[Shiga] Hikone Castle

Hikone Castle is a quick stop away from the Shinkansen. It's one stop from Maibara Station to Hikone Station, and from there it's about a 15-20 minute walk. One of the few castles with a remaining castle tower, it's a small but beautiful sight that you can look at for ages. The view of Lake Biwa is also magnificent. Perhaps because the grounds are so large, it's surprisingly not visible from the surrounding area, so when you finally reach the top after climbing the stone steps and see the castle tower, you'll be quite excited. The admission fee is 800 yen, which also allows you to see Genkyuen Garden on the grounds.