Where should you go on day two of a three-day Shiga trip?
Stay in Hikone for two nights to see the castle/garden on day one and the canal and historic streets on day two. For two nights in Kusatsu, give the temple and museum a day each. On the final day, walk near your accommodation only if time remains before the train.
Choose a 2 nights, 3 days itinerary
Hikone Castle, Hachimanbori and final-day castle-town streets
Stay in Hikone for two nights. Visit the keep and garden on day one, then Hachimanbori’s canal and historic streets on day two before returning. The canal day involves changing between JR and local buses, so check return journeys together. Walk through the castle town on the final day only if time remains before your train.
Hikone Castle, Hachimanbori and final-day castle-town streets →2 nights, 3 days BStay in Kusatsu for Ishiyamadera and Lake Biwa Museum
Stay in Kusatsu for two nights to visit the temple and museum while avoiding a long journey on departure day. This course assumes you are in the area from the first morning, visiting the temple on day one and museum on day two.
Stay in Kusatsu for Ishiyamadera and Lake Biwa Museum →Hikone Castle, Hachimanbori and final-day castle-town streets
Stay in Hikone for two nights. Visit the keep and garden on day one, then Hachimanbori’s canal and historic streets on day two before returning. The canal day involves changing between JR and local buses, so check return journeys together. Walk through the castle town on the final day only if time remains before your train.
Day one: castle and garden
Start the first day at Hikone Station.
- Hikone Station → Hikone Castle ticket desk
The official walk from Hikone Station to the castle takes about 15 minutes. Leave by the west exit and walk towards the castle, checking the local map for your entrance and ticket desk. Queues and the climb to the keep take extra time.
- Hikone Castle ticket desk → Castle and Genkyuen
Visit the keep and garden with JPY 1,000 general castle/Genkyuen admission. Open 08:30–17:00, with last entry at 16:30. Allow for slopes and stone steps towards the keep. For the museum on the same day, separately check its hours, closures and availability of the JPY 1,500 combination ticket.
Official Hikone Castle guideHikone Castle visitor guideOfficial museum guide
- Castle and Genkyuen → Starting station and the same accommodation
Have a meal near the castle and return to the same Hikone accommodation. The keep approach has slopes and stone steps, and castle entry ends at 16:30. Do not force a keep visit into a late arrival. This day’s facility fee is JPY 1,000 for one adult.
Return to the same Hikone accommodation after the castle and garden. If arriving late, first check whether you have enough time before last admission.
Day two: Omihachiman’s canal
- Hikone Station → Omihachiman Station
Take a JR Biwako Line train towards Kyoto from Hikone and alight at Omihachiman.
JR West Sagano and Biwako Line station map, revised 2024-03-16
- Omihachiman Station → Hachimanbori bus stop
At Omihachiman’s north exit, use stand 6 or 7 as appropriate for your bus, choosing a service stopping at Hachimanbori (Osugicho) Hachimanyama Ropeway-guchi. Check both the canal-bound and station-bound buses in the official timetable for your date.
- Hachimanbori bus stop → Canal and historic streets
Alight and walk to the nearby canal and historic streets, with a meal in the area. The basic course is a walk; boats and paid facilities are optional extras. For a boat, check the landing point, operating days and fare, and shorten other visits around your return bus.
- Canal and historic streets → Omihachiman Station
After walking and your meal, take an Omihachiman Station-bound bus from Hachimanbori. Adult fares between the station and canal are JPY 260 one way or JPY 520 return. Boats are excluded. Check services in the correct direction in your date’s official timetable.
- Omihachiman Station → Hikone Station and the same accommodation
Take a JR Biwako Line service towards Maibara or Nagahama that stops at Hikone, then return to the same accommodation. JR return fares, walking from the bus to the platform and train waiting need separate allowances.
JR West Sagano and Biwako Line station map, revised 2024-03-16JR search
Check Hikone–Omihachiman return trains together with canal-bound and station-bound buses. Boats are separate from the walking course and need their own landing-point, operating-day and fare checks.
Day three: streets within easy reach of the station
- Accommodation near Hikone Station → Streets and open shops
Walk about 20 minutes from Hikone Station to explore Yumekyobashi Castle Road’s shops and streets. Shop opening hours and meal costs require separate checks.
- Streets and open shops → Booked departure station
After the walk and meal, return to Hikone Station for your booked departure. Leave time for the return walk and platform access. Skip the final walk for an early train.
Add final-day sightseeing or a walk only if time remains before your train. Allow separately for the return station walk and reaching the platform.
Included: The total includes JPY 1,000 for Hikone Castle and Genkyuen and JPY 520 for return Hachimanbori buses.
Extra costs: The total excludes JR travel between Hikone and Omihachiman, accommodation transfers, storage, accommodation, meals, boats, paid experiences, additional museum visits and final onward transport.
Checked basic facility and bus costs total JPY 1,520 for one adult: castle/Genkyuen JPY 1,000 + Hachimanbori return buses JPY 520. Intercity JR return fares, optional boats, meals, accommodation and onward departure transport cost extra.
Hikone Castle visitor guideHachimanbori bus fares and return timetables
Stay in Kusatsu for Ishiyamadera and Lake Biwa Museum
Stay in Kusatsu for two nights to visit the temple and museum while avoiding a long journey on departure day. This course assumes you are in the area from the first morning, visiting the temple on day one and museum on day two.
Day one: Ishiyamadera
Start day one at Kusatsu Station.
- Kusatsu Station → JR Ishiyama Station
Take a JR Biwako Line service towards Kyoto that stops at Ishiyama. Check departure times, fares and platform signs for your date. JR is excluded from the JPY 2,900 partial total.
JR searchJR West Sagano and Biwako Line station map, revised 2024-03-16
- JR Ishiyama Station → Sanmon-mae bus stop
From JR Ishiyama stand 1, take a service stopping at Ishiyamadera Sanmon-mae and alight there. The roughly ten-minute ride excludes bus waiting and walking from JR to the stand. Check the timetable for your visiting day.
- Sanmon-mae bus stop → Temple worship and lunch
Enter through the temple gate with JPY 600 general admission and have lunch nearby. Open 08:00–16:30, with last entry at 16:00. Inner hall and Hojoden visits cost extra.
- Temple worship area → JR Ishiyama Station
After worship and your meal, take an Ishiyama Station-bound bus from Sanmon-mae stop 2. This differs from Otsu-bound buses. Allow time to change to JR at Ishiyama.
- JR Ishiyama Station → Kusatsu Station and the same accommodation
Return on a JR Biwako Line service towards Maibara or Yasu stopping at Kusatsu. Allow time from the bus to the JR platform and check your date’s train and fare. For a late-afternoon arrival, swap visiting days or leave out one facility.
JR West Sagano and Biwako Line station map, revised 2024-03-16JR search
The return bus is bound for Ishiyama Station from Sanmon-mae stop 2, rather than Otsu. Allow time after alighting to reach the JR platform. Search both directions for your date.
Day two: Lake Biwa Museum
- Kusatsu Station west-exit stand 2 → Lake Biwa Museum bus stop
Take an Ohmi bus to the museum from Kusatsu west-exit stand 2 and alight after roughly 25 minutes. Check outward and return services together in the official timetable for your date, with extra time for waiting.
- Lake Biwa Museum bus stop → Lake Biwa Museum permanent exhibitions
Walk to the museum for permanent exhibitions, a meal and breaks. General permanent-exhibition admission is JPY 840; special exhibitions cost extra. Open 09:30–17:00, with last entry at 16:00. Check Monday closures, public-holiday openings and temporary closures in your date’s calendar.
Museum accessLake Biwa Museum admissionLake Biwa Museum opening calendar
- Lake Biwa Museum permanent exhibitions → Kusatsu Station and the same accommodation
After exhibitions and your meal, take a Kusatsu Station west-exit-bound bus from the museum stop. Finish sightseeing around its departure time and return to the same Kusatsu accommodation.
Check museum closures and station-bound buses for your date. Allow time to walk from the exhibition rooms to the stop.
Day three: park and departure
- Accommodation near Kusatsu Station → Walking paths
Walk about six minutes from Kusatsu Station to the paths at Deai Hiroba (de愛ひろば). The management office’s 09:00–17:00 hours are separate from access to the whole park.
- Walking paths → Booked departure station
After the walk and meal, return to Kusatsu Station for your booked departure. Leave time for the return walk and platform access. Skip the walk for an early train.
Add final-day sightseeing or a walk only if time remains before your train. Allow separately for the return station walk and reaching the platform.
Included: The total includes JPY 600 for Ishiyamadera general admission, JPY 840 for the museum’s permanent exhibitions, JPY 500 for return temple buses and JPY 960 for return museum buses.
Extra costs: The total excludes return JR travel between Kusatsu and Ishiyama, extra accommodation journeys, storage, inner-hall and Hojoden visits, special exhibitions, accommodation, meals, final onward transport and park events.
JPY 2,900 is a partial total for basic temple and museum admission and return buses to both. It excludes JR return fares between Kusatsu and Ishiyama. Check trains and fares separately for your date, allowing time for temple-bus/JR changes and the museum return to your accommodation.
Current fees and exceptionsLake Biwa Museum admissionKojaku Bus fare table revised on 1 March 2026Official Ohmi Bus guide
Frequently asked questions
How do I reach Hachimanbori from Hikone?
Take a Kyoto-bound JR Biwako Line train from Hikone to Omihachiman. At the north exit, use stand 6 or 7 for the appropriate bus stopping at Hachimanbori (Osugicho) Hachimanyama Ropeway-guchi. Adult station–canal buses cost JPY 260 one way or JPY 520 return. Check JR fares and your date’s train and bus times separately.
JR West Sagano and Biwako Line station map, revised 2024-03-16Hachimanbori bus fares and return timetables
What are admission and bus costs for the three-day Shiga courses?
Hikone Route A totals JPY 1,520: castle/Genkyuen JPY 1,000 + Hachimanbori return buses JPY 520. Kusatsu Route B totals JPY 2,900: temple general entry JPY 600 + museum permanent exhibitions JPY 840 + temple return buses JPY 500 + museum return buses JPY 960. JR, accommodation, meals, storage, onward transport, extra visits and boats cost extra. The courses visit different facilities; neither amount is the full trip cost.
Hikone Castle visitor guideHachimanbori bus fares and return timetablesCurrent fees and exceptionsLake Biwa Museum admissionKojaku Bus fare table revised on 1 March 2026Official Ohmi Bus guide
Official sources and confirmation dates
- Museum access ·
- Hachimanbori access ·
- Hikone Castle access ·
- Kojaku Bus fare table revised on 1 March 2026 ·
- Sanmon-mae stop 2 timetable towards Ishiyama Station ·
- Hachimanbori bus fares and return timetables ·
- Hikone Castle visitor guide ·
- Bus departure timetable ·
- JR search ·
- Official museum guide ·
- Current fees and exceptions ·
- Official bus guide ·
- Official Ohmi Bus guide ·
- Lake Biwa Museum admission ·
- Lake Biwa Museum opening calendar ·
- Outward journey ·
- Return journey ·
- Kusatsu City access and facility guide ·
- Official Shiga access guide ·
- Shopping street directory ·
- Official Hikone Castle guide ·
- JR West Sagano and Biwako Line station map, revised 2024-03-16 ·