Lake Biwa, Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Photo: Kyle_TK via FIND/47 · CC BY 4.0
滋賀KANSAI
KANSAI · 滋賀県 · Japan

Shiga

Wrapped around Japan's largest lake, with a stunning castle.

Shiga wraps around Lake Biwa, Japan's largest freshwater lake and one of the oldest in the world, ringed by a roughly 200 km cycling route. The prefecture pairs the lake's island shrines and boat cruises with Edo-era castle towns and merchant canals just a short train ride from Kyoto.

Shiga (滋賀) surrounds Lake Biwa (琵琶湖), a strategic heart of old Japan. Hikone Castle (彦根城), completed in 1622, is one of only twelve original keeps still standing.

Otsu 大津Hikone 彦根Chikubushima 竹生島
Where it isShiga, KANSAI
Hikone Castle, Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Hikone Castle
Hieizan Enryakuji, Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Hieizan Enryakuji
Hachiman-bori Canal boat cruise, Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Hachiman-bori Canal boat cruise
Koka Ninja Village, Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Koka Ninja Village

Photos: Hikone Castle — tanaka via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Hieizan Enryakuji — Tamago Moffle via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Hachiman-bori Canal boat cruise — Hawk via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Koka Ninja Village — go.biwako via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0

01

Getting there

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Ōtsu/Hikone are ~10–50 min from Kyoto by train.

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02

What to see

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Hikone Castle, Shiga Prefecture, JapanTop pick

Hikone Castle

A National Treasure completed in 1622 overlooking Lake Biwa, one of only a handful of original surviving castle keeps; pair with the adjacent Genkyuen…

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Top pick

Hieizan Enryakuji

Head temple of the Tendai Buddhist sect, a forested complex of over 100 buildings atop Mt. Hiei; registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

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Lake Biwa, Shiga Prefecture, JapanTop pick

Lake Biwa (Biwako)

Japan's largest freshwater lake and the heart of Shiga, ringed by shrines, castles and scenic viewpoints; the famous Biwaichi cycling loop circles its shores.

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03

What to eat

Food tours & cooking classes PR
Funazushi, Shiga Prefecture, JapanMust-eat

Funazushi (fermented carp sushi)

One of Japan's oldest forms of sushi, originating in Shiga from Nigorobuna crucian carp caught in Lake Biwa, salted and fermented with rice; pungent,…

Must-eat

Omi beef (Omi-gyu)

One of Japan's oldest premium wagyu brands, raised in Shiga for over 400 years; prized for fine marbling and served as steak, sukiyaki, or shabu-shabu.

Must-eat

Omi champon

Hikone's local B-grade comfort noodle dish: a golden Japanese-style broth (chicken bones and dried fish) loaded with cabbage, bean sprouts, mushrooms and…

04

Shiga at a glance

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05

Say it in Shiga

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Ask a local
Kirei desu ne.
It's beautiful, isn't it?
Test yourself
Local word
Biwa-ko
Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake
Test yourself
One more
Kore wa jimoto no aji desu ne.
This is a local flavor, isn't it?
Practise more Japanese →
Hikone Castle, Shiga Prefecture, Japan

Sleep in Shiga

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07

Next door

KyotoTemples, tea, bamboo — the cultural heart.FukuiDinosaurs, dramatic cliffs, and a great Zen temple.Play the 47-prefecture mapUnlock Shiga in the RPG-style explorer.

Links marked PR are affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Photos: Lake Biwa — Kyle_TK via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Hikone Castle — tanaka via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Hieizan Enryakuji — Tamago Moffle via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Hachiman-bori Canal boat cruise — Hawk via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Koka Ninja Village — go.biwako via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Hikone Castle — SHori via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Lake Biwa — Hawk via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Funazushi — Kida Yasuo via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Map: Geolonia (MIT).