Shiga travel: which side of Lake Biwa should you stay on?
Stay near Ishiyama Station for Ishiyamadera Temple, or near Kusatsu Station for the bus to Lake Biwa Museum. For Hikone Castle's keep and garden, stay near Hikone Station and walk to the castle. Hachiman-bori Canal is reached by bus from Omihachiman Station.
What would you like to explore?
Choose Hikone Castle for its keep and garden, or Ishiyamadera for a walk through temple grounds. At Hachiman-bori, follow the canal through old streets. For indoor exhibitions on a rainy day, take a bus from Kusatsu Station to Lake Biwa Museum.
Itineraries by trip length
Compare a one-night Hikone plan for the keep, garden and castle museum with a one-night Kusatsu plan for Ishiyamadera and Lake Biwa Museum. A two-night Hikone option adds Hachiman-bori's canal and old streets. Check each itinerary's visiting order and route back to your accommodation.
2 days / 1 night
Stay in Hikone for a day at the castle and garden and another at the castle museum, or in Kusatsu for a day each at Ishiyamadera and Lake Biwa Museum. Reduce sightseeing if arrival is late or departure is early.
3 days / 2 nights
Stay in Hikone for the castle and Hachiman-bori, or in Kusatsu for Ishiyamadera and Lake Biwa Museum. On the final day, take a short walk near your accommodation only if there is time before your train.
4 days / 3 nights
From Kusatsu, give Ishiyamadera, Lake Biwa Museum and Hikone Castle a day each. Alternatively, stay in Hikone and visit the castle, castle museum and Hachiman-bori on separate days.
5 days / 4 nights
Visit one attraction per day from the same Kusatsu accommodation, or spend two nights in Hikone followed by two in Kusatsu. On the accommodation-change day, allow time to reach the museum before last entry and explore it.
Where to stay
Ishiyama Station
Otsu · 大津 (Shiga · 滋賀県)
For a visit focused on Ishiyamadera Temple, look for accommodation near Ishiyama Station. Temple buses leave from stand 1. To visit Lake Biwa Museum as well, take JR to Kusatsu Station and change to a museum bus. The two attractions' buses leave from different stations.
Official bus guidanceMuseum accessJR West Sagano/Biwako Line station map (revised 16 March 2024)
Kusatsu Station
Kusatsu · 草津
Choose accommodation near Kusatsu Station if the museum comes first, or if you want separate days for the southern temple and the eastern castle and canal. Museum buses leave from west-exit stand 2. The temple, Hikone Castle and Hachiman-bori require JR travel to other stations. Even with a hotel near the station, check the walk to the bus stand using its actual address.
Museum accessJR West Sagano/Biwako Line station map (revised 16 March 2024)
Omihachiman Station
Omihachiman · 近江八幡
For more time at Hachiman-bori, distinguish accommodation near the station from places near the canal. Canal buses leave from stands 6 and 7 on the station's north side. If you also plan to visit Hikone Castle, check the JR return journey to Hikone and the canal's return buses together.
Hachiman-bori accessHachiman-bori bus fares and return timetablesJR West Sagano/Biwako Line station map (revised 16 March 2024)
Hikone Station
Hikone · 彦根
Look near Hikone Station for time at the castle, Genkyuen Garden and castle museum. Official guidance gives a walk of about 15 minutes from the station to the castle and museum. Allow extra time for ticket queues, slopes and stone steps up to the keep. The castle and museum open at different times; a Hachiman-bori day trip adds return JR and bus journeys.
Hikone Castle accessOfficial museum guidanceHachiman-bori bus fares and return timetables
Before travelling or booking
Temple and museum buses leave from different stations
Ishiyamadera buses leave from Ishiyama Station; Lake Biwa Museum buses leave from Kusatsu Station's west exit. Allow separately for JR travel, waiting and visits as well as the bus ride, and check the actual connections.
Official bus guidanceMuseum accessOutward servicesReturn services
Visit the castle and museum on the same day?
Adult castle and Genkyuen admission is JPY 1,000 and a separate castle museum ticket is JPY 700. For a same-day visit to both, check JPY 1,500 combined-ticket sales and exhibition availability. Separate-day itineraries use JPY 1,000 + JPY 700. Avoid trying to fit the keep, garden and museum before a tight departure.
Hachiman-bori walks and boat rides are separate choices
Take a bus stopping at Hachiman-bori from Omihachiman Station's north-side stand 6 or 7. The adult return fare is JPY 520, and the canal is a short walk from the stop. The basic plan is a walk along the canal and through the old streets; boats are optional. Check the operator's boarding point, times and fare first if choosing a ride.
Hachiman-bori bus fares and return timetablesHachiman-bori access
A day in another city, then back to the same accommodation
For a Hikone Castle day trip from Kusatsu, take JR towards Maibara. For Hachiman-bori from Hikone, take a Kyoto-bound JR train to Omihachiman, then the canal bus. Return trains are Kyoto-bound services stopping at Kusatsu, or services towards Maibara or Nagahama stopping at Hikone, respectively. Ordinary JR tickets are available. Before comparing the WEST QR Kansai Area Pass, check coverage and ordinary fares for the segments on your actual dates. Temple, canal and museum buses and attraction admission are costed separately from JR. Passes last one to four consecutive days; one pass does not cover an entire five-day trip.
JR West Sagano/Biwako Line station map (revised 16 March 2024)JR journey searchHachiman-bori bus fares and return timetablesOfficial WEST QR Kansai Area Pass conditions
Where can you walk after sightseeing?
Choose Hikone's castle-town streets, Omihachiman's old streets or a park near Kusatsu Station. These are in different cities; pair a walk with that day's attraction rather than linking them all in one day.
Yumekyobashi Castle Road below Hikone Castle
Yumekyobashi Castle Road · 夢京橋キャッスルロード is a shopping street near Kyobashi Bridge over the castle moat. Official guidance gives a walk of about 20 minutes from Hikone Station. Its sweet shops and restaurants make it an option for a meal after the castle or a short departure-day walk. Each shop has its own hours and days off.
Hachiman-bori and Shinmachi Street
Shinmachi Street · 新町通り
Old homes and shops of Omi merchants remain along Shinmachi Street. Use the official walking map to choose a route alongside your Hachiman-bori walk. Exploring on foot and taking a boat are separate choices. Adding a boat or a local museum requires separate checks of opening hours and fees.
Omihachiman City Shinmachi Street guidanceOfficial Omihachiman walking mapHachiman-bori access
Deai Hiroba near Kusatsu Station
Deai Hiroba (de愛ひろば) is in section 5 of the park on the former Kusatsu River bed, about six minutes' walk from Kusatsu Station. It is an option for a short walk before your final-day train from a Kusatsu base. Distinguish park access from office hours, and check separate conditions for paid facilities or events.
Which way after getting off JR?
Use JR between cities, then walk or take local buses from stations to attractions. Facility map pins are location references; they do not mark ticket offices or entrances.
From Hikone Station to the castle and museum
Hikone Castle and its museum are about 15 minutes' walk from Hikone Station. Use official access guidance for the route. This excludes ticket queues and stairs inside the keep. Check the castle's and museum's opening times separately.
Different stations for temple and museum buses
For Ishiyamadera, take a bus stopping at Sanmon-mae from JR Ishiyama Station stand 1; the ride is about 10 minutes. Lake Biwa Museum buses leave from Kusatsu Station's west-exit stand 2. Check the station and stand first, then use each attraction's access guidance to look up return services for your date.
From Omihachiman Station to Hachiman-bori
Take a bus stopping at Hachiman-bori from north-exit stand 6 or 7 at Omihachiman Station. Return on a station-bound bus. For a Hikone base, continue on a JR train towards Maibara or Nagahama that stops at Hikone. Allow time to change between bus and train.
Hachiman-bori bus fares and return timetablesJR West Sagano/Biwako Line station map (revised 16 March 2024)
Explore further
Find trains and buses for the southern and eastern shores, and restaurants in the city you are visiting that day.
JR between cities and ordinary tickets
For travel between Ishiyama, Kusatsu, Omihachiman and Hikone, look up trains and ordinary fares using your actual dates and stations. Compare ordinary tickets for the same segments before choosing a pass.
JR WestJR journey searchJR West Sagano/Biwako Line station map (revised 16 March 2024)
Local buses to the museum and canal
Lake Biwa Museum buses leave from Kusatsu; Hachiman-bori buses leave from Omihachiman. Choose your destination in the Ohmi Railway bus guidance to check return services and fares. Check Kojak buses to Ishiyamadera separately in the temple access information above.
Ohmi Railway busesOfficial Ohmi bus guidanceHachiman-bori bus fares and return timetables
Eat in the city you are exploring
On a Hikone Castle day, browse the shops below the castle; for a Hachiman-bori walk, look for restaurants in Omihachiman. Check the city in the Shiga restaurant guide. Using the same restaurant for an Otsu temple day and a Hikone Castle day adds intercity travel.
Shopping-street directoryOmihachiman City Shinmachi Street guidance
What can you eat in Shiga?
Consider Omi beef for a beef meal, or red konjac and funazushi for regional food. Choose the dish and city first, then check each restaurant's menu, prices and hours.
Omi beef
Omi beef · 近江牛 is served in dishes including rice bowls and beef stew. For a meal in Hikone after the castle, compare menus in the Yumekyobashi Castle Road shop directory. Meals are excluded from the itinerary's admission and bus costs.
Red konjac
Red konjac · 赤こんにゃく is a regional food well known in Omihachiman. Its colour comes from iron oxide rather than chilli, and it may be served with vinegar-miso dressing or wasabi soy sauce. Check the preparation on the menu rather than assuming the red colour means it is spicy.
Funazushi
Funazushi · ふなずし is a preserved food made by fermenting Lake Biwa crucian carp with rice. It differs from familiar fish-on-rice sushi. If you want to try fermented food, look for it on the menu and ask about serving sizes and how to eat it. Not every restaurant sells it, so check menus before visiting.
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Shiga traditional food
How much are admission and buses?
These are regular adult admission and bus fares for one person. Compare combined attraction costs in the itineraries. JR fares, pass purchases, accommodation, meals and flights are excluded from these fees and itinerary subtotals.
Hikone Castle and Genkyuen Garden
Adult admission is JPY 1,000. A separate Hikone Castle Museum ticket is JPY 700. To visit the castle, garden and museum on one day, check availability of the JPY 1,500 combined ticket and the exhibitions.
Ishiyamadera grounds admission
Adult admission is JPY 600. The main hall's inner area, Hozoden and other extra visits cost extra.
Lake Biwa Museum permanent exhibitions
Adult admission is JPY 840. Special exhibitions and the bus from the station are extra.
Ishiyama Station–Sanmon-mae bus
The adult fare is JPY 250 one way or JPY 500 return. Temple admission and JR fares are extra.
Kusatsu Station–Lake Biwa Museum bus
The adult fare is JPY 480 one way or JPY 960 return. Museum admission and JR fares are extra.
Omihachiman Station–Hachiman-bori bus
The adult fare is JPY 260 one way or JPY 520 return. Boats, paid attractions and JR fares are extra.
WEST QR: choose travel dates and segments first
The Kansai Area Pass covers unreserved ordinary cars on eligible JR local, rapid and special rapid trains for one to four consecutive days. Shinkansen are excluded. Temple, canal and museum buses and admission cost extra. Eligibility requires a foreign-government-issued passport, Temporary Visitor status and an internet-connected smartphone. One pass does not cover all five days; compare its chosen validity dates with ordinary tickets for the remaining days. Check official conditions for station-to-station coverage and the valid area.
Hikone Castle visitor guidanceOfficial museum guidanceCurrent fees and exceptionsLake Biwa Museum feesKojak bus fare table revised 1 March 2026Official Ohmi bus guidanceHachiman-bori bus fares and return timetables
See Lake Biwa scenery in updated photos
View updated photos from the waterfowl and wetland centre on the northern shore. Ishiyamadera, Lake Biwa Museum, Hikone Castle and Hachiman-bori on the southern and eastern shores do not appear in the image.
Lake Biwa Waterfowl and Wetland Center · 琵琶湖水鳥・湿地センター
The Ministry of the Environment's official page shows photos taken at the centre with their capture times. Waterbirds are not always visible. New photos are not taken on closure days: Tuesdays (the following day if a public holiday) and 29 December–3 January. Do not use these photos to judge weather, crowds or operation at Hikone Castle or Ishiyamadera.
Ministry of the Environment: updated Lake Biwa waterbird photosMinistry of the Environment: waterbird camera location and closure guidance
Frequently asked questions
Do Ishiyamadera and Lake Biwa Museum buses leave from the same station?
Ishiyamadera buses leave from JR Ishiyama Station stand 1; Lake Biwa Museum buses leave from Kusatsu Station's west-exit stand 2. To visit both, travel between Ishiyama and Kusatsu by JR.
Can I visit Hikone Castle and Ishiyamadera on the same day?
The journey from Hikone Castle to Ishiyamadera involves JR followed by a temple bus. Separate days give you more visiting time. With two days and one night, choose separate days for the castle and museum in Hikone or a day each for Ishiyamadera and Lake Biwa Museum. Shorten day-one sightseeing for a late arrival and change the order for museum closures. For both castle and temple on one day, first check return JR and bus journeys and both last-entry times.
JR West Sagano/Biwako Line station map (revised 16 March 2024)JR journey searchOfficial bus guidanceHikone Castle access
Do these itineraries go all the way around Lake Biwa?
All eight itineraries focus on your choice of Ishiyamadera, Lake Biwa Museum, Hikone Castle and Hachiman-bori to the south and east of the lake. They do not circle the northern and western shores. Choose attractions and a base first, then compare trip lengths. The northern waterfowl and wetland centre camera is a separate scenery reference, outside these itineraries.
Official bus guidanceMuseum accessHikone Castle accessHachiman-bori accessMinistry of the Environment: waterbird camera location and closure guidance
Official sources and check dates
- Museum access ·
- Hachiman-bori access ·
- Hikone Castle access ·
- Kojak bus fare table revised 1 March 2026 ·
- Hachiman-bori bus fares and return timetables ·
- Hikone Castle visitor guidance ·
- JR journey search ·
- Official museum guidance ·
- Current fees and exceptions ·
- Official bus guidance ·
- Official Ohmi bus guidance ·
- Lake Biwa Museum fees ·
- Outward services ·
- Return services ·
- Kusatsu City access and facility guidance ·
- Official Shiga access guidance ·
- Shopping-street directory ·
- JR West ·
- Ohmi Railway buses ·
- JR West Sagano/Biwako Line station map (revised 16 March 2024) ·
- Official WEST QR Kansai Area Pass conditions ·
- Omihachiman City Shinmachi Street guidance ·
- Official Omihachiman walking map ·
- Shiga tourism guidance on Omi beef ·
- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: red konjac ·
- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Shiga traditional food ·
- Ministry of the Environment: updated Lake Biwa waterbird photos ·
- Ministry of the Environment: waterbird camera location and closure guidance ·