English Version
Biwako Ohashi, commonly known in English as the Lake Biwa Bridge, is a toll road bridge in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, crossing Japan’s largest lake.
According to local ghost rumors, anyone who looks down over Lake Biwa from this area may be pulled in by the spirits of the dead. Another story says that a woman’s ghost has been seen in the pedestrian-only tunnel beneath the bridge.
The bridge greatly improved transportation for nearby residents, but over time it also gained a darker reputation. It is said to have become known for people jumping from it, and that tragic association may be one reason the area came to be talked about as a haunted spot.
There is also a belief that the spirits of those who drowned in Lake Biwa tug at people’s legs and drag them underwater. Because of this, some locals are said to warn against playing in the lake, especially during the Obon season, when spirits of the dead are traditionally believed to return.
If you visit, treat the area as an active public roadway and lakeside environment. Stay in permitted pedestrian areas, follow posted signs, do not enter restricted spaces, and use caution around the water.
Japanese Language
ここから琵琶湖を見下ろすと死者の霊に引きずり込まれてしまうと言われているようだ。さらに橋の下にある歩行者専用トンネルでは、女性の霊が目撃されている。琵琶湖大橋は周囲の住民の交通利便性を大いに高めたが、別の使われ方もしたようだ。飛び降り自殺だ。この予期せぬ使われ方が広く有名になり、ついには心霊スポットと呼ばれるようになったという。溺死した者たちの霊が足を引き、湖中に引きずり込むと言われていることから、特にお盆の時期には琵琶湖で水遊びをしてはいけないと言われているとのこと。
滋賀県大津市琵琶湖大橋有料道路
