Where will you go on day two of a three-day Shiga trip?
With two nights in Hikone, visit the castle and garden on day one, then walk Hachiman-bori's canal and old streets on day two and return. With two nights in Kusatsu, visit Ishiyamadera and Lake Biwa Museum on separate days. On your last day, walk nearby streets or a park if time allows before your departure train.
Choose a 3 days, 2 nights itinerary
Hikone Castle, Hachiman-bori and departure-day castle-town streets
Stay two nights in Hikone for the keep and garden first, then a return visit to Hachiman-bori's canal and historic streets. Check both directions of JR and local buses for the canal trip. On the final day, walk the castle-town streets only if time remains before your departing train.
Hikone Castle, Hachiman-bori and departure-day castle-town streets →3 days, 2 nights BStay in Kusatsu for Ishiyamadera and Lake Biwa Museum
Stay two nights in Kusatsu for Ishiyamadera and Lake Biwa Museum while avoiding long travel on departure day. Start locally in the morning of day one for the temple, then museum exhibitions on day two.
Stay in Kusatsu for Ishiyamadera and Lake Biwa Museum →Hikone Castle, Hachiman-bori and departure-day castle-town streets
Stay two nights in Hikone for the keep and garden first, then a return visit to Hachiman-bori's canal and historic streets. Check both directions of JR and local buses for the canal trip. On the final day, walk the castle-town streets only if time remains before your departing train.
Day 1 · Castle and garden
Start the first day at Hikone Station.
- Hikone Station → Hikone Castle ticket office
The official walk from Hikone Station to the castle takes about 15 minutes. Leave by the west exit and walk towards the castle, checking your entrance and ticket office on the on-site map. Ticket queues and the ascent to the keep are extra.
- Hikone Castle ticket office → Castle and Genkyuen
Visit the keep and garden with ordinary castle/Genkyuen admission at JPY 1,000. Hours are 08:30–17:00, with last admission at 16:30. Allow for slopes and stone steps to the keep when choosing your walking scope. For the museum on the same day too, check its opening/closures and availability of the JPY 1,500 combined ticket separately.
Official Hikone Castle guideHikone Castle visitor guideOfficial museum guide
- Castle and Genkyuen → Starting station and same hotel
Eat near the castle and return to the same Hikone hotel. There are slopes and stone steps to the keep; admission ends at 16:30, so do not force a keep visit after a late arrival. Today's facility fee is JPY 1,000 per adult.
Return to the same Hikone hotel after castle and garden visits. With a late arrival, check that time remains to visit before last admission.
Day 2 · Omihachiman canal
- Hikone Station → Omihachiman Station
From Hikone Station, take a Kyoto-bound JR Biwako Line train and get off at Omihachiman.
JR West Sagano/Biwako Line stopping station map, revised 2024-03-16
- Omihachiman Station → Hachiman-bori bus stop
From Omihachiman Station's north exit, use bay 6 or 7 as assigned for your service stopping at Hachiman-bori (Osugicho) Hachimanyama Ropeway-guchi. Search canal-bound and station-bound buses together in the official travel-date timetable.
- Hachiman-bori bus stop → Canal and historic streets
Walk from the stop to the canal and historic streets and eat nearby. The canal is directly accessible on foot from the stop. The basic plan is a walk; sightseeing boats and paid facilities are separate options. For a boat ride, check its landing, operating days and fare, reducing sightseeing to fit your return bus.
- Canal and historic streets → Omihachiman Station
After the walk and meal, return on an Omihachiman Station-bound bus from Hachiman-bori. Station–canal bus fares are JPY 260 one way or JPY 520 return per adult, excluding boat rides. Search the relevant travel-date direction in the official timetable.
- Omihachiman Station → Hikone Station and same hotel
Take a JR Biwako Line train towards Maibara or Nagahama that stops at Hikone, then return to the same hotel. Return JR fares, bus-to-platform access and train waiting are separate.
JR West Sagano/Biwako Line stopping station map, revised 2024-03-16JR search
Search Hikone–Omihachiman return trains together with canal-bound and station-bound buses. Boats are separate from the walking plan, with landings, operating days and fares to check separately.
Day 3 · Streets within easy reach of the station
- Hotel near Hikone Station → Streets and open shops
Walk about 20 minutes from Hikone Station to browse Yume Kyobashi Castle Road's shops and streets. Check shop hours and meal costs separately.
- Streets and open shops → Your booked departure station
After walking and eating, return to Hikone Station for your booked departure. Allow time back to the station and platform. Skip the final walk for an early train.
Include final-day sightseeing or walks only if time remains before your departing train. Allow the return to the station and platform access separately from visiting time.
Included: Hikone Castle/Genkyuen JPY 1,000 + Hachiman-bori bus return JPY 520
Extra costs: Hikone–Omihachiman JR, hotel return trips, luggage storage, accommodation, meals, boats, paid activities, extra museum admission and final departure transport
Checked basic facility/bus costs total JPY 1,520 per adult: castle/Genkyuen JPY 1,000 + Hachiman-bori return bus JPY 520. Intercity JR return, optional boat rides, meals, accommodation and departure transport are separate.
Hikone Castle visitor guideHachiman-bori bus fares and return timetable
Stay in Kusatsu for Ishiyamadera and Lake Biwa Museum
Stay two nights in Kusatsu for Ishiyamadera and Lake Biwa Museum while avoiding long travel on departure day. Start locally in the morning of day one for the temple, then museum exhibitions on day two.
Day 1 · Ishiyamadera
Start the first day at Kusatsu Station.
- Kusatsu Station → JR Ishiyama Station
From Kusatsu, take a Kyoto-bound JR Biwako Line train that stops at Ishiyama. Check departure time, fare and platform in a travel-date JR search and station guidance. JR is excluded from this route's JPY 2,900 subtotal.
JR searchJR West Sagano/Biwako Line stopping station map, revised 2024-03-16
- JR Ishiyama Station → Sanmon-mae bus stop
From JR Ishiyama Station bay 1, take a service stopping at Ishiyamadera Sanmon-mae and get off there. The 10-minute ride excludes waiting and walking from JR to the bus bay. Check services applicable to your visit day.
- Sanmon-mae bus stop → Temple worship and lunch
Enter through the gate with ordinary JPY 600 admission, worship and have lunch nearby. Hours are 08:00–16:30, with last entry at 16:00. Inner sanctuary and Hozoden admission are separate.
- Temple worship area → JR Ishiyama Station
After worship and meals, return on an Ishiyama Station-bound bus from Sanmon-mae stop 2, distinguishing it from Otsu Station-bound buses. Leave time to change to JR after reaching Ishiyama Station.
- JR Ishiyama Station → Kusatsu Station and same hotel
Take a JR Biwako Line train towards Maibara or Yasu that stops at Kusatsu and return to the same hotel. Allow bus-to-platform access and search travel-date trains and fares. For a late afternoon arrival, swap the temple with another visit day or skip one facility.
JR West Sagano/Biwako Line stopping station map, revised 2024-03-16JR search
The return is an Ishiyama Station-bound bus from Sanmon-mae stop 2. Distinguish it from Otsu-bound services and allow time from the bus to the JR platform at Ishiyama. Search both directions for your visit date.
Day 2 · Lake Biwa Museum
- Kusatsu Station west exit bay 2 → Lake Biwa Museum bus stop
From Kusatsu Station west exit bay 2, take a museum-bound Ohmi bus and get off at the museum stop after about 25 minutes. Search both directions together for your date in the official timetable, allowing waiting separately.
- Lake Biwa Museum bus stop → Lake Biwa Museum permanent exhibitions
Walk from the stop to the museum and allow time for permanent exhibitions, meals and rests. Ordinary admission is JPY 840; special exhibitions are separate. Hours are 09:30–17:00, with last admission at 16:00. Check Monday closures, public-holiday opening and temporary closures in your visit-date calendar.
Museum accessLake Biwa Museum feesLake Biwa Museum opening calendar
- Lake Biwa Museum permanent exhibitions → Kusatsu Station and same hotel
After exhibitions and a meal, take a Kusatsu Station west exit-bound bus from the museum stop. Finish in time for the return bus, then return to the same Kusatsu hotel after reaching the station.
Check museum closures and Kusatsu-bound buses for your date. Leave time to walk from exhibition rooms to the bus stop.
Day 3 · Park and departure
- Hotel near Kusatsu Station → Walking paths
Walk about six minutes from Kusatsu Station to Deai Hiroba (de愛ひろば) for its paths. Management office hours of 09:00–17:00 are not opening hours for the entire park.
- Walking paths → Your booked departure station
After walking and eating, return to Kusatsu Station for your booked departure. Allow the return to the station and platform access. Skip the final walk for an early train.
Include final-day sightseeing or walks only if time remains before your departing train. Allow the return to the station and platform access separately from visiting time.
Included: Ordinary Ishiyamadera admission JPY 600 + Lake Biwa Museum permanent exhibitions JPY 840 + temple bus return JPY 500 + museum bus return JPY 960
Extra costs: Kusatsu–Ishiyama JR return, extra hotel travel, luggage storage, inner sanctuary, Hozoden, special exhibitions, accommodation, meals, final departure transport and park events
JPY 2,900 is the subtotal of basic temple/museum admission and both return bus trips. Kusatsu–Ishiyama return JR travel is excluded. Search actual-date trains and fares separately, allowing the temple-bus-to-JR transfer and the return from the museum to your Kusatsu hotel.
Current fees and exceptionsLake Biwa Museum feesKojaku Bus revised fares, March 1, 2026Official Ohmi bus guide
Frequently asked questions
How do I reach Hachiman-bori from Hikone?
Take a Kyoto-bound JR Biwako Line train from Hikone to Omihachiman, then use the appropriate north exit bay 6 or 7 for a service stopping at Hachiman-bori (Osugicho) Hachimanyama Ropeway-guchi. Adult station–canal bus fares are JPY 260 one way or JPY 520 return. Check Hikone–Omihachiman JR fares and actual-date train/bus times separately.
JR West Sagano/Biwako Line stopping station map, revised 2024-03-16Hachiman-bori bus fares and return timetable
What are admission and bus costs for the two-night, three-day routes?
Hikone route A adds castle/Genkyuen JPY 1,000 and Hachiman-bori return bus JPY 520 for JPY 1,520. Kusatsu route B adds ordinary temple admission JPY 600, museum permanent exhibitions JPY 840, temple return bus JPY 500 and museum return bus JPY 960 for JPY 2,900. JR, accommodation, meals, luggage storage, departure transport, extra visits and boats are separate. They visit different facilities, and neither amount is the full trip cost.
Hikone Castle visitor guideHachiman-bori bus fares and return timetableCurrent fees and exceptionsLake Biwa Museum feesKojaku Bus revised fares, March 1, 2026Official Ohmi bus guide
Official sources and check dates
- Museum access ·
- Hachiman-bori access ·
- Hikone Castle access ·
- Kojaku Bus revised fares, March 1, 2026 ·
- Ishiyama Station-bound timetable from Sanmon-mae stop 2 ·
- Hachiman-bori bus fares and return timetable ·
- Hikone Castle visitor guide ·
- Bus departures ·
- JR search ·
- Official museum guide ·
- Current fees and exceptions ·
- Official bus guide ·
- Official Ohmi bus guide ·
- Lake Biwa Museum fees ·
- Lake Biwa Museum opening calendar ·
- Outward service ·
- Return service ·
- Kusatsu city access and facilities guide ·
- Official Shiga access guide ·
- Shopping street shop list ·
- Official Hikone Castle guide ·
- JR West Sagano/Biwako Line stopping station map, revised 2024-03-16 ·