Four nights in Shiga: should I keep the same hotel?
Stay four nights in Kusatsu for a day at each attraction without moving hotels. To see Hikone Castle and Hachiman-bori first, followed by Lake Biwa Museum and Ishiyamadera, spend two nights in Hikone and two in Kusatsu. If museum arrival runs late on the moving day, swap it with the next day’s temple visit.
Choose a 5 days / 4 nights itinerary
Four attractions from one Kusatsu hotel
Stay four nights in Kusatsu, giving Ishiyamadera, Lake Biwa Museum, Hachiman-bori and Hikone Castle a day each. Keep the same hotel and return there daily. Temple, canal and castle days use JR, with fares separate from the listed admission and bus costs.
Four attractions from one Kusatsu hotel →5 days / 4 nights BTwo nights in Hikone, then move to Kusatsu
Stay two nights in Hikone for the castle and Hachiman-bori, then move to Kusatsu for two nights for Lake Biwa Museum and Ishiyamadera. Visit the museum after moving on day three. If the move runs late or the museum is closed, swap with the next day’s temple visit or omit one place.
Two nights in Hikone, then move to Kusatsu →Four attractions from one Kusatsu hotel
Stay four nights in Kusatsu, giving Ishiyamadera, Lake Biwa Museum, Hachiman-bori and Hikone Castle a day each. Keep the same hotel and return there daily. Temple, canal and castle days use JR, with fares separate from the listed admission and bus costs.
Day 1: Ishiyamadera
This course starts at Kusatsu Station on day one.
- JR Kusatsu Station → JR Ishiyama Station
Take a Kyoto-bound JR Biwako Line service stopping at Ishiyama. This journey stays on the same line, but check trains, fares and platforms for your date using JR’s search and station information. JR is excluded from the 4,420-yen subtotal.
JR West Sagano and Biwako Line station map (revised 2024-03-16)JR search
- JR Ishiyama Station stand 1 → Ishiyamadera-Sanmon-mae stop
Take a service on route 1, 4, 14, 52, 54 or 55 stopping at Sanmon-mae; the ride takes about ten minutes. Check the timetable for your date. Allow extra time to reach the bus stand after leaving the JR platform.
- Ishiyamadera-Sanmon-mae stop → Ishiyamadera worship area
Alight and enter through the temple gate with the ordinary 600-yen ticket. Hours are 08:00–16:30, with last admission at 16:00. The inner sanctuary and Hozoden charge separately, and nearby meals are excluded from the subtotal. Move the temple to another day or omit it if too little visiting time remains before last admission.
- Ishiyamadera worship area → JR Ishiyama Station
After worship and a meal, take an Ishiyama Station-bound bus from Sanmon-mae stop 2. Distinguish it from Otsu-bound route 14. Check the timetable for your date and allow time to change to JR at Ishiyama.
- JR Ishiyama Station → JR Kusatsu Station
Return on a JR Biwako Line service towards Maibara or Yasu stopping at Kusatsu. Use JR’s search and station information to choose a train you can reach after your actual bus arrival. Check return train times, fares and bus connections for your date.
JR West Sagano and Biwako Line station map (revised 2024-03-16)JR search
Return from Sanmon-mae stop 2 on an Ishiyama Station-bound bus, then take JR to Kusatsu and go back to the same hotel. Allow separate time to change from bus to JR.
Day 2: Lake Biwa Museum
- Kusatsu Station west-exit stand 2 → Lake Biwa Museum stop
From west-exit stand 2 at Kusatsu, take an Ohmi Bus service to Lake Biwa Museum and alight at the museum stop after about 25 minutes. Look up outward and return buses together in the official timetable for your date, allowing extra waiting time.
- Lake Biwa Museum stop → Lake Biwa Museum permanent exhibitions
Walk from the stop to the museum and allow time for permanent exhibitions, meals and a rest. General permanent-exhibition admission costs 840 yen; special exhibitions are extra. Hours are 09:30–17:00, with last admission at 16:00. Check your date’s 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 hotel
After exhibitions and a meal, take a bus from the museum stop to Kusatsu Station west exit. Finish visiting in time for your return bus, then go back to the same Kusatsu hotel after reaching the station.
Check museum closure dates and Kusatsu-bound buses for your date. Allow time to walk from the galleries to the stop.
Day 3: Omihachiman’s canal
- Kusatsu Station → Omihachiman Station
Take a JR Biwako Line service towards Maibara stopping at Omihachiman. Leave by the north exit and reach the bus stand. JR fares and bus waiting time are separate.
JR West Sagano and Biwako Line station map (revised 2024-03-16)JR search
- Omihachiman Station north exit → Hachiman-bori stop
From north-exit stand 6 or 7 at Omihachiman, as required for your bus, take a service stopping at Hachiman-bori (Osugicho) Hachimanyama Ropeway-guchi. Look up outward and station-bound return buses together in the official timetable for your date.
- Hachiman-bori stop → Canal and old streets
Walk from the stop to explore the canal and old streets, and eat nearby. The canal is directly accessible on foot from the stop. The basic itinerary is a walk; cruises and paid facilities are optional extras. For a cruise, check the boarding point, sailing dates and fares, then shorten sightseeing to fit your return bus.
- Canal and old streets → Omihachiman Station
Return to the Hachiman-bori stop for an Omihachiman Station-bound bus. Adult fares are 260 yen each way or 520 yen return. Check the return stand and departure time in the official timetable for your date.
- Omihachiman Station → Kusatsu Station and the same hotel
Take a Kyoto-bound JR Biwako Line service stopping at Kusatsu, then return to the same hotel. Allow time to reach the JR platform after the bus and wait for your train. Check return JR fares and bus connections for your date separately.
JR West Sagano and Biwako Line station map (revised 2024-03-16)JR search
Return from Omihachiman to your Kusatsu hotel. Look up the canal-to-station bus and Kyoto-bound JR service stopping at Kusatsu together. If taking a cruise, shorten your walk to fit the return bus.
Day 4: Hikone Castle
- Kusatsu Station → Hikone Station
Take a JR Biwako Line service towards Maibara stopping at Hikone. Look up your outward train and fare together with a Kyoto-bound return service stopping at Kusatsu for your date.
JR West Sagano and Biwako Line station map (revised 2024-03-16)JR search
- Hikone Station west exit → Hikone Castle ticket office
Official guidance gives about 15 minutes on foot from Hikone Station to the castle. Leave by the west exit and walk towards the castle, then 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 ordinary 1,000-yen castle and Genkyuen ticket. Hours are 08:30–17:00, with last admission at 16:30. There are slopes and stone steps to the keep, so decide how far to explore accordingly. For the museum on the same day, check its hours, closure dates and availability of the 1,500-yen combined ticket separately.
Hikone Castle visitor informationOfficial museum information
- Castle and Genkyuen Garden → Hikone Station
Eat around the castle, then return to Hikone Station. Allow time for the station walk, platform access and train wait. Shorten your visiting scope if adding other facilities would risk missing the return train.
- Hikone Station → Kusatsu Station and the same hotel
Take a Kyoto-bound JR Biwako Line service stopping at Kusatsu, then return to the same hotel. Return JR fares and times and the hotel walk are separate from admission and bus subtotals; check them for your date.
JR West Sagano and Biwako Line station map (revised 2024-03-16)JR search
Allow visiting time before last admission at 16:30. To add the museum, check its hours, closure dates and combined-ticket availability. Look up return trains and the route from station to hotel separately.
Day 5: park near the station
- Hotel near Kusatsu Station → Walking paths
Walk around Deai Hiroba, about six minutes from Kusatsu Station. This access estimate does not cover walking the whole park; keep to this area rather than extending far into other sections.
- Walking paths → Your booked departure station
After your walk and meal, return to Kusatsu Station for your booked departure. Allow time for the station return and platform access. Omit the last-day walk if your train leaves early.
Add last-day sightseeing or walks only if time remains before your departure train. Allow separate time to return to the station and reach the platform.
Included: Hikone Castle and Genkyuen: 1,000 yen; Ishiyamadera ordinary admission: 600 yen; museum permanent exhibitions: 840 yen; Hachiman-bori return bus: 520 yen; temple return bus: 500 yen; museum return bus: 960 yen
Extra costs: Intercity JR, transport to accommodation, luggage storage, accommodation, meals, cruises, paid experiences, extra visits and final departure transport
The 4,420-yen subtotal excludes intercity JR and transport to accommodation. Replacing the 1,000-yen castle and Genkyuen ticket with the 1,500-yen same-day ticket including the museum adds 500 yen, bringing the subtotal to 4,920 yen. Check combined-ticket availability during museum closures or exhibition changes.
Hikone Castle visitor informationCurrent fees and exceptionsLake Biwa Museum feesHachiman-bori bus fares and return timetablesKojak Bus fares revised March 1, 2026Ohmi Bus: official information
Two nights in Hikone, then move to Kusatsu
Stay two nights in Hikone for the castle and Hachiman-bori, then move to Kusatsu for two nights for Lake Biwa Museum and Ishiyamadera. Visit the museum after moving on day three. If the move runs late or the museum is closed, swap with the next day’s temple visit or omit one place.
Day 1: Hikone Castle
This course starts at Hikone Station on day one.
- Hikone Station → Hikone Castle ticket office
Official guidance gives about 15 minutes on foot from Hikone Station to the castle. Leave by the west exit and walk towards the castle, then 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 ordinary 1,000-yen castle and Genkyuen ticket. Hours are 08:30–17:00, with last admission at 16:30. There are slopes and stone steps to the keep, so decide how far to explore accordingly. For the museum on the same day, check its hours, closure dates and availability of the 1,500-yen combined ticket separately.
Hikone Castle: official informationHikone Castle visitor informationOfficial museum information
- Castle and Genkyuen Garden → Return to the starting station and same hotel
Eat around the castle, then return to the same Hikone hotel. For the museum on the same day, you can choose a 1,500-yen combined ticket, checking visiting time and exhibition arrangements separately.
Allow visiting time before last admission at 16:30. To add the museum, check its hours, closure dates and combined-ticket availability. Look up return trains and the route from station to hotel separately.
Day 2: a return trip to Hachiman-bori
- Hikone Station → Omihachiman Station
Take a Kyoto-bound JR Biwako Line service stopping at Omihachiman. Leave by the north exit and reach your bus stand. JR fares and bus waiting time are separate.
JR West Sagano and Biwako Line station map (revised 2024-03-16)JR search
- Omihachiman Station north exit → Hachiman-bori stop
From north-exit stand 6 or 7 at Omihachiman, as required for your bus, take a service stopping at Hachiman-bori (Osugicho) Hachimanyama Ropeway-guchi. Look up outward and station-bound return buses together in the official timetable for your date.
- Hachiman-bori stop → Canal and old streets
Walk from the stop to explore the canal and old streets, and eat nearby. The canal is directly accessible on foot from the stop. The basic itinerary is a walk; cruises and paid facilities are optional extras. For a cruise, check the boarding point, sailing dates and fares, then shorten sightseeing to fit your return bus.
- Canal and old streets → Omihachiman Station
Return to the Hachiman-bori stop for an Omihachiman Station-bound bus. Adult fares are 260 yen each way or 520 yen return. Check the return stand and departure time in the official timetable for your date.
- Omihachiman Station → Hikone Station and the same hotel
Take a JR Biwako Line service towards Maibara or Nagahama stopping at Hikone, then return to the same hotel. Allow time to reach the JR platform after the bus and wait for your train. Check return JR fares and bus connections for your date separately.
JR West Sagano and Biwako Line station map (revised 2024-03-16)JR search
The 520-yen Hachiman-bori return bus fare excludes JR travel from Hikone. Look up return JR and bus services together for your date. To visit the castle museum on a different day, choose its 700-yen individual admission instead of the canal trip. This is an alternative rather than adding both visits to one day; check museum closure dates too.
Day 3: move hotels, then visit the museum
- Hotel near Hikone Station → JR Kusatsu Station
Check out, take your luggage to Hikone Station and board a Kyoto-bound JR Biwako Line service stopping at Kusatsu. Check trains and fares for your date, allowing time to reach the museum bus after arrival.
JR searchJR West Sagano and Biwako Line station map (revised 2024-03-16)
- JR Kusatsu Station → Lake Biwa Museum stop
If your new hotel accepts luggage before check-in, leave it there first, then take a museum bus from Kusatsu Station west-exit stand 2. Move the museum to another day or omit it if you run late. Look up services in the required direction using the official timetable for your date.
- Lake Biwa Museum stop → Permanent exhibitions
After alighting, allow time for permanent exhibitions and a meal. General admission costs 840 yen; special exhibitions are separate. Hours are 09:30–17:00, with last admission at 16:00. Check Monday, public-holiday and temporary closure arrangements in your date’s calendar. If travel and luggage storage run late, swap the museum with day four’s temple or omit one facility.
- Lake Biwa Museum → Kusatsu Station and check-in at your new hotel
After visiting, take a bus from the museum stop to Kusatsu Station west exit and continue to your new hotel. Allow both the bus journey and station-to-hotel travel to meet the check-in deadline. Look up services in the required direction using the official timetable for your date.
Today you change hotels. If the museum is closed or travel runs late, swap with day four’s temple or omit one facility. Allow time from Kusatsu Station to your new hotel before the check-in deadline.
Day 4: a return temple trip
- Kusatsu Station → JR Ishiyama Station
From Kusatsu, take a Kyoto-bound JR service stopping at Ishiyama.
JR West Sagano and Biwako Line station map (revised 2024-03-16)JR search
- JR Ishiyama Station → Sanmon-mae stop and temple gate
From stand 1 at Ishiyama, take a service on route 1, 4, 14, 52, 54 or 55 stopping at Ishiyamadera-Sanmon-mae. Alight after about ten minutes and enter through the temple gate. Bus waiting and walking from JR to the stand are extra. Look up services in the required direction using the official timetable for your date.
- Sanmon-mae stop and temple gate → Temple worship area
Enter with the ordinary 600-yen ticket and eat nearby. Hours are 08:00–16:30, with last admission at 16:00. The inner sanctuary and Hozoden are separate visits.
- Temple worship area → JR Ishiyama Station
Return from Sanmon-mae stop 2 on an Ishiyama Station-bound bus. Distinguish it from Otsu-bound services and allow time to reach the JR platform after alighting.
- JR Ishiyama Station → Kusatsu Station and the same hotel
Take a JR Biwako Line service towards Maibara or Yasu stopping at Kusatsu, then return to the same hotel. Check train times and fares for your date; the bus departure time alone does not guarantee a JR connection.
JR West Sagano and Biwako Line station map (revised 2024-03-16)JR search
The return bus departs Sanmon-mae stop 2 for Ishiyama Station. Distinguish it from Otsu-bound services and allow time to reach the JR platform after alighting. Look up outward and return services for your date.
Day 5: depart from Kusatsu
- Hotel near Kusatsu Station → Walking paths
Walk around Deai Hiroba, about six minutes from Kusatsu Station. This is one-way station-to-park access; walking around and returning to the station take extra time.
- Walking paths → Your booked departure station
After your walk and meal, return to Kusatsu Station for your booked departure. Allow time for the station return and platform access. Omit the last-day walk if your train leaves early.
Add last-day sightseeing or walks only if time remains before your departure train. Allow separate time to return to the station and reach the platform.
Included: Hikone Castle and Genkyuen: 1,000 yen; Ishiyamadera ordinary admission: 600 yen; museum permanent exhibitions: 840 yen; Hachiman-bori return bus: 520 yen; temple return bus: 500 yen; museum return bus: 960 yen
Extra costs: Intercity JR, transport to accommodation, luggage storage, accommodation, meals, cruises, paid experiences, extra visits and final departure transport
The 4,420-yen subtotal excludes intercity JR and transport to accommodation. Replacing the 1,000-yen castle and Genkyuen ticket with the 1,500-yen same-day ticket including the castle museum adds 500 yen, giving 4,920 yen. Visiting the museum on day two instead of Hachiman-bori removes the 520-yen bus fare and adds 700-yen museum admission, giving 4,600 yen. On day three, move from Hikone to Kusatsu before visiting Lake Biwa Museum. Allow time to move hotels and store luggage before reaching the museum bus. Move the museum to the next day or omit it if you run late.
Hikone Castle visitor informationCurrent fees and exceptionsLake Biwa Museum feesHachiman-bori bus fares and return timetablesKojak Bus fares revised March 1, 2026Ohmi Bus: official information
Frequently asked questions
Are JR fares included when moving from Hikone to Kusatsu?
No. The 4,420-yen adult subtotal covers Hikone Castle and Genkyuen, Ishiyamadera ordinary admission, Lake Biwa Museum permanent exhibitions and return buses for Hachiman-bori, temple and museum. Intercity JR, transport to accommodation, accommodation, meals, luggage storage, cruises, extra visits and final departure transport are separate.
Hikone Castle visitor informationCurrent fees and exceptionsLake Biwa Museum feesHachiman-bori bus fares and return timetablesKojak Bus fares revised March 1, 2026Ohmi Bus: official information
Can I visit the museum on the day I move from Hikone to Kusatsu?
Course B takes a Kyoto-bound JR service stopping at Kusatsu, then visits Lake Biwa Museum. After moving hotels, allow time for the museum bus and a visit before last admission. If running late or the museum is closed, swap with the next day’s temple or omit one place. The final day also departs from Kusatsu.
JR West Sagano and Biwako Line station map (revised 2024-03-16)JR searchMuseum accessOutward servicesLake Biwa Museum feesLake Biwa Museum opening calendar
Can one WEST QR Kansai Area Pass cover all five days?
The pass lasts one to four consecutive days. A four-night, five-day trip does not make one pass valid for all five days. Choose its first and last use dates and compare remaining JR travel with ordinary tickets separately. Check actual coverage, eligibility and smartphone requirements officially. Accommodation, local buses and admission are separate from JR costs.
WEST QR Kansai Area Pass: official conditionsHachiman-bori bus fares and return timetablesOhmi Bus: official informationKojak Bus fares revised March 1, 2026
Official sources and check dates
- Museum access ·
- Hachiman-bori access ·
- Hikone Castle access ·
- Kojak Bus fares revised March 1, 2026 ·
- Sanmon-mae stop 2: Ishiyama Station-bound timetable ·
- Hachiman-bori bus fares and return timetables ·
- Hikone Castle visitor information ·
- Bus departure timetable ·
- JR search ·
- Official museum information ·
- Current fees and exceptions ·
- Official bus information ·
- Ohmi Bus: official information ·
- Lake Biwa Museum fees ·
- Lake Biwa Museum opening calendar ·
- Outward services ·
- Return services ·
- Kusatsu City: access and facility information ·
- Hikone Castle: official information ·
- Hachiman-bori: official information ·
- JR West Sagano and Biwako Line station map (revised 2024-03-16) ·
- WEST QR Kansai Area Pass: official conditions ·