Hikone
From World travel guide
Hikone (彦根) is a town at the northeastern edge of Lake Biwa in Shiga prefecture, central Japan.
Contents |
Get in
By train
Hikone is on the Tokaido Main Line between Osaka and Tokyo and makes a mildly interesting stopover. Shinkaisoku rapid trains take 50 min (¥1110) from Kyoto and 80 min (¥1890) from Osaka. The Shinkansen does not stop at Hikone, but the nearest station Maibara is just one local train stop away.
By ferry
Ferries connect Hikone to the islands of Chikubu and Okishima in Lake Biwa.
Get around
Hikone Castle and Genkyu-en Garden are a 15-20 minute walk along the main road from Hikone Station.
See
- Hikone Castle (彦根城 Hikone-jō). Pretty much your standard-issue Japanese castle, Hikone Castle would be entirely unremarkable if not for the unusual fact that it happens to be the real thing dating back to 1622, instead of the usual 60s-era concrete reconstruction. That much being remarked, it again becomes unremarkable, although the castle tower is an official National Treasure and that a number of the turrets have been classified as Important Cultural Properties. Admission ¥500, including entry to Genkyu-en.
- Genkyu-en Garden (玄宮園). Hikone's number two attraction is this pleasant if again unremarkable park at the foot of the castle. The park contains a sprawling villa built in the Chinese Tang Dynasty style in 1677 for Naooki Ii, the fourth lord of Hikone. The best thing to do here is to pause at the teahouse for a cup of matcha (ceremonial green tea), a Japanese sweet and some quiet contemplation for ¥500.
Do
Buy
Eat
The road from the station to the castle is lined with an array of restaurants and souvenir shops.
Drink
Hikone is home to JCMU, the Japanese Center for Michigan Universities. If your interested in meeting some foreigners studying Japanese, head down to Sugimotos (a small sushi shop by Hikone Castle Hotel). Every Wednesday around 9 pm it becomes a bar for students and foreigners in the Shiga area.
Sleep
Get out
External links
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