Ōtsu Population 2026

Ōtsu has a population of 345,070, making it the #66 biggest city in 🇯🇵 Japan, located in Shiga. Roughly 0.3% of Japan's population lives here. It is about 28× smaller than Tokyo, the country's biggest city.

Location of Ōtsu (capital Tokyo shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.

Population (city proper)

345,070

Rank in Japan

#66

Coordinates

35.00°N, 135.87°E

~131 m elevation · Asia/Tokyo

Distance to capital (Tokyo)

355 km

220 miles, straight line

Other big cities in Shiga

City	Population	Rank in Japan
Kusatsu	143,913	#180
Hikone	113,647	#241
Nagahama	113,636	#242
Youkaichi	112,819	#245
Kōka	89,619	#307
Moriyama	85,485	#322
Ōmihachiman	82,233	#339
Rittō	70,312	#396

Cities near Ōtsu

Kusatsu143,913 people · ~9 km away
Kyoto1,463,723 people · ~11 km away
Kamigyō-ku83,000 people · ~11 km away
Rittō70,312 people · ~12 km away
Moriyama85,485 people · ~13 km away
Uji192,925 people · ~13 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Ōtsu?

Ōtsu has a population of 345,070 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #66 biggest city in Japan.

What region is Ōtsu in?

Ōtsu is located in Shiga, Japan.

Is Ōtsu the capital of Japan?

No, the capital of Japan is Tokyo, about 355 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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