Shiga
Travel plans
Northern Lake Biwa: Shirahige's Lake Torii, the Metasequoia Avenue & Sacred Chikubushima Island — 2 Days
Day one along the western shore — Shirahige Shrine's lake torii, the Omi-Maiko lakeshore, a historic funazushi house and the Makino metasequoia avenue — then day two by cruise to sacred Chikubushima island and the cherry cape of Kaizu-Osaki
Shigaraki Pottery & the Miho Museum: Tanuki Kilns, I.M. Pei's Hidden Valley & Ninja Koka — 2 Days
Day one in the Shigaraki kiln town — the ceramic-art park, the climbing kilns and tanuki of the maker's lane, and a pottery experience — then day two to I.M. Pei's mountain-buried Miho Museum and the ninja village of Koka
Sacred Mount Hiei: Sakamoto's Stone-Wall Temple Town & the UNESCO Halls of Enryaku-ji — 2 Days
Day one in Sakamoto at the foot of Mount Hiei — Hiyoshi Taisha, the satobo retreat gardens, the Ano-mason stone walls and a 1716 soba house — then the cable car up to spend a night on the mountain and walk the three UNESCO precincts of Enryaku-ji
Otsu & the Tale of Genji: Ishiyama-dera, Mii-dera & a Lake Biwa Cruise — 2 Days
Ishiyama-dera, where The Tale of Genji is said to have begun, and the great Tendai temple of Mii-dera on day one; then the lake itself on day two — Omi Jingu shrine, a Michigan paddle-steamer cruise, the Nagisa lakefront and an Omi-beef sukiyaki lunch
First-Time Shiga: Hikone Castle, the Merchant Canals of Omi-Hachiman & Omi Beef — 2 Days
Hikone Castle and the Genkyu-en garden on the eastern lakeshore, the glass town of Nagahama, then a second day in the merchant canals of Omi-Hachiman — Vories architecture, a hilltop ropeway and Omi beef throughout
Shiga travel guides
Enryaku-ji & Mount Hiei Guide 2026: Sakamoto's Stone Walls & the Tendai Head Temple
Hikone & Omi-Hachiman Guide 2026: Shiga's Castle, Canals & Omi Beef
Northern Lake Biwa Guide 2026: Shirahige's Lake Torii, Metasequoia & Chikubushima
Otsu & Ishiyama-dera Guide 2026: The Tale of Genji on Lake Biwa
