Northern Lake Biwa Guide 2026: Shirahige's Lake Torii, Metasequoia & Chikubushima

The northern reaches of Lake Biwa — the old Takashima country on the western shore and the deep bays beyond — hold the lake’s most photographed scenery and some of its oldest legends. A vermilion torii stands out in the water like a smaller Miyajima; a cathedral-like avenue of dawn-redwood trees arches over a country road; a sacred island temple rises sheer from the open lake. This guide covers a scenic two-day loop through the quiet north, paced for slow looking, and pairs with our Takashima and northern Lake Biwa itinerary. For the southern, more temple-focused shore, see our Otsu and Ishiyama-dera guide.

At a glance: Two scenic days on northern Lake Biwa — day one along the western Takashima shore (Shirahige’s lake torii, Omi-Maiko, funazushi, the Makino metasequoia avenue), day two by cruise boat to sacred Chikubushima island and the cherry cape of Kaizu-Osaki. Reachable by the JR Kosei Line; a car helps, and cruise schedules are seasonal.

The quiet, wide north

Where the southern shore is about temples and literature, the north is about water and trees. The lake is at its widest and emptiest here, the mountains press close to the shore, and the towns are small. This is the part of Shiga that photographers come for — the floating torii, the tree tunnel, the island silhouette — and it rewards an unhurried pace and an eye on the light. It is also the home of funazushi, the lake’s ancient fermented carp sushi, one of the most historically important foods in Japan. Two days is enough to see the highlights of the western shore and make the boat trip out to the lake’s holy island.

The western shore

Shirahige Shrine is said to be the oldest shrine in the old province of Omi, dedicated to a god of long life and guidance, and it is famous above all for the vermilion lake torii that stands a little offshore in the water, framed against the lake and the far hills. The wooden halls on the landward side have their own quiet dignity, but it is the floating gate, especially at sunrise and dusk, that draws photographers from across Japan.

A serious safety note belongs here. The torii is across the busy National Route 161, and crossing the road on foot is officially banned and physically fenced after a fatal accident in 2021 and a string of others over the years. The shrine and local authorities ask visitors to use the designated viewing deck and never to cross the road for a photo. Take the warning seriously; the picture is not worth a life.

Nearby, Omi-Maiko is the best-loved swimming beach on Lake Biwa, a long crescent of white sand backed by green pines with the Hira mountains behind — beautiful and restful even outside the summer swimming season. For lunch and a piece of living history, Kitashina in Takashima has fermented the lake’s nigorobuna carp in salt and rice since 1619, making the pungent, intensely savoury funazushi that is the original ancestor of all sushi. It is a strong, acquired taste usually served as part of a set; reserve ahead and come with an open mind — it is a genuine, unrepeatable food encounter.

The western-shore day closes at Makino, near the head of the lake, where a perfectly straight road runs for some two and a half kilometres beneath about five hundred metasequoia — tall dawn-redwood trees planted in twin ranks that arch together into a green-and-gold tunnel. It is one of the most celebrated tree avenues in Japan, glowing fresh green in early summer, deep red-brown in late autumn (the best colour, late November into early December) and bare and graphic in winter, with the Makino highlands rising behind.

Out to Chikubushima

The second day goes out on the water. From Imazu Port on the western shore, a cruise boat runs across the open lake to Chikubushima, the sacred island that rises sheer from the northern basin, a passage of roughly twenty-five minutes with the surrounding mountains spread around the wide bay. Watching the wooded island grow from a green dot to a rock crowned with temple roofs is the proper way to approach a place that has been a site of worship for over a thousand years.

On the island, Hogon-ji is dedicated to Benzaiten — goddess of music, eloquence and fortune — and counted among Japan’s three great Benzaiten shrines; a steep stone stairway climbs past the main hall to the National-Treasure Karamon gate, a gorgeous Momoyama-era structure said to have come from Hideyoshi’s Osaka Castle. Linked to it by a covered corridor of steps, Tsukubusuma Shrine occupies the island’s lake-facing edge, its National-Treasure main hall said to incorporate parts of Hideyoshi’s Fushimi Castle. Its best-known ritual is kawarake-nage, in which you write a wish on a small clay disc and throw it toward a torii in the water far below. The island is a single dense layering of temple and shrine on bare rock, with many steep steps.

Cruise sailings are weather-dependent and seasonal — boats run from Imazu and Nagahama on the western and eastern shores for much of the year, with a separate operator serving the island from Hikone Port — so always confirm the day’s timetable before you set out. After the boat returns to Imazu, the Kaizu-Osaki cape makes a scenic close: a narrow road threading for some four kilometres beneath about eight hundred cherry trees that lean out over the water, the latest-blooming and one of the most beautiful cherry stretches in all of Kansai, lovely as a drive even out of blossom season.

Practicalities for 2026

The western shore is served by the JR Kosei Line, with stations at Omi-Maiko, Omi-Takashima (for Shirahige), Adogawa and Makino, each a walk or short taxi from the sights — though a car makes linking the spread-out scenery much easier, especially the metasequoia avenue and Kaizu-Osaki. For Chikubushima, head for Imazu Port and check sailing times in advance, as the schedule shifts with the season and weather. Cherry season at Kaizu-Osaki is typically early-to-mid April, the latest in Kansai, and is busy; the metasequoia avenue peaks for autumn colour from late November. Bring sturdy shoes for the island’s stone steps, and remember the road-crossing ban at Shirahige.

FAQ

Is it safe to photograph the Shirahige lake torii? Yes, from the designated viewing deck on the shrine side. What is not safe — and is officially banned and fenced — is crossing National Route 161 on foot to reach the lakeside, after fatal accidents there. Use the viewing deck and never cross the road.

When is the metasequoia avenue at its best? Late November to early December for the famous red-brown autumn colour, and early summer for fresh green. The bare winter trees are also photogenic. It is a public road, free to drive or walk.

How do I get to Chikubushima island? By cruise boat, most conveniently from Imazu Port on the western shore (also from Nagahama, and from Hikone via a separate operator). Sailings are seasonal and weather-dependent, so confirm the timetable on the day.

What is funazushi and should I try it? Funazushi is fermented carp sushi from Lake Biwa, the ancient ancestor of all sushi — intensely savoury and sour, and an acquired taste. If you are an adventurous eater, a tasting at a historic maker like Kitashina is a memorable, genuinely traditional experience.

Can I do the north without a car? Partly. The JR Kosei Line reaches the main towns, but the metasequoia avenue, Kaizu-Osaki and some sights are spread out with limited buses, so a car makes the scenic loop much smoother.

Request a personalized quote from a local operator