Hikone Castle

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.

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.

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.

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.

Everything about this place is magical. Honestly, aside from Himeji Castle, this is one of the most beautiful castles I've been to. For 800 JPY, you get a combination ticket for both the castle and the garden. You can spend almost the whole day here! It is very chill too and you get very many perspectives of Lake Biwa.

One of the most coolest castles in the world. From the double mout systems to the interior walls to the ramparts to the baileys to the arrow and gun ports. Hikone Castle is one of the coolest castles in Japan in terms of Feudal Japan Shogunate engineering. Seems like a pain to attack as ninja or charging as samurai.

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

One of historical place in Shiga Perfecture, beatiful and the castle it self has a good features both exterior and interior.

Hikone Castle is on the smaller than the 4 other national treasures but it has its own charm. There isn’t much on the inside to see but if you’ve been to other castles in Japan, climbing up this 3-tiered castle is the most challenging because of the incline of the stairs. The surrounding area of the castle is expansive and you can go in some of the turrets on the outer wall surrounding the castle. Be prepared for a little climb up the castle keep. If you’re visiting before 9:00 am, try to make your way to the time keeping bell that they ring every 3 hours between 9:00 am to 6:00 pm to tell the time. If you visit during a holiday, try to be at the ticket counter before it opens to avoid the rush

It might be a smaller castle than something like Osaka, but the fact that it hasn’t been renovated in the interior to resemble a modern museum makes this place far more authentic. If you want the real thing, away from the crowds, Hikone Castle is a must see.

You will have to climb quite a bit though. The climb uphill to the walls, and then to the castle itself, is quite steep and strenuous. The castle interior requires you to climb 3 stories of ladders. You don’t need to be an Olympian, but you want to be in decent shape.

800 per person, cash only for tickets. That includes the garden. There’s an option to go into the Museum but I skipped it so I have no review.

I loved this place, and went on a Wednesday. There were effectively no crowds. Maybe 10 or so people wandering. Given how beautiful the location is, I’m going to be telling folks to go to Hikone from now on.

I ran a detour from Kyoto via JR only for Hikone-jō. All I can say is this was totally worth it.
Check more details of this spectacular site in this 360 video!
https://youtu.be/bpjQPhq1Jj0

Great gardens. Wonderful exhibits at the nearby museum! They even have walking sticks because the castle contains a lot of stairs

Even nice on a rainy day. Be prepared to walk up zig zag stone steps (designed to slow the enemies) and walk up and down steep stairs in the castle. There are a variety of indoor parts of the castle to visit. Great views of Lake Biwa in the distance.

I’m partial to castles with interiors that reflect the original design and Hikone does not disappoint. Beautiful both outside and in, prepare for the unique considerations of being in a castle that reflects the original design: super steep stairs (ladders), breezy interiors, cold floors in the winter, and no shoes allowed! Great views of the lake and snow-capped peaks if you go during the right season.

Beautiful castle and surrounding grounds. The castle ticket includes the garden ticket so make sure you buy that one first. Great spot in autumn! One word of caution: the castle has these super steep wooden staircases inside, so not for everyone! It’s still worth buying the ticket though to see the first floor and walk around the castle grounds. It’s quite physically demanding to walk on the pebble stones outside that can be slippy, so this place is best for those who can walk well and have a good balance.

One of the most interesting and beautiful castles in Japan. Although not the biggest, the location and setting are wonderful. The views from the Japanese garden nearby are stunning with the castle high up on a hill overlooking the lake in the garden. A little off the beaten tourist path, but we'll worth the extra time and effort to get there.

Another breathtaking Castle in Japan.
Be prepared to walk plenty, but it sure is worth it. Definitely not suitable for wheelchair access. Lots of steps and walking up and down stairs. Wear shoes that are easy to take off for access into the castle.
The stone work is magical.
The views are amongst the best I've ever seen.
There isn't much English written around, but it doesn't matter. Definitely worth putting on the must see list.

Such a beautiful castle. The gardens are pristine. Bring your walking shoes! Saw some adorable geese too!

I visited the castle as part of a science forum, and this was my first time at a castle. The Sakura inside the castle grounds are especially beautiful. The castle is also an ancient architectural masterpiece. The way the walls are made up of the rocks stacked up is a marvel. The interior and roofs of the castle are also interesting to observe.

Very nice Japanese castle with a lot of history.
One of the 12 still very original remaining castles in Japan.
Absolutely recommended to go there. Awesome view and history here.
Absolutely enjoyed it here, nice atmosphere.