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Tour to the National Treasure Hikone Castle (Kyoto or Osaka departure)

Hikone Castle with cherry blossoms in full bloom

Sawaguchi Tamon Yagura Turrat (An Important Cultural Asset)

Inner Moat & Pleasure Boat

Genkyu-en Garden & Castle Tower

Tennei-ji Temple (There are statues of 500 disciples of Buddha who spread Buddhism.)

Hikone Castle Road

Gokoku Shrine

Tour to the National Treasure Hikone Castle (Kyoto or Osaka departure)

Day Trip

Joined 2014

Kazuhiko G.

4.78 / 5

(202 reviews)

Identity Verified

Interview-Based Quality Checks

Shiga

English

6 hours

Private tour (only you and Kazuhiko G.)

Up to 15 people

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.

Itinerary

This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!

08:00 AM

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

Want to personalize this tour?

This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.

Inclusions & Exclusions

What‘s included

Tour guide fee

What‘s not included

・Transportation fee

・Entrance fee

・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 supplier

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

Joined 2014

Kazuhiko G.

4.78 / 5

(202 reviews)

Identity Verified

Interview-Based Quality Checks

About Tour Guide Kazuhiko G.

Hello, I’m Kazuhiko. Please call me “Kazu”. I'm a national-licensed tour guide. I have a wife and 4 children.

I was born in Osaka city near Kyoto, although I have lived in many places across Japan. I used to work for multinational electric company and I traveled to many countries (U.S., Thailand, Hong Kong etc.) on business.

I have enjoyed guiding many foreign tourists in Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Hiroshima, Tokyo, Mt. Fuji etc. for many years.

During your tour, you can discover a rich Japanese history spanning about 2,000 years, learn about and experience profound Japanese arts (tea ceremony, flower arrangement etc.), feel the spiritual atmosphere of Buddhist temples or Shinto shrines, see a breathtakingly beautiful scenery of Mt. Fuji, bamboo forest, Japanese gardens etc..

Moreover, you can taste Japanese cuisine that each season has to offer (Sushi, Tempura, Soba or ramen noodle etc.).

You can get close to nature and feed wild deer or monkeys or even a build snowman in winter.

I’m sure that I can provide a splendid tour of Japan that will be a lasting memory for you to treasure.

Experience the mysteries of Japan with 5 senses !!

Your memorable tour awaits you.

Please feel free to contact me!!

Reviews

Michelle M.

5 / 5

Jun 13, 2026

Himeji Tour on Jun 13

Jun 13, 2026

Himeji

9 hours

Customized

“Excellent day in Himeji”

We had an excellent tour with Kazu. I highly recommend him. He had great communication to create a custom tour for us. He arrived early at our hotel lobby. He spoke excellent English and was very kind. He was very informative about the many sights we visited and came prepared with printouts and pictures. He took photos of our family. He took us to the castle, garden and museum. He took us to a special request to see a Sake Brewery. He reserved Shinkansen tickets. He helped us with ordering lunch. He was very knowledgeable getting around the trains and buses. It made our day a breeze. We really enjoyed our day and Kazu made it very special. Thank you.

Kazuhiko G.

Hello, Thank you so much for your wonderful review. And, thank you also for the lovely gift. I’m sorry I had everyone walking so much. It was a pleasure to spend such a fun day with all of your families. I hope this tour will be a memorable part of your time in Japan. I hope you continue to enjoy many more wonderful tours in Japan. Thank you, Kazuhiko Goto

Stephen K.

5 / 5

Jan 24, 2026

Tour on Jan.10

Jan 24, 2026

Kyoto

8 hours

Customized

“A great guide and a very nice man”

I have just returned from Japan. I had a great day in Kyoto with Kaz. He was punctual and provided me with a great day of not just sightseeing, but also the historical depth that I had requested. He was so knowledgeable and was able to really explain his knowledge with depth and clarity. To make things even better he was extremely organized and prepared. It was a great day and I feel as if I have made a friend. I plan on returning as soon as I can and would use him in Kyoto without question. Stephen Kahn

Kazuhiko G.

Hello, Thank you for your wonderful review. I also had a great time. I hope this tour becomes a memorable one for you. And I look forward to welcoming you back to Japan again. Thank you!!

Yehuda M.

5 / 5

Dec 3, 2025

Your most memorable tour to Nara (Kyoto or Osaka departure)

Dec 3, 2025

Nara

6 hours

“Great tour”

Kazuhiko (Kazu) was very kind with us, considerate with our walking issues, and had a lot of patience towards our needs.

Kazuhiko G.

Thank you for your wonderful feedback. I apologize for making you walk so much. I imagine it was a tiring journey. I hope this tour becomes a memorable tour in Japan. Thank you!!