The largest Japanese lake, Biwa-ko. Enryaku-ji Temple, the World Cultural Heritage, and national treasures are on the lakeshore.

The prefecture of Shiga is in the middle of Japan; Lake Biwa-ko, the largest lake in Japan, lies at its center. It is surrounded by Mt. Ibuki-san to the northeast, the Suzuka Mountain Range to the east, Mt. Hira-san and Mt. Hiei-zan to the west, and the Shigaraki Mountains lie to the south.

Lake Biwa-ko Quasi-National Park includes Lake Yogo-ko, Mt. Ibuki-san, Mt. Hira-san and Mt. Hiei-zan; it extends over one-sixth of the area of Shiga. Shiga has a number of scenic beauty spots, including Omi Hakkei, or eight scenic views of Omi, which resemble views of Lake Tungtinghu in Hunan, China. As it stands at a trading crossroads between western and eastern Japan, civilization has flourished in this area since the earliest times. There are a number of precious heritage sites, including Hiei-zan Enryaku-ji Temple, designated as World Cultural Heritage, Hikone Castle designated as a national treasure, and many famous Buddhist images. Shiga is one of the richest areas in Japan for national treasures and important cultural properties.

You can also enjoy Shigaraki ware pottery, noted for statuettes of raccoon dogs, Otsu-e pictures with their vivid colors, and other traditional arts and crafts. Delicious food treats include traditional sushi, with fermented freshwater fish called "Funa-zushi," which has been enjoyed since the 8th century; also try Omi beef to tempt your palate. Not to be missed is the Hikiyama-matsuri Festival where decorative floats parade through the city in spring..

Center of trade and culture on the eastern shore of Lake Biwa-ko. Hikone Castle, one of the four most beautiful castles in Japan with its three-layered chalk tower.

Hikone is in the central-eastern part of Shiga and is a center for economy and culture on the eastern shore of Lake Biwa-ko. The town has been an important traffic point since early times and developed as a castle town of the Ii family. Ii was a retainer who played an active part in the hereditary Tokugawa shogunate, which began in the early 17th century and lasted for more than 250 years.

Hikone Castle has a backdrop of Lake Biwa-ko and Kinki-zan Hill (50 m), and is regarded as one of four national heritage castles, along with Inuyama Castle in Aichi, Himeji Castle in Hyogo, and Matsumoto Castle in Nagano. Its three-layered chalk castle tower still maintains its noble and heroic appearance as a symbol of the city.
Besides the castle tower designated as a national treasure, there are other towers of important cultural properties, such as Tenbin-yagura, Taikomon-yagura, and Nishinomaru-sanju-yagura; other historical spots include Genkyu-en, the old garden of a feudal lord, which recreates the nostalgic atmosphere of those ancient days.
The castle town of Hikone still has a feeling of olden days, comprising the old houses of 'ashigaru' (low-class warriors) at the right bank of Ashi-gawa River and Hana-Shobu-dori Street (the street of irises), along with other new attractions, such as Yume-Kyobashi Castle Road (the reproduction of street from 17th century) and Yonbancho Square, which are surrounded by traditional houses and temples in the atmosphere of Taisho Roman (a trend from the Taisho Era and European Romanticism of early 20th century).

Mt. Sawa-yama, about one kilometer east of Hikone Castle, is where the castle of Ishida Mitsunari, the leader who lost the Battle of Sekigahara, is located. At the mountain foot, you can visit such historical spots as Ryotan-ji Temple known for its gardens, and Ohora Bensaiten, as well as temples and shrines associated with the Ii family; also there is Tennei-ji Temple that enshrines the statue of Gohyakurakanzo.

Set in the rich, natural surroundings of Lake Biwa-ko, Hikone is a superlative place for you to enjoy the atmosphere of a castle town, full of historical and cultural interest that revolves around the castle itself.