu Station. If driving, coin parking is available nearby. Business hours are generally from noon to midnight. Weekends and holidays are busier, but wait times are short.

For foreign tourists, is Hamaotsu worth a visit? Honestly, it's borderline. It might be interesting for hardcore enthusiasts who speak Japanese and want to soak up the local atmosphere, but for beginners, Osaka or Kyoto offer far more options. If you really want to play in Shiga, I strongly recommend calling ahead to check if foreigners are accepted.