The words were made by Taro KOGUCHI, a member of Third High School aquatics club (today's boat club of Kyoto University), while he was on the way of the Lake Biwa cruise in 1917.
第三高等学校水上部（現京都大学ボート部）部員の小口太郎が1917年の琵琶湖周航の途上に作詞した。