Hikone Castle

Liz Matiska 2 weeks ago

This is a lovely castle with a beautiful garden and an informational museum. It has not been reconstructed, so it gives an accurate impression of how castles looked when they were originally used. Seeing everything requires a lot of walking up and down stairs.

Chamith Perera (Noisy) 2 months ago

Hikone Castle stands as a majestic testament to Japan's feudal history. The well-preserved architecture and stunning panoramic views from the castle grounds transport you to another era. Exploring the castle's interior provides a fascinating glimpse into the samurai lifestyle. The surrounding gardens are beautifully landscaped, offering a serene contrast to the castle's imposing presence. Hikone Castle is a captivating destination, rich in history and architectural splendor. Truly a must-visit for history enthusiasts! 🏰🍃 #HikoneCastle #HistoricalGem

Kyle Wit 3 months ago

This was one of my favorite spots in Lake Biwa, Shiga prefecture. The castle area is impressive. Not as large as Himeji or Osaka, but therefore a bit more manageable on foot. The views are immaculate in all directions. The site was chosen strategically where the mountain range in the east just reaches the edges of Lake Biwa coming up in the west forming a natural gateway. The main keep is nowhere near as large as Himeji, but it manages to be just as fascinating, as it is all original, in particular, the bending curves of the massive trunks of wood that still support the structure of the main keep. Be aware that you will need to walk up plenty of stairs, and inside the main keep the stairs are very steep. Adjacent to the main keep on the west side reaching a smaller keep is a large park-like area that is gorgeous red in autumn. The beautiful gardens, large garden with tea houses belonged to the Feudal Daimyo as part of his residential domain, included in the ticket.

Bird Doglike 5 months ago

Many of Japan's castles were demolished during modernization or destroyed by air raids. Therefore, most of the castles that exist today are imitations made of reinforced concrete. However, Hikone Castle's castle tower (the symbolic structure built on top of the castle) is still made of wood, just as it was back then. You can go inside the castle tower and get a panoramic view of Hikone City and Lake Biwa from the top floor. This castle is a cultural property designated as a national treasure of Japan.

Kai Liesbrock 5 months ago

We came here by Train from Kyoto and it took about 45 min. From Hikone Station it is a 30 min walk to the Castle. The entrance fee was 1200 Yen for the museum, castle inside and the beautiful garden combined. The museum had some interesting things like ancient swords, armours and paintings. You can walk through the complete inside of the castle and the view from up there is very stunning (with clear weather). My personal highlight was the big garden with a huge pond and lots of green. You can even see the castle throning above it. I can not imagine that there is any better castle in Japan to visit. The complete route took about 2 hours. The town is beautiful too, it is quiet and not very touristy. They have a beach on lake Biwa too. Great experience all in all.