Five days in Shiga: stay at the same accommodation?
For four attractions on separate days without changing accommodation, stay four nights in Kusatsu. To visit Hikone Castle and Hachiman-bori first, then Lake Biwa Museum and Ishiyamadera, stay two nights in Hikone followed by two in Kusatsu. If you reach Kusatsu too late for the museum on the moving day, swap it with the next day's temple visit.
Choose an itinerary for 5 days / 4 nights
Four attractions from one Kusatsu base
Stay four nights in Kusatsu and give Ishiyamadera, Lake Biwa Museum, Hachiman-bori and Hikone Castle a day each. Return to the same accommodation every evening. Temple, canal and castle days use JR; train fares are separate from the listed admission and bus costs.
Four attractions from one Kusatsu base →5 days / 4 nights BTwo nights in Hikone, then move to Kusatsu
Stay two nights in Hikone for the castle and Hachiman-bori, then two nights in Kusatsu for Lake Biwa Museum and Ishiyamadera. Visit the museum after moving to Kusatsu on day three. If travel runs late or the museum is closed, swap it with the next day's temple visit or omit one attraction.
Two nights in Hikone, then move to Kusatsu →Four attractions from one Kusatsu base
Stay four nights in Kusatsu and give Ishiyamadera, Lake Biwa Museum, Hachiman-bori and Hikone Castle a day each. Return to the same accommodation every evening. Temple, canal and castle days use JR; train fares are separate from the listed admission and bus costs.
Day 1: Ishiyamadera Temple
Start the first day at Kusatsu Station.
- JR Kusatsu Station → JR Ishiyama Station
Take a Kyoto-bound JR Biwako Line train stopping at Ishiyama. Kusatsu–Ishiyama uses the same line, but check the actual train, fare and platform for your date in JR journey search and station information. JR is excluded from this itinerary's JPY 4,420 subtotal.
JR West Sagano/Biwako Line station map (revised 16 March 2024)JR journey search
- JR Ishiyama Station stand 1 → Ishiyamadera Sanmon-mae bus stop
Take a route 1, 4, 14, 52, 54 or 55 bus stopping at Sanmon-mae, for a ride of about 10 minutes. Check the timetable for your date and allow extra time to walk from JR to the bus stand.
- Ishiyamadera Sanmon-mae bus stop → Ishiyamadera Temple grounds
Get off, enter through the gate and visit with JPY 600 general grounds admission. Hours are 8 am–4:30 pm, with last entry at 4 pm. The inner hall, Hozoden and meals nearby are excluded from the subtotal. Move the temple to another day or omit it if there is insufficient time before last entry.
- Ishiyamadera Temple grounds → JR Ishiyama Station
After your temple visit and meal, take an Ishiyama Station-bound bus from Sanmon-mae stop 2. This is different from route 14 to Otsu Station. Check the timetable for your date and allow time to change to JR on reaching Ishiyama Station.
- JR Ishiyama Station → JR Kusatsu Station
Return on a JR Biwako Line train towards Maibara or Yasu that stops at Kusatsu. Use JR journey search and station information to choose a train allowing time from the actual bus arrival to the platform. Check the return train, fare and bus connection for your date.
JR West Sagano/Biwako Line station map (revised 16 March 2024)JR journey search
Return on an Ishiyama Station-bound bus from Sanmon-mae stop 2, then take a JR train stopping at Kusatsu. Go back to the same accommodation on arrival. Allow separate time to change from bus to JR.
Day 2: Lake Biwa Museum
- Kusatsu Station west-exit stand 2 → Lake Biwa Museum bus stop
Take an Ohmi bus to Lake Biwa Museum from Kusatsu Station's west-exit stand 2. Get off at the museum stop after about 25 minutes. Check both directions in the official timetable for your date and allow extra waiting time.
- Lake Biwa Museum bus stop → Lake Biwa Museum permanent exhibitions
Walk to the museum for the permanent exhibitions, a meal and a break. General permanent-exhibition admission is JPY 840; special exhibitions cost extra. The museum opens from 9:30 am to 5 pm, with last entry at 4 pm. Check the calendar for Monday closures, public-holiday openings and temporary closures.
Museum accessLake Biwa Museum feesLake Biwa Museum opening calendar
- Lake Biwa Museum permanent exhibitions → Kusatsu Station and the same accommodation
After the exhibitions and a meal, take a bus from the museum stop to Kusatsu Station's west exit. Finish sightseeing in time for your bus, then return to the same Kusatsu accommodation from the station.
Check the museum's opening calendar and return bus to Kusatsu for your date. Leave time to walk from the exhibition rooms to the bus stop.
Day 3: Omihachiman's canal
- Kusatsu Station → Omihachiman Station
Take a JR Biwako Line train towards Maibara that stops at Omihachiman. Leave through the north exit and walk to the bus stand. JR fares and bus waiting time are separate.
JR West Sagano/Biwako Line station map (revised 16 March 2024)JR journey search
- Omihachiman Station north exit → Hachiman-bori bus stop
Use the correct stand, 6 or 7, at Omihachiman Station's north exit for a bus stopping at Hachiman-bori (Osugicho) Hachimanyama Ropeway-guchi. Check both the outward bus and return to the station in the official timetable for your date.
- Hachiman-bori bus stop → Canal and old streets
Walk from the stop to the canal, explore the old streets and have a meal nearby. The canal is a short walk from the stop. This itinerary covers a walk; boat rides and paid attractions are optional extras. For a boat ride, check the boarding point, operating dates and fare, then shorten your other sightseeing to fit the return bus.
- Canal and old streets → Omihachiman Station
Return to the Hachiman-bori stop and take an Omihachiman Station-bound bus. Adult station–canal fares are JPY 260 one way or JPY 520 return. Check the return boarding point and departure time separately in the official timetable for your date.
- Omihachiman Station → Kusatsu Station and the same accommodation
Return to the same accommodation on a Kyoto-bound JR Biwako Line train stopping at Kusatsu. Allow time after the bus to reach the JR platform and wait for the train. Check return JR fares and bus connections for your date separately.
JR West Sagano/Biwako Line station map (revised 16 March 2024)JR journey search
Return from Omihachiman to your Kusatsu accommodation today. Check the canal-to-station bus together with a Kyoto-bound JR train stopping at Kusatsu. If taking a boat ride, shorten your walking time to fit the return bus.
Day 4: Hikone Castle
- Kusatsu Station → Hikone Station
Take a JR Biwako Line train towards Maibara that stops at Hikone. Look up the outward train and fare together with your Kyoto-bound return stopping at Kusatsu.
JR West Sagano/Biwako Line station map (revised 16 March 2024)JR journey search
- Hikone Station west exit → Hikone Castle ticket office
Official guidance gives a walk of about 15 minutes from Hikone Station to the castle. Leave through the west exit, walk towards the castle and use the on-site map to find your entrance and ticket office. Allow extra time for ticket queues and the climb to the keep.
- Hikone Castle ticket office → Castle and Genkyuen Garden
Visit the keep and garden with the JPY 1,000 castle and Genkyuen ticket. Hikone Castle opens from 8:30 am to 5 pm, with last entry at 4:30 pm. There are slopes and stone steps up to the keep; choose a route that suits your walking ability. To add the museum on the same day, check its hours, closures and availability of the JPY 1,500 combined ticket.
- Castle and Genkyuen Garden → Hikone Station
After a meal near the castle, return to Hikone Station. Allow for the walk back, access to the platform and train waiting time. Shorten any extra sightseeing rather than miss your return train.
- Hikone Station → Kusatsu Station and the same accommodation
Return to the same Kusatsu accommodation on a Kyoto-bound JR Biwako Line train stopping at Kusatsu. JR return fares and times, plus the walk to your accommodation, are separate from the admission and bus subtotal and must be checked for your date.
JR West Sagano/Biwako Line station map (revised 16 March 2024)JR journey search
Allow visiting time before the 4:30 pm last entry. To include the museum, check its hours, closures and combined-ticket availability. Look up the return train and the route from the station to your accommodation separately.
Day 5: a park near the station
- Accommodation near Kusatsu Station → Walking paths
Take a short walk in the Deai Hiroba (de愛ひろば) area, about six minutes from Kusatsu Station. This access time does not cover walking around the whole park; avoid extending the route into distant sections.
- Walking paths → Station for your booked departure
After your walk and meal, return to Kusatsu Station for your booked departure. Allow time to walk back and reach your platform. Omit the final-day walk if your train leaves early.
Only add a final-day visit or walk if there is time before your train. Allow separately for the return to the station and the walk to your platform.
Included: Hikone Castle and Genkyuen Garden JPY 1,000 + Ishiyamadera grounds JPY 600 + Lake Biwa Museum permanent exhibitions JPY 840 + Hachiman-bori return bus JPY 520 + temple return bus JPY 500 + museum return bus JPY 960
Additional costs: Intercity JR, transport to accommodation, luggage storage, accommodation, meals, boat rides, paid activities, extra visits and final departure transport cost extra.
JPY 4,420 excludes intercity JR and transport to accommodation. Replacing the JPY 1,000 castle and Genkyuen ticket with a JPY 1,500 same-day museum combined ticket adds JPY 500, for JPY 4,920. Check combined-ticket availability during museum closures or exhibition changeovers.
Hikone Castle visitor guidanceCurrent fees and exceptionsLake Biwa Museum feesHachiman-bori bus fares and return timetablesKojak bus fare table revised 1 March 2026Official Ohmi bus guidance
Two nights in Hikone, then move to Kusatsu
Stay two nights in Hikone for the castle and Hachiman-bori, then two nights in Kusatsu for Lake Biwa Museum and Ishiyamadera. Visit the museum after moving to Kusatsu on day three. If travel runs late or the museum is closed, swap it with the next day's temple visit or omit one attraction.
Day 1: Hikone Castle
Start the first day at Hikone Station.
- Hikone Station → Hikone Castle ticket office
Official guidance gives a walk of about 15 minutes from Hikone Station to the castle. Leave through the west exit, walk towards the castle and use the on-site map to find your entrance and ticket office. Allow extra time for ticket queues and the climb to the keep.
- Hikone Castle ticket office → Castle and Genkyuen Garden
Visit the keep and garden with the JPY 1,000 castle and Genkyuen ticket. Hikone Castle opens from 8:30 am to 5 pm, with last entry at 4:30 pm. There are slopes and stone steps up to the keep; choose a route that suits your walking ability. To add the museum on the same day, check its hours, closures and availability of the JPY 1,500 combined ticket.
Official Hikone Castle guidanceHikone Castle visitor guidanceOfficial museum guidance
- Castle and Genkyuen Garden → Your starting station and the same accommodation
After a meal near the castle, return to the same Hikone accommodation. A same-day museum visit can use the JPY 1,500 combined ticket, but check visiting time and exhibition availability separately.
Allow visiting time before the 4:30 pm last entry. To include the museum, check its hours, closures and combined-ticket availability. Look up the return train and the route from the station to your accommodation separately.
Day 2: Hachiman-bori return trip
- Hikone Station → Omihachiman Station
Take a Kyoto-bound JR Biwako Line train stopping at Omihachiman. Leave through the north exit and walk to the bus stand. JR fares and bus waiting time are separate.
JR West Sagano/Biwako Line station map (revised 16 March 2024)JR journey search
- Omihachiman Station north exit → Hachiman-bori bus stop
Use the correct stand, 6 or 7, at Omihachiman Station's north exit for a bus stopping at Hachiman-bori (Osugicho) Hachimanyama Ropeway-guchi. Check both the outward bus and return to the station in the official timetable for your date.
- Hachiman-bori bus stop → Canal and old streets
Walk from the stop to the canal, explore the old streets and have a meal nearby. The canal is a short walk from the stop. This itinerary covers a walk; boat rides and paid attractions are optional extras. For a boat ride, check the boarding point, operating dates and fare, then shorten your other sightseeing to fit the return bus.
- Canal and old streets → Omihachiman Station
Return to the Hachiman-bori stop and take an Omihachiman Station-bound bus. Adult station–canal fares are JPY 260 one way or JPY 520 return. Check the return boarding point and departure time separately in the official timetable for your date.
- Omihachiman Station → Hikone Station and the same accommodation
Take a JR Biwako Line train towards Maibara or Nagahama that stops at Hikone and return to the same accommodation. Allow time after the bus for the walk to the platform and the train wait. Check your date's return JR fares and bus connections separately.
JR West Sagano/Biwako Line station map (revised 16 March 2024)JR journey search
The JPY 520 Hachiman-bori return bus excludes JR from Hikone. Check both JR and bus directions for your date. For a separate-day castle museum visit instead of the canal, choose the JPY 700 individual ticket and check museum closures. This alternative does not put both visits on the same day.
Day 3: change accommodation, then visit the museum
- Accommodation near Hikone Station → JR Kusatsu Station
Check out, take your bags to Hikone Station and board a Kyoto-bound JR Biwako Line train stopping at Kusatsu. Look up your date's train and fare, and allow time after arrival to reach the museum bus.
JR journey searchJR West Sagano/Biwako Line station map (revised 16 March 2024)
- JR Kusatsu Station → Lake Biwa Museum bus stop
If your new accommodation accepts bags before check-in, leave them there first, then take the museum bus from Kusatsu Station's west-exit stand 2. Move the museum to another day or omit it if running late. Check the correct direction in the official timetable for your date.
- Lake Biwa Museum bus stop → Permanent exhibitions
Walk from the stop to the museum for the permanent exhibitions and a meal. General admission is JPY 840; special exhibitions cost extra. The museum opens from 9:30 am to 5 pm, with last entry at 4 pm. Check the calendar for temporary closures and arrangements for Mondays and public holidays. If travel and luggage storage run late, swap the museum with day four's temple or omit one attraction.
- Lake Biwa Museum → Kusatsu Station and check-in at your new accommodation
After the visit, take a bus from the museum stop to Kusatsu Station's west exit and return to your new accommodation. Allow for the bus ride and travel from the station to your hotel before its check-in deadline. Check the correct direction in the official timetable for your date.
This is your accommodation-change day. If the museum is closed or travel runs late, swap it with day four's temple or omit one attraction. Allow time from Kusatsu Station to your new accommodation before the check-in deadline.
Day 4: temple return trip
- Kusatsu Station → JR Ishiyama Station
At Kusatsu Station, take a Kyoto-bound JR train stopping at Ishiyama.
JR West Sagano/Biwako Line station map (revised 16 March 2024)JR journey search
- JR Ishiyama Station → Sanmon-mae bus stop and temple gate
At Ishiyama Station stand 1, take a route 1, 4, 14, 52, 54 or 55 bus stopping at Ishiyamadera Sanmon-mae. After the roughly 10-minute ride, get off and enter through the gate. Waiting and the walk from JR to the bus stand are extra. Check the correct direction in the official timetable for your date.
- Sanmon-mae bus stop and temple gate → Temple grounds
Visit with JPY 600 general grounds admission, then have a meal nearby. Hours are 8 am–4:30 pm, with last entry at 4 pm. The inner hall and Hozoden are separate visits.
- Temple grounds → JR Ishiyama Station
Return on an Ishiyama Station-bound bus from Sanmon-mae stop 2. Check that it is not bound for Otsu, and leave time after alighting to reach the JR platform.
- JR Ishiyama Station → Kusatsu Station and the same accommodation
Return to the same accommodation on a JR Biwako Line train towards Maibara or Yasu that stops at Kusatsu. Check train times and fares for your date; the bus departure time alone does not guarantee a JR connection.
JR West Sagano/Biwako Line station map (revised 16 March 2024)JR journey search
The return bus leaves from Sanmon-mae stop 2 for Ishiyama Station. Check that it is not bound for Otsu, and allow time after alighting to reach the JR platform. Look up both directions for your date.
Day 5: depart from Kusatsu
- Accommodation near Kusatsu Station → Walking paths
Take a short walk in the Deai Hiroba (de愛ひろば) area, about six minutes from Kusatsu Station. This is the one-way station-to-park walk; time for strolling and walking back is extra.
- Walking paths → Station for your booked departure
After your walk and meal, return to Kusatsu Station for your booked departure. Allow time to walk back and reach your platform. Omit the final-day walk if your train leaves early.
Only add a final-day visit or walk if there is time before your train. Allow separately for the return to the station and the walk to your platform.
Included: Hikone Castle and Genkyuen Garden JPY 1,000 + Ishiyamadera grounds JPY 600 + Lake Biwa Museum permanent exhibitions JPY 840 + Hachiman-bori return bus JPY 520 + temple return bus JPY 500 + museum return bus JPY 960
Additional costs: Intercity JR, transport to accommodation, luggage storage, accommodation, meals, boat rides, paid activities, extra visits and final departure transport cost extra.
JPY 4,420 excludes intercity JR and transport when changing accommodation. Choosing the JPY 1,500 same-day castle museum combined ticket instead of the JPY 1,000 castle and Genkyuen ticket adds JPY 500, for JPY 4,920. Replacing day two's Hachiman-bori visit with a separate-day castle museum visit removes JPY 520 bus fares and adds JPY 700 admission, for JPY 4,600. On day three, move from Hikone to Kusatsu before visiting Lake Biwa Museum. Allow time to change accommodation, store bags and catch the museum bus. If running late, move the museum to the next day or leave it out.
Hikone Castle visitor guidanceCurrent fees and exceptionsLake Biwa Museum feesHachiman-bori bus fares and return timetablesKojak bus fare table revised 1 March 2026Official Ohmi bus guidance
Frequently asked questions
Does the listed cost include JR when moving from Hikone to Kusatsu?
No. JPY 4,420 is the adult subtotal for Hikone Castle and Genkyuen, Ishiyamadera grounds, Lake Biwa Museum permanent exhibitions and return buses to the canal, temple and museum. Intercity JR, accommodation-change transport, accommodation, meals, luggage storage, boats, extra visits and final departure transport are extra.
Hikone Castle visitor guidanceCurrent fees and exceptionsLake Biwa Museum feesHachiman-bori bus fares and return timetablesKojak bus fare table revised 1 March 2026Official Ohmi bus guidance
Can I visit the museum on the day I move from Hikone to Kusatsu?
Itinerary B takes a Kyoto-bound JR train stopping at Kusatsu from Hikone, then visits Lake Biwa Museum. After changing accommodation, allow enough time to catch the museum bus, arrive before last entry and explore. If running late or the museum is closed, swap with the next day's temple or omit one attraction. Departure on the last day is also from Kusatsu.
JR West Sagano/Biwako Line station map (revised 16 March 2024)JR journey searchMuseum accessOutward servicesLake Biwa Museum feesLake Biwa Museum opening calendar
Can one WEST QR Kansai Area Pass cover all five days?
The WEST QR Kansai Area Pass lasts one to four consecutive days. A five-day, four-night trip does not make one pass valid for all five days. Choose the first and last day of use and compare ordinary tickets for remaining JR travel. Check official coverage, eligibility and smartphone conditions. Accommodation, local buses and admission are separate from JR costs.
Official WEST QR Kansai Area Pass conditionsHachiman-bori bus fares and return timetablesOfficial Ohmi bus guidanceKojak bus fare table revised 1 March 2026
Official sources and check dates
- Museum access ·
- Hachiman-bori access ·
- Hikone Castle access ·
- Kojak bus fare table revised 1 March 2026 ·
- Ishiyama Station-bound timetable from Sanmon-mae stop 2 ·
- Hachiman-bori bus fares and return timetables ·
- Hikone Castle visitor guidance ·
- Bus departure timetable ·
- JR journey search ·
- Official museum guidance ·
- Current fees and exceptions ·
- Official bus guidance ·
- Official Ohmi bus guidance ·
- Lake Biwa Museum fees ·
- Lake Biwa Museum opening calendar ·
- Outward services ·
- Return services ·
- Kusatsu City access and facility guidance ·
- Official Hikone Castle guidance ·
- Official Hachiman-bori guidance ·
- JR West Sagano/Biwako Line station map (revised 16 March 2024) ·
- Official WEST QR Kansai Area Pass conditions ·