This is a private experience — exclusively for your group.
You may have heard of Japan's famous "Keirin racing," now an Olympic sport, which is a bicycle race that is paced in the first laps by a motorized vehicle. The boat races on Lake Biwa are a kind of aquatic version of Keirin racing — but with high-powered, high-tech speedboats instead of bicycles.
Boat racing offers locals — and visitors — an exciting and completely legal way to place wagers. These races originated in Japan and are overseen and operated by the government.
We’ll depart from Kyoto Station and travel to beautiful Lake Biwa in Shiga for the event. The boats are high-powered, state-of-the-art machines, and the races are thrilling to watch — and maybe even a bit more exciting if you place a small bet!
Kenji, who has twenty years of experience with these races, will provide clear, easy-to-follow instructions on how to enjoy the sport and how to place wagers (optional).
Guests aged 20 and up who choose not to bet are still very welcome to come along and enjoy the excitement of the races with us at Lake Biwa.
We'll make a brief stop at a local supermarket where you'll get to choose your favorite bento (Japanese lunchbox), snacks and drinks — including beer, sake, or a Japanese highball — for a delicious picnic at the races.
Duration: About 4 hours
(Departure from Kyoto Station at 12:00pm. Travel time to the venue: 35 minutes. We spend nearly 3 hours at the stadium. Return travel time: 35 minutes.)
Group size: Private – just your group
(2–4 people, minimum booking: 2 people)
Price: ¥20,000 per person
(includes round-trip train fare from Kyoto Station, stadium entry, reserved seat, and a lunch with drinks)
Please note that money or tickets used for betting are not included.
You must be at least 20 years old (the legal gambling age in Japan) to join us on the boat race tour.
The race schedule varies from month to month. We do hope there will be races on when you come to Kyoto! Please note that the times listed on the booking page are in local Kyoto time.
After confirming your reservation, we will email you with more details about the boat races.
Please be aware that the price of the Private Lake Biwa Boat Race Tour does not include insurance of any type.
Refund policy
