Lake Biwa, Hikone & Omihachiman

On the shores of Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, with National Treasure Hikone Castle, the canal town of Omihachiman, the lake torii of Shirahige Shrine and the Biwako Terrace—a lakeside base east of Kyoto.

Lake Biwa, Hikone & Omihachiman lie in Shiga Prefecture east of Kyoto, centered on Lake Biwa, Japan's largest freshwater lake. This destination covers Hikone, Omihachiman and Nagahama (Kohoku) on the eastern and northern shores, Takashima and northern Otsu on the western shore, and Shigaraki in the hills to the south. It's ideal for a road trip around the lake or for exploring from a base in Hikone or Omihachiman. Key areas: on the eastern shore, Hikone is a castle town home to National Treasure Hikone Castle and Genkyu-en Garden, while Omihachiman has the Hachiman-bori canal, old Omi merchant streets, the Hachimanyama Ropeway and the popular confectionery complex La Collina. In the north, Nagahama has the Kurokabe glass district, with boats to the sacred islet of Chikubu Island. On the western shore are the lake torii of Shirahige Shrine, the Biwako Terrace reached by ropeway, the Makino Metasequoia Avenue and the cherry blossoms of Kaizu Osaki. Otsu has Ishiyama-dera, Mii-dera and Hiyoshi Taisha. In the hills of Shigaraki to the south are the I. M. Pei–designed Miho Museum and streets lined with tanuki pottery. The Koto Sanzan temples and Eigen-ji are famous for autumn colors. Climate and seasons: cherry blossoms at Hikone Castle, Nagahama and Kaizu Osaki in early April; in summer, lake views and seas of clouds from the Biwako Terrace and alpine flower fields on Mt. Ibuki; autumn colors at the Koto Sanzan temples and Hiyoshi Taisha peak in mid-to-late November; in winter the northern and western shores get more snow, and the Biwako Terrace becomes a ski resort. Getting there: Special Rapid trains on the JR Biwako Line (Tokaido Main Line) take about 35 minutes from Kyoto to Omihachiman, about 50 minutes to Hikone and about 65 minutes to Nagahama; the Kosei Line reaches Shiga and Omi-Takashima from Kyoto in about 30–45 minutes; Maibara Station is served by the Shinkansen. Public transport is sparse on the western shore and around the Koto Sanzan temples, Mt. Ibuki and Shigaraki, so a car is recommended. Suggested stay: 2–3 days—one day for Hikone and Omihachiman, one day on the western shore, and one day for Nagahama and Chikubu Island or Otsu. Note: traffic on the highway in front of Shirahige Shrine is fast, and crossing it to reach the lakeshore is prohibited; the Miho Museum closes in winter, and boats to Chikubu Island are weather-dependent, so check timetables before you go.

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