Shiga attractions: what would you like to see?
Explore the keep and garden at Hikone Castle, or the grounds at Ishiyamadera. Choose Hachiman-bori for old streets beside a canal, or Lake Biwa Museum for displays on fish and life around the lake. Temple buses leave from Ishiyama Station; museum buses leave from Kusatsu. Check the separate official calendars for Lake Biwa Museum and Hikone Castle Museum before choosing your dates.
Attraction fees, hours and access
Hikone Castle
彦根城
Explore Hikone Castle's keep, then walk through Genkyuen Garden with views of the castle across the pond. The approach and interior have steep stairs. Tickets for the castle and garden differ in price from museum tickets; decide what you want to visit before checking the fees below.
- AdmissionCastle and Genkyuen admission is JPY 1,000 general or JPY 300 for primary and junior secondary students. A same-day museum combined ticket is JPY 1,500 general or JPY 550 for primary and junior secondary students. Visiting the museum on a different day requires its separate JPY 700 general ticket, bringing castle and museum admission to JPY 1,700.
- HoursHikone Castle opens from 8:30 am to 5 pm, with last entry at 4:30 pm. Combined tickets may be unavailable during museum closures or exhibition changeovers.
- Separate museum hoursEffective October 2026, the museum opens from 9 am to 5 pm from March to November (last entry at 4:30 pm), and from 9 am to 4:30 pm from December to February (last entry at 4 pm). The castle's 8:30 am opening does not apply to the museum. Official museum guidance, checked 9 October 2026.
- Getting thereOfficial guidance gives a walk of about 15 minutes from JR Hikone Station to the castle. Leave through the west exit, walk towards the castle and use the on-site map to find the entrance and ticket office. Allow extra time for ticket queues and the climb to the keep, which involves steps and slopes.
- Conditions for extra visitsUse the museum's own opening hours. Closures and exhibition changeovers can affect both visits and combined-ticket sales.
Official museum guidanceHikone Castle visitor guidanceHikone Castle access
Ishiyamadera Temple
石山寺
Explore Ishiyamadera, a temple associated with Murasaki Shikibu and The Tale of Genji. The grounds include the National Treasure main hall and Tahoto pagoda, alongside large rock formations. Access to the main hall's inner area costs extra beyond grounds admission and may be suspended for religious services.
- AdmissionGrounds admission costs JPY 600 at the general rate, JPY 350 for junior and senior secondary students and JPY 250 for primary-school students. At the general rate, the main hall's inner area costs an additional JPY 500 and Hozoden an additional JPY 300. Seasonal combined tickets are also available.
- HoursThe temple grounds open from 8 am to 4:30 pm, with last entry at 4 pm. The inner hall is open 9 am–4 pm, subject to religious-service interruptions and closure dates.
- Getting thereAt JR Ishiyama Station stand 1, take Kojak bus route 1, 4, 14, 52, 54 or 55 to Ishiyamadera Sanmon-mae. The ride takes about 10 minutes; the adult fare is JPY 250 one way. Return on an Ishiyama Station-bound bus from Sanmon-mae stop 2. From Keihan Ishiyamadera Station, the temple is about a 10-minute walk.
- Conditions for extra visitsFor the return, look for an Ishiyama Station-bound bus at Sanmon-mae stop 2; Otsu Station services are different. Check religious-service interruptions before visiting the main hall's inner area.
Current fees and exceptionsOfficial bus guidanceKojak bus fare table revised 1 March 2026Ishiyama Station-bound timetable from Sanmon-mae stop 2Walk from the station
Hachiman-bori Canal
八幡堀
Walk along Hachiman-bori past storehouses, old white-walled houses and stone-paved paths. Explore on foot or see the waterside scenery from a sightseeing boat. For a boat ride, check your operator's boarding point, hours and fare separately.
- AdmissionThe adult return bus fare from the station to Hachiman-bori is JPY 520. Boats and paid attractions are extra; the basic walking itinerary excludes boat tickets. Check each operator's boarding point, fare and times before choosing a ride.
- HoursThe Hachiman-bori walking area has no regular closing day, but shops and boat operators have their own schedules.
- Getting thereTake the appropriate bus from Omihachiman Station's north exit to Hachiman-bori (Osugicho) Hachimanyama Ropeway-guchi. The canal is a short walk from the stop. This guidance takes you to the canal for a walk through the old streets; check your boat operator for its boarding point. The operator's roughly seven-minute station-to-stop journey excludes waiting, strolling and meals.
- Conditions for extra visitsCheck the canal-bound and station-bound bus timetables for your date. For a boat ride, separately check your operator's boarding point, operating dates, fare and reservation conditions.
Hachiman-bori bus fares and return timetablesHachiman-bori access
Lake Biwa Museum
滋賀県立琵琶湖博物館
Visit Lake Biwa Museum to learn about the fish in Lake Biwa (琵琶湖) and the people who live around it. Explore freshwater aquarium displays alongside exhibitions on daily life and history. Permanent and special exhibitions have separate fees. The journey uses a bus from Kusatsu Station, so check return services and museum closures.
- AdmissionPermanent-exhibition admission costs JPY 840 at the general rate and JPY 470 for university students. Senior secondary students and under-18s enter free. Special exhibitions cost an additional JPY 340 at the general rate.
- HoursThe museum opens from 9:30 am to 5 pm, with last entry at 4 pm. The museum closes on Mondays except public holidays. Check the calendar for temporary closures.
- Getting thereTake an Ohmi bus to Lake Biwa Museum from JR Kusatsu Station's west-exit stand 2. Get off at the museum stop after about 25 minutes, then walk to the building. Adult bus fares are JPY 480 one way or JPY 960 return, separate from admission. Check both directions for your date.
- Conditions for extra visitsCheck the calendar for Monday public-holiday openings and temporary closures. Permanent admission, special-exhibition admission and return bus fares are separate costs.
Official Ohmi bus guidanceLake Biwa Museum feesLake Biwa Museum opening calendarMuseum accessOutward servicesReturn services
Frequently asked questions
Which ticket includes Hikone Castle Museum?
For the castle and Genkyuen only, choose the JPY 1,000 general ticket. A JPY 1,500 combined ticket includes the museum on the same day. For separate days, JPY 1,000 castle and garden admission plus a JPY 700 museum ticket totals JPY 1,700. Check visits and combined-ticket sales during museum closures or exhibition changeovers.
Does Lake Biwa Museum open on Mondays?
It usually closes on Mondays but opens if the Monday is a public holiday. Temporary closures also occur; check your date in the official calendar.
Do I need a boat ticket to walk around Hachiman-bori?
No boat ticket is needed for a walk. Only check an operator's boarding point, times, fare and reservation conditions if you want to ride. The JPY 520 Omihachiman–Hachiman-bori return bus fare excludes boats.
Hachiman-bori accessHachiman-bori bus fares and return timetables
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 ·
- Official museum guidance ·
- Current fees and exceptions ·
- Official bus guidance ·
- Walk from the station ·
- Official Ohmi bus guidance ·
- Lake Biwa Museum fees ·
- Lake Biwa Museum opening calendar ·
- Outward services ·
- Return services ·