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Tour to the National Treasure Hikone Castle from Kyoto
Hikone City is only an hour away from Kyoto by train and faces the largest lake in Japan.
Hikone Castle, a national treasure, and its castle town are located there.
There are also some old temples and shrines nearby.
You feel like you have slipped back into the Edo Period ( about 200~400 years ago).
This is a half-day tour where you can learn about Japan's medieval period.
Meeting Point
JR Hikone Station or Kyoto city or Osaka city
Hikone Castle tower (A National Treasure), Genkyu-en Garden
Hikone Castle was built in the Edo period (1603-1867) as an important base for the Tokugawa Shogunate along with Nijo Castle and Himeji Castle in Kyoto. The castle is surrounded by turrets, stone walls, and moats, including the castle tower, which is a national treasure. From the top floor of the castle tower, we can see Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan. There is also a beautiful garden inside the castle complex called "Genkyu-en" Garden, from which the castle tower can be seen, making it an excellent photo spot.
Castle Town
The castle town of Hikone Castle was fortunately spared from war damage, and the old townscape remains. In this area, a watchhouse to watch against enemy invasion and old temples still remain, giving visitors a glimpse of the medieval townscape in Japan.
Lunch
The area called "Hikone Castle Road" is a recreation of Hikone Castle Town with souvenir shops and restaurants. One of the most famous meals in this area is a meat dish using Omi beef, which is as famous as Kobe beef. Omi beef is a specialty that was presented to the Tokugawa shoguns during the Edo period (1603-1867)
Ending Point
JR Hikone Station or Kyoto city or Osaka city
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Inclusions & Exclusions
Tour guide fee
・Transportation fee (Kyoto→Hikone : 1,170 yen)
・Entrance fee （Hikone Castle : 800 yen, Hikone Castle ＋Genkyu-en Garden : 1,200 yen)
・Lunch fee
Tour Important Information
＊There are many beautiful temples and shrine near Hikone castle.
You can also visit there.
＊You will find following items.
・Architecture Style of Japanese Castle
・Japanese garden style
・Samurai's life
I will suit it to a guide starting time that is convenient for you.
Important message from the guide
Please feel free to contact me!!
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Shiga Tour Reviews
“Fantastic Most Memorable Tour”
Kazuhiko San provided an excellent service. He toured me and my father around Osaka Castle, Local shrines and the Dotonbori area. We ate lunch at a fantastic conveyor belt sushi restaurant which we all enjoyed. Throughout the tour Kazuhiko san provided historical and interesting facts relating to the various areas visited. Me and my father had a great time and would strongly recommend Kazuhiko San. ありがとうございます.
Kazuhiko G.
(159 reviews)Hello, Thank you for the nice review. I apologize for making you walk all over the place in a crowded place. But the weather was great and I was glad you had a good time too. I hope this tour will be one of the most memorable tours in Japan. Good luck with your Japanese language studies. こちらこそありがとうございました！！
“Wonderful personalized tour of Kyoto”
Kazuhiko was our guide for a wonderful day in Kyoto. I contacted him half a year ago with an unusual request. To meet us at the cruise terminal in Kobe and to visit specific sites in Kyoto for our one day there. I didn't know if it was possible to see all the sites in one day, there were six of them I wanted to see. But Kazu got us to all of them. It was a tiring, but great day. One day in Kyoto is really not enough, but it's all we had and Kazuhiko made sure we made the most of it, having us driven around to six different places in the city with just enough time at each to get a feel for them. He also told us about the culture and answered all our questions. He was with us for 12 hours, a very long day for him. I was so happy to find him, because it was very hard to find a guide who would give me and the group the tour I wanted.
Kazuhiko G.
(159 reviews)Thanks for the good review. I apologize for making you walk a lot. I am also sorry that we could not spend enough time at Kiyomizu-dera and other places. But I am glad you were pleased and I am happy too. I had a great time too. I hope the tour was memorable for you. Thank you very much !!
“Knowledgeable, kind and accommodating guide! ”
Kazu took us on a customized half-day tour of Osaka, meeting us at our hotel in Kyoto first, and helping us navigate our way to the city. We made some spontaneous changes to our plan for the day, and he did not miss a beat! Our family had a wonderful time! He is a wonderful guide!
Kazuhiko G.
(159 reviews)Hello, Thank you for the nice review. I am glad you enjoyed our short tour of Osaka. Did you arrive safely in Tokyo? Please enjoy the tour in Tokyo. I hope this tour will be a memorable one. Thank you. Kazuhiko Goto
