Other Sightseeing Spots in Shiga Area

  • Dawn Redwood Avenue
    Travel / Tourism
    Takashima-shi Shiga prefecture Makino Town Hikariguchi - Makino
    An avenue of beautiful trees following Prefectural Route 287 in Hiruguchi Makino-cho, Takashima City. Consisting of some 500 dawn redwoods growing along a 2.4 kilometer stretch of road in front of the Makino Pic-land fruits farm, the Avenue of Dawn Redwoods Festival is held here during the fall foliage season from late November to early December.
  • Lake Biwa Ohashi Toll Road
    Travel / Tourism
    Shiga prefecture Otsu city/Moriyama city
    A toll bridge connecting Imakatata, Otsu City and Imahama-cho, Moriyama City. Opened in 1964, the 1.4-kilometer-long bridge, connecting the east and west shores of Lake Biwa, has come to play a key role in transportation in the prefecture. Lanes for bicycles and walkers were added in 1980.
  • English Garden Rosa & Berry Tawada
    Travel / Tourism
    Shiga Pref. Maibarashi Tawada 605-10
    This botanical garden is situated in Prefectural Route 246 in Tawada, Maibara City. In addition to a garden planted with roses, perennial plants, and cherry trees, facilities include a restaurant, cafe, and barbecue area where you can grill vegetables you harvest yourself. There's also an activity studio, grape house offering grape picking, vegetable patch, field where you can pet sheep, a shop, and more. There's also an area with the world's first life-sized sculpture of British claymation character Shaun the Sheep.
  • Okubiwako Parkway
    Travel / Tourism
    Shiga ken Nagahama shi Nishiiii Town
    An 18.8-kilometer-long scenic driving course extending from Prefectural Route 513 to 512 and from the Tsukidetoge Pass to Oura Nishiazai-cho, Nagahama City. Drivers along the road can enjoy picturesque views of Lake Biwa and Chikubushima Island. The Tsuzura Ozaki Observatory, which also has a restaurant and plaza, is also located on the road. The road is also famous for the thousands of cherry trees which come into bloom here in the spring.
  • Ibukiyama Driveway
    Travel / Tourism
    Gifu Prefecture Fuwa-gun Sekigahara Town Yoritani
    The Ibukiyama Driveway is a toll road with a total length of 17 kilometers that extends from Sekigahara Town, Fuwa County in Gifu Prefecture to Maibara City in Shiga Prefecture. This is the only route that allows access to the summit of Mt. Ibuki—a sacred mountain that is one of the “100 Famous Japanese Mountains”—by car, and its spectacular scenery makes it a very popular drive. The Sky Terrace parking area near the summit of Mt. Ibuki (at an altitude of 1,260 meters) offers marvelous views; visitors can see as far as the Hira mountain range, Lake Biwa, Mt. Hakusan and Mt. Ontake. When conditions are right, this is also a great spot for viewing the “Sea of Clouds” phenomenon.
  • Seta no Karahashi Bridge
    Travel / Tourism
    Shiga Pref. Otsushi Seta - Tangobashi
    A bridge spanning the Seta River along the Kogan Road in Seta, Otsu City. The area is known as one of the Eight Views of Omi, traditional scenic views; this particularly view is known by the title “Dusk Light of Seta.” In ancient times, this bridge was an important transportation point along the road to Kyoto, and it was said “to control the Karahashi is to control the world.” Accordingly, the bridge and nearby area served as the stage for the 672 Jinshin War and numerous other wars.
  • O Shoya Suwa Ya Yashiki
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    Travel / Tourism
    Shiga Moriyama-shi Akanoicho 171-1

    コロナ禍で臨時休館でした。赤野井別院西別院の駐車場から北上、濠のある小径をしばらく行くと屋敷の北端が垣間見えます。

  • Tsuzura Ozaki Observatory
    Travel / Tourism
    Shiga ken Nagahama shi Nishiiii Town
    An observatory situated along the Okubiwako Parkway connecting the Tsukidetoge Pass and Oura along Prefectural Routes 513 to 512 in Nishiazai-cho, Nagahama City. The observatory offers a sweeping view of Lake Biwa and Chikubushima Island and also has such facilities as a restaurant, light meal corner, shop, and plaza with playground.
  • Mackerel Highway
    Travel / Tourism
    Shiga Otsu-shi Takashima-shi
    The popular name for the Wakasa Highway which extends from Obama City in Fukui Prefecture to Kyoto City's Ohara; in Shiga Prefecture, the road straddles Otsu City and Takashima City and passes through what is now the Kutsukiichiba district. The road's nickname is derived from the fact that it was used to transport mackerel caught in the Sea of Japan. It was said in the Edo period that salting mackerel at Wakasa Bay and traveling nonstop day and night to Kyoto would result in a perfectly flavored fish. Many shops and restaurants in the area offer mackerel sushi. A part of the road passes through Kutsuki-Katsuragawa Prefectural Natural Park.
  • Hieizan Driveway Yumemigaoka
    Travel / Tourism
    Shiga Pref. Otsushi Yamagamichou Long Mountain 776-3
    A facility situated along the scenic Hieizan Driveway toll road connecting the Tanoyatoge Pass in Otsu City with the summit of Mt. Hiei. Here visitors will find an observatory with a sweeping view of Lake Biwa, a café terrace with a garden deck, and a barbecue corner. There are also paid attractions such as a concrete slide luge and a pedal-powered monorail as well as free to use playground equipment.
  • Townscape of Gokasho Kondo
    Travel / Tourism
    Shiga Pref. Higashioumishi Gokashoukondouchou
    This town area, located in Gokasho Kondo-cho, Higashiomi City, has been designated a National Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. Known as the birthplace of Omi’s famous merchants, the preserved historic townscape consists of a group of mansions which once belonged to Omi merchants, traditional farmer’s residences, and canals once used to provide people living in the area with water for daily usage.
  • Shinmachi-dori
    Travel / Tourism
    Shiga Pref. Oumihachimanshi Shinmachi
    A scenic street located in Shin-machi, Omihachiman City. The mansions of many Omi merchants built from the Edo through the Meiji periods still stand here today, and the entire area has been designated a National Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. Facilities open to the public include the former police station; the Local History Museum and Historical Folk Museum, which operate out of former mansions; and the former homes of Omi merchants like the Former Nishikawa Residence and the Former Ban-ke Residence.
  • Hokkoku Kaido Road Kinomotojuku
    Travel / Tourism
    Shiga Pref. Nagahamashi Kinomotochoukinomoto
    A town which grew up around the Kinomoto Jizoin Temple located in Kinomoto Kinomoto-cho, Nagahama City. The town once bustled with travelers and temple worshippers and flourished as a post station town on the Hokkoku Highway. Today, many old merchant homes still stand in the area, and visitors can walk around and taste the atmosphere of a bygone age.
  • Shiozu Highway
    Travel / Tourism
    Shiga Pref. Nagahamashi Nishiazaichoushiotsuhama
    A highway stretching from Tsuruga City in Fukui Prefecture to Shiotsuhama Nishiazai-cho, Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture. The road was once used to transport marine products and salt from Tsuruga to the port of Shiotsu and played a significant role amidst the transportation network of the Kinki region. Due to its history, it is also nicknamed the “Salt Road.” Today, many remnants of this prosperous time can still be found along the road, such as stone lanterns which were kept lit throughout the night for travelers.
  • Former Hikone Domain Matsubara Suburban Residence Gardens (Ohama Goten)
    Travel / Tourism
    Shiga Pref. Hikoneshi Matsubarachou 515
    A Japanese strolling garden built around a central pond located in Matsubara-cho, Hikone City. The garden’s moat and pond are connected to Lake Biwa and incorporate a method called “shioiri” which sinks their water levels with that of the lakes; this garden was the first in Japan to employ this method using fresh water. Twice a year, in spring and autumn, the garden is specially opened for a limited time to the public.
  • Shigaraki Pottery Studio Walking Route
    Travel / Tourism
    Shiga Koka-shi Shigarakicho Nagano 1055-1
    This history-leaden and atmospheric hill road leads away from Shigaraki Kohgen Railway Shigaraki Station, and the climbing kilns and artlessly crafted old pottery braziers which it leads to exude an air that is unique to Shigaraki. The walking route is dotted with 22 pottery studios and visitors can follow the directions of ceramic tiles embedded in the road and ceramic guideposts to visit the various studios. There are four recommended courses - the Rokurozaka, Hiirotsubozaka, Kamabazaka, and Soto no Rin - and visitors can choose a course based on their stamina and available time or just walk wherever they feel like. Excluding restricted areas, visitors may also view the insides of the pottery studios.
  • Hokkoku Kaido
    Travel / Tourism
    Shiga Hikone-shi Toriimoto Niigata no Echigo Takada
    This ancient highway extends south from Toriimoto, Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture north to Takada in Echigo Domain in what is now Niigata Prefecture. Long ago, the highway was a key route used by merchants and samurai to travel between the Hokuriku region and Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe. The section of the highway around Nagahama City in particular served as a key point for traffic on Lake Biwa and the area flourished as a post station town. Even today, many traces of this distant past can be seen in the area's townscape, and visitors can enjoy an atmosphere interweaving the modern with Meiji period scenery.
  • Chosenjin Kaido
    Travel / Tourism
    Shiga Higashiomi Omihachiman-shi Hikone-shi
    "An ancient side road located in Shiga Prefecture. The road branches off from the Nakasendo Highway in Yukihata, Yasu City, Shiga Prefecture; goes north of the east bank of Lake Biwa; and rejoins the Nakasendo in Toriimoto-cho, Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture. Literally meaning ""Korean People Road,"" its name is derived from the fact that it was used by envoys dispatched from Korea to deliver congratulatory addresses when new Tokugawa shoguns took office in the Edo period. The road was also used by Tokugawa Ieyasu to travel to Kyoto after he was victorious in the Battle of Sekigahara, and later became the route by which shoguns would journey to the capital. Many Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines are situated along the road, and there are also ancient signposts marking the road's divergence from the Nakasendo Highway which still stand today."
  • Lake Shu Road (Biwako Sazanami Kaido)
    Travel / Tourism
    Shiga Kusatsu-shi Kitayamadacho
  • Yume Kyobashi Castle Road
    Travel / Tourism
    Shiga Hikone-shi Honmachi

Shiga Areas

around-area-map

Visitors to Shiga prefecture are almost always hopping east across the prefectural border from Kyoto, and they are almost certainly Lake Biwa-bound. Covering an area of 670 square kilometers, Lake Biwa makes up the bulk of Shiga prefecture, with beautiful lakeside paths that offer myriad walking and cycling opportunities, connecting a string of museums, shrines, and picturesque views that finally lead you to Hikone Castle on the eastern side of the lake.

Shiga Photo Album

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