Hikone City

Shiga
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Located on the east bank of Lake Biwa, Hikone City is a historical city where the atmosphere of a beautiful castle town centered on the National Treasure "Hikone Castle" still remains strongly. Around the castle, areas like "Yume Kyobashi Castle Road," which recreates the streetscapes of the Edo period, and samurai residences are scattered, making it the best environment for enjoying historical strolls. It is also famous as the production area for "Omi Beef," one of Japan's top-class brand wagyu, where you can savor authentic tastes at famous restaurants in the city. Craft cultures such as traditional "Hikone Buddhist Altars" and "Japanese Candles" also live on, making it a city full of charm that satisfies adult intellectual curiosity, where Japan's history, food, and skills are integrated.

Favorite

Hikone Castle Town Adventure | Feel the atmosphere of the castle town.

Visit Omi

Experiences in HIKONE | Feel the atmosphere of the castle town.

Visit Omi

Let's go Bar-Hopping in the old castle town Hikone.

Biwako Visitors Bureau

Let's enjoy a Snack Bar! | Some Japanese nightlife etiquette to enjoy at Snack Bars.

Biwako Visitors Bureau

Take a one day break in Hikone（彦根PR動画）

Biwako Visitors Bureau

Hikone City

Address: Inside Hikone Machinaka Plaza, 1-12-5 Honmachi, Hikone-shi, Shiga
Website: https://www.hikoneshi.com/
Operator: Hikone Tourism Association

Hikone City Spots List

Takeshima Island
Sawayama Castle
Shozakai Park
Sushi Kappo Ginsui
Mikaku-no-Yado Futabasō
Ohmi Railway
Hikone Castle

Shiga

Takeshima Island

"Takeshima," floating offshore in Lake Biwa, is a mystical uninhabited island named for the way the island's shape appears to change depending on the viewing angle. The entire island is considered a sanctuary of the Nichiren sect, where the Daimoku Rock engraved with the giant characters "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo" and the historic Mitosaji Temple quietly stand. Accessible by cruise ship from Hikone Port, walking this small island of about 600 meters in circumference allows you to feel a sacred air and silence as if floating on the lake. It is a hidden power spot where the vastness of Lake...

Shiga
Sightseeing
Nature
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Shiga

Sawayama Castle

"Sawayama Castle" in Hikone City is a historic mountain castle site known as the residence of the famous Sengoku warlord Ishida Mitsunari. Although buildings no longer remain, traces of moats and embankments utilizing the mountain terrain persist, and the summit offers a wonderful panorama overlooking Lake Biwa and the current Hikone Castle. Hiking while imagining the appearance of the famous castle, praised as "Mitsunari has two things beyond him: Shima Sakon and Sawayama Castle," is a special experience for history fans. Contradictory to the glamour of Hikone Castle, it is a place perfect for intellectual adventure where history's weight sleeps...

Shiga
Sightseeing
Spring
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Autumn
Winter

Shiga

Shozakai Park

"Shozakai Park" in Hikone City is a place of relaxation loved by citizens, featuring beautiful rose and herb gardens within its vast grounds. Especially during early summer and autumn, the rose garden boasts about 1,200 vibrant roses in full bloom, allowing for an elegant stroll enveloped in sweet fragrances. There are also large ponds and lawn areas where you can experience the calm daily life of a Japanese regional city, making it popular for families and travelers wanting to walk leisurely. It is a place where you can refresh while being healed by seasonal flowers between Hikone Castle sightseeing, feeling...

Shiga
Sightseeing
Activities
Nature
Spring
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Shiga

Sushi Kappo Ginsui

Standing along the shores of Lake Biwa in Otsu City, "Ginsui" is a renowned establishment where you can savor exquisite Japanese cuisine merging rich local Shiga ingredients with traditional craftsmanship. Especially, you can enjoy "Lake Fish Cuisine" using rare fish unique to Lake Biwa, world-proud Omi Beef from Shiga, and carefully selected fresh seafood, all presented with beautiful plating. The calm Japanese space offers views of the ever-changing Lake Biwa scenery, directing the dining time even more luxuriously. For gourmets wanting to experience Japan's delicate spirit of "Omotenashi" (hospitality) and the depth of food unique to the water capital Shiga,...

Shiga
Food
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Shiga

Mikaku-no-Yado Futabasō

Located on the shores of Lake Biwa in Hikone City, "Futabasō" is an inn boasting pride in its food, where you can fully enjoy homey hospitality and seasonal flavors of Shiga. Traditional kaiseki cuisine incorporating plenty of Lake Biwa's blessings and the signature Omi Beef sukiyaki or steak is highly rated by international travelers as "Japanese home-like warmth and authentic taste." Time spent in a relaxing Japanese-style room while gazing at Lake Biwa outside the window lets you feel the essence of Japanese ryokan culture. With good access to Hikone Castle, it's a hidden gem of a lodging where you...

Shiga
Accommodation
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Shiga

Ohmi Railway

With a history since the Meiji era, "Ohmi Railway" is a local railway that runs slowly through eastern Shiga, full of a retro atmosphere. The yellow trains, affectionately nicknamed "Gachakon," and old wooden station buildings are the very image of good old Japan. You can look out over vast rural areas and the beautiful mountains of the Suzuka range from the window, making it perfect for a trip to experience "the authentic Japan" away from major tourist spots. Connecting historical sites like Hikone and Taga Taisha, it's a popular line for railway fans and slow travelers looking to tour Shiga's...

Shiga
Sightseeing
Spring
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Autumn
Winter

Shiga

Hikone Castle

A National Treasure representing Shiga Prefecture, "Hikone Castle" is a very precious fortification where the Edo-period keep remains as it was. Its white castle walls and graceful curved rooflines are beautiful, and the architecture combining military function and artistic beauty fascinates castle lovers worldwide. Inside, there are complex structures to deceive enemies and the beautiful daimyo garden "Genkyuen," where you can experience the scenery the feudal lords saw. With performances by the popular character "Hikonyan," it's a historical sanctuary you must visit in Shiga, where heavy history and modern friendliness coexist.

Shiga
Sightseeing
Nature
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