Hikone Castle - Shiga

Posted on May 7, 2007 by Adam R.

Staying over the night at my wife’s Aunty and Uncles we were promised a visit to Hikone Castle in the morning before we were driven to Kyoto. The first thing that impressed me on arriving at Hikone Castle Park was the size of the grounds as the perimeter moat stretches for a long distance. After walking for about ten minutes around the moat we came to the access bridge and shortly were at the admission gate.

The ascent to the castle’s plateau was a bit daughnting and I could image how samurai on horseback would have ridden up the meter deep steeps. This caslte does not offer easy access for the elderly and I must say you will find it hard going to get to the top but the effort is well worth it. On arriving on the plateau that the castle sits on I was shocked at first as Hikone Castle is extremely small in size compared to the other casltes I have been too. I also found myself having to duck through each doorframe I entered as the caslte and its associated buildings were not constructed for people reaching 204cm in height. There is a small building next to the caslte with a scale model of the original castle and all it’s encompassing grounds, which were massive considering the castles small size.

One secret allot of gaijinJapanese word meaning "outsider" commonly used to describe foreigners. Considered somewhat impolite. visitors might miss out of is the view out the back of the castle, my uncle in law asked to come with him as he wanted to show me something. The time of the day added to the impact of the view he was about to show me, it was Lake Biwa (Biwa Wako). Biwa Wako is the largest freshwater lake in Japan and resembles more of an inland sea than a lake, as anyone who has traveled past by train will know.

The secret he showed me was a hidden view of the afternoon sun lighting up Lake Biwa’s surface; it was an amazing sight and a great photo opportunity. Also within the castle precinct is Genkyu-en garden, which is located to the east of the Hikone Castle and offer several unique photo oppotunites to include the castle in shots of the small lake in the garden.

Hikone Castle is designated as a National Treasure of Japan and is a must see if you travel to Shiga Prefecture. There is a museum at the base of the Castle Grounds just after you cross the moat. I recommend visiting the castle, Genkyu-en garden and the museum to take in everything there is on offer.

http://www.city.hikone.shiga.jp/english/sight/index.html