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.
JR Hikone Station or Kyoto city or Osaka city
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.
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.
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)
JR Hikone Station or Kyoto city or Osaka city
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
*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.
Please feel free to contact me!!
“Kyoto visit ”
Kazu is a very good guide. He guided us through Kyoto and took us to many of the key spots. He was very timely and organized. He explained where we were going and what we were going to see and how we were going to get there. He also communicated very well before the trip. I would highly recommend Kazu as a guide!
Kazuhiko G.
(167 reviews)Thank you for the nice review. I am glad you had a good time. I hope this tour will be a memorable tour in Japan. I hope you will come back to Japan again. Thank you very much!!
Sophia D.
Your most memorable tour to Nara (Kyoto or Osaka departure)
“Day trip to Nara!”
Kazu was awesome! He met us at our hotel and helped navigate the public transit system so we could go to Nara. We were excited for the deer, but the temples blew us away. Very beautiful! He brought all these pamphlets and instruction sheets to help with history which was appreciated. Then a great local lunch spot! Highly recommend this tour!
Kazuhiko G.
(167 reviews)Thank you for the nice review. I am glad you had an enjoyable tour. I had a great time too. I hope this tour will be a memorable tour in Japan. Thank you very much !!
“Fantastic Vacation!! Fantastic Tour Guide, Kazu!!!”
Our first time to Japan. We were family group of 6 people. Hired Kazuhiko for two days in Osaka and Kyoto. Money well spent and highly recommend to get a local tour guide like Kazu. He customized the tour to our needs and wants and adjusted more time in locations where we wanted to spend more time to shop. Also, you'll save so much time with a local like Kazu since he not only knows the language of course but, knows their train system. The Japan train stations are very efficient but, very complicated for first-timers that don't speak or read the language. Even with Google maps it can be confusing and you can get on wrong stations and trains. Kazu just breezed us through various train and subway connections to reach our destinations. In summary, Kazu is a 5 Star Tour Guide!! He is a great reflection of the culture and people of this beautiful country
Kazuhiko G.
(167 reviews)Thank you for the nice review. I am glad I could spend a good time with your nice family too. I hope you will come to Japan again. Thank you very much !!