JR Kusatsu Station & Historic Kusatsu-juku Gateway, Kusatsu, Shiga

Live Stream | JR Kusatsu Station Plaza & Kusatsu-juku Quarter, Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan. Historically celebrating its status as the bustling intersection where the ancient Tokaido and Nakasendo highways converged, JR Kusatsu Station is today a flourishing transit hub connecting Kyoto and central Shiga. Just minutes from the station lies the preserved Kusatsu-juku Honjin, Japan's largest surviving Edo-era feudal post station inn. Around the lively plaza, sample the celebrated 400-year-old Ubagamochi sweet rice cakes filled with smooth bean paste, accompanied by sizzling skewers of charcoal-grilled Omi chicken and craft Biwa beer. ✦ Must-Visit Highlights: ▸ Edo Highway Crossroads: Tour the majestic Kusatsu-juku Honjin where feudal samurai lords and shogun emissaries rested. ▸ Historic Ubagamochi Confectionery: Taste velvety red bean-draped rice cakes enjoyed by travelers along the Tokaido for over 400 years. ▸ Succulent Omi Jidori Chicken: Relish smoky charcoal-grilled skewers of tender local Omi chicken at friendly station izakayas.