Castles
Castles in Shiga
The land around Lake Biwa sat on the road to Kyoto, so every warlord of the 1500s fought for it. Shiga has Hikone, one of Japan's few original castles, and the ruins of Oda Nobunaga's Azuchi.
7 places · 5 nationally protected
Whoever held the shores of Lake Biwa controlled the way into Kyoto, which is why this small prefecture is packed with castles. Hikone Castle is the star: its keep from the early 1600s is original and a National Treasure, one of only a dozen surviving keeps in Japan. Azuchi, built by Oda Nobunaga from 1576, was the first castle of the new, towering style, but it burned in 1582 and only its great stone steps and foundations remain.
Nagahama was Toyotomi Hideyoshi's first castle as a lord; today's keep is a modern rebuild with a history museum inside. Odani and Kannonji are mountain-top ruins for walkers, Hachimanyama sits above Omihachiman's canals with a ropeway to the top, and Sakamoto was Akechi Mitsuhide's lakeside castle, now almost gone. All are an easy day trip from Kyoto on the JR lines around the lake.
Good to know
- Hikone is about 50 minutes from Kyoto on the JR Biwako line; Nagahama is 10 minutes further, so the two fit in one day.
- Hikone's keep has very steep wooden stairs, and you climb them in socks.
- For Azuchi, rent a bicycle at Azuchi station: the ruins are about 25 minutes away on foot.
All Castles in Shiga
Every place shows its Japanese name, so you can search it on a map or show it to a taxi driver.
| Place | Town | Links |
|---|---|---|
| Hikone Castle 彦根城Nationally protected An original keep from the early 1600s and a National Treasure, with a moat, gardens and views over Lake Biwa. Its cat mascot, Hikonyan, makes regular appearances. | Hikone | |
| Azuchi Castle 安土城Nationally protected Oda Nobunaga's castle, begun in 1576 and burned in 1582. Climb the long stone stairway to the foundations of the keep. | Omihachiman | |
| Nagahama Castle 長浜城 Toyotomi Hideyoshi's first castle as a lord. The rebuilt keep in a lakeside park holds a history museum. | Nagahama | |
| Odani Castle 小谷城Nationally protected Mountain stronghold of the Azai clan, taken by Nobunaga in 1573. A hiking trail follows the ridge past its stone walls. | Nagahama | |
| Hachimanyama Castle 八幡山城 Built by Toyotomi Hidetsugu above Omihachiman. Take the ropeway up for lake views, then walk the old merchant canals below. | Omihachiman | |
| Sakamoto Castle 坂本城Nationally protected A castle in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. | Otsu | |
| Kannonji Castle 観音寺城Nationally protected A castle in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. | Omihachiman |
Castles in Shiga on the map
Every place on this page. Tap a pin for directions.
Questions
Is Hikone Castle original?
Yes. Its keep dates from the early 1600s and has never been rebuilt, which makes it a National Treasure and one of only a dozen original keeps left in Japan.
Can you see anything at Azuchi Castle?
Only ruins: the long stone stairway, stone walls and the foundation stones of the keep. The climb and the history are the draw.
Can I visit Shiga's castles as a day trip from Kyoto?
Yes. Hikone and Nagahama are both on the JR line along the east shore of Lake Biwa, and Omihachiman and Azuchi are on the same line closer to Kyoto.
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.
- Official city websiteCity of Nagahama (Japanese)(in Japanese) (opens in a new tab)
- hikonecastle.comHikone Castle, official site (Japanese) (opens in a new tab)
- www.azuchi-shiga.comAzuchi tourism association (Japanese) (opens in a new tab)
- www.biwako-visitors.jpShiga official travel guide (opens in a new tab)