Hikone, Shiga

From PHOTOGUIDE.JP

This page is 80% complete. Last updated: July 12, 2009

by Philbert Ono

Hikone (彦根市; -shi) is a city in northern Shiga Prefecture facing Lake Biwa. One of Shiga's best known cities due to Hikone Castle, one of four castles in Japan designated as a National Treasure. The castle overshadows all other attractions in Hikone which also has a number of noted temples. Hikone Port also has pleasure boats going to Chikubushima island.

In 2007, Hikone celebrated the 400th anniversary of Hikone Castle, founded in 1607 by Lord Ii Naomasa 井伊直政 who was awarded the domain of Omi (Shiga's feudal name) by Tokugawa Ieyasu after they won the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. Three castle buildings (Umaya horse stable, Tenbin Yagura turret, and Nishinomaru Sanju-yagura turret) which have been closed to the public are now open to the public. It took 20 years to construct the castle, completed by Lord Ii Naotaka 井伊直孝, the second castle lord.

Hikone Castle was also the base for Lord Ii Naosuke (1815-1860) 井伊 直弼 who was a high-ranking official (Tairo) in the Tokugawa government and who agreed to open up Japan upon the beckoning of Commodore Mathew Perry in the 19th century. Official diplomatic relations between Japan and America thus started with Shiga native Ii Naosuke and Commodore Perry.

Sights

Hikone Castle	Genkyuen Garden	Takeshima island
Hiko-nyan yuru-kyara	Hikone Castle parade in Nov.	Hikone Castle moat boat ride

• Hikone Castle 彦根城 - Hikone Castle is one of four castles in Japan designated as a National Treasure. It was the base of the Ii Clan, most notably Ii Naosuke who helped Japan establish diplomatic and trade relations with other countries. The castle celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2007. Besides the castle tower, three other buildings are now open to the public.

• Hikone Castle Moat Boat Ride 彦根城お堀めぐり - From March 2007, the Koedo Hikone NPO started operating "yakata-bune" Japanese-style boats in the moats of Hikone Castle as a tourist attraction for the castle's 400th anniversary. They operate 6 rides per day around the castle, taking 50 min. It certainly gives you a different perspective of the castle as you see the moat, castle tower, and bridges from the water. The ride costs 1,200 yen.

• Genkyu-en Garden 玄宮園 - Genkyu-en is a Japanese garden next to Hikone Castle. It was built as a castle garden in 1677 by Ii Naooki, the fourth lord of Hikone Castle. In Nov., the fall colors are beautifully lit up at night (6 pm - 9 pm). Admission 500 yen.

• Umoregi-no-ya - Ii Naosuke (1815-1860) was the 16th lord of the Hikone clan and served as the Chief Minister in the Tokugawa shogunate government. He was a key person in opening Japan to Western countries by signing the Treaty of Amity and Commerce (日米修好通商条約 Nichibei Shūkō Tsūshō Jōyaku) between the United States and Japan in 1858. From age 17 to 32, he lived and trained at Umoregi-no-ya within the grounds of Hikone Castle.

• Takeshima 多景島 - Called "Island of Many Views," this is a small island (600 m circumference) having many different shapes depending on your viewpoint. A Nichiren temple and the priest's family are on the island. Accessible by boat from Hikone.

• Toriimoto - Former 63rd stage town on the Nakasendo Road. Accessible via Toriimoto Station on the Ohmi Railway Line from Hikone Station.

Event Calendar

• Early April - Cherry blossoms at Hikone Castle
• Weekend in late July or early Aug. - Hikone Birdman Rally Contest where college teams compete to fly the farthest in gliders or human-propelled propeller planes over the lake. Official Web site
• Aug. 1 - Lake Biwa Fireworks
• Oct. weekend near the 29th - Little Edo - Hikone Castle Festival.
• Nov. 3 - Hikone Castle Festival Parade

Travel Tips

• JR Hikone Station has a tourist info office where you can pick up maps and pamphlets.
• There is also the Hikone International Lounge (Shimin Kaikan Building, 1st Floor) near Hikone Castle where you can speak to someone in English, pick up pamphlets, and access the Internet. [ Map here.]
• Hikone Castle and other places of interest are within walking distance from Hikone Station.
• If it is cherry blossom season, try to visit Hikone Castle in the morning. Otherwise the cherry blossoms will be in the afternoon shadow or backlit by the sun.
• A boat ride in the Hikone Castle moat started operations in March 2007, and it gives a different perspective of the castle. Highly recommended.
• In Nov. during the autumn foilage, visit Genkyu-en Garden at night to see the fall leaves lit up at night.

Getting There

By Train

Hikone Station is the city's main train station and gateway. Two train lines pass through the station. The closest shinkansen station is Maibara Station 5 min. away in neighboring Maibara. All trains (futsu and shin-kaisoku express) stop at Hikone Station. Only the local (futsu) trains stop at Inae Station and Minami-Hikone Station. Being able to ride on Ohmi Railways is also convenient.

Train Lines & Stations

• JR Tokaido/Biwako Line: Hikone Station, Minami-Hikone Station, Kawase Station, Inae Station
• Ohmi Railways Main Line (Honsen): Fujitec-mae Station, Toriimoto Station, Hikone Station, Hikone-guchi Station
• Ohmi Railways Taga Line: Takamiya Station, Screen Station

Travel Time

• From JR Tokyo Station to Hikone Station: JR Tokaido Shinkansen to Maibara Station (2.5 hours), then transfer to Biwako Line to Hikone Station (5 min.).
• From JR Kyoto Station to Hikone Station: About 20 min. via Tokaido Shinkansen to Maibara Station, then 5 min. via Biwako Line to Hikone Station. Or about 50 min. via JR Tokaido/Biwako Line shin-kaisoku express.
• From JR Osaka Station to Hikone Station: About 75 min. via JR Tokaido/Biwako Line (Shin-kaisoku).
• From JR Maibara Station to Hikone Station: 5 min. via JR Tokaido/Biwako Line.
• From JR Nagahama Station to Hikone Station: 15 min. via JR Biwako Line.
• From Ohmi Railways Yokaichi Station to Hikone Station: 30 min. via Ohmi Railways.
• From JR Nagoya Station to Hikone Station: Tokaido Shinkansen to Maibara Station (25 min.), then transfer to Tokaido/Biwako Line (5 min.) to Hikone Station. Or via Tokaido Main Line to Maibara Station (train transfer at Ogaki Station may be required) (1 hr 15 min.). Then transfer to the Biwako Line to Hikone Station (5 min.).
• From Hikone Station to Minami-Hikone Station Station: 3 min. via Tokaido/Biwako Line Futsu (local)
• From Hikone Station to Kawase Station: 6 min. via Tokaido/Biwako Main Line
• From Hikone Station to Inae Station: 9 min. via Tokaido/Biwako Main Line
• From Hikone Station to Toriimoto Station Station: 4 min. via Ohmi Railways
• From Hikone Station to Fujitec-mae Station: 7 min. via Ohmi Railways
• From Hikone Station to Hikone-guchi Station: 4 min. via Ohmi Railways
• From Hikone Station to Takamiya Station: 8 min. via Ohmi Railways

By Bus

Nearest Airports

• Kansai International Airport
• Central Japan International Airport (Centrair)
• Osaka International Airport

Getting Around

Hikone has two rail lines, both passing through Hikone Station: The JR Tokaido Line (also called the Biwako Line) and Ohmi Railways. Both train lines have a few stations within Hikone. On the Biwako Line, all trains stop at Hikone Station. However, only the local (futsu) trains will stop at the smaller stations of Inae, Kawase, and Minami-Hikone. On the Ohmi Railways, all the trains stop at all the stations. Local buses also leave from Hikone Station to other parts of the city. The Hikone Prince Hotel also has a free shuttle bus from Hikone Station and Hikone Port going to and from the hotel.

The major sights and facilities along the train stations in Hikone are as follows:

JR Tokaido Line

• Hikone Station (彦根駅) - The city's main station and closest to Hikone Castle, Hikone Port (for Chikubushima), and shrines and temples.
• Minami-Hikone Station (南彦根駅) - Viva City shopping mall with shops and movie theaters.
• Kawase Station (河瀬駅) - Residential.
• Inae Station (稲枝駅) - Residential.

Ohmi Railways

• Fujitec-mae Station (フジテック前駅) - New station opened in Mar. 2006. Near the factory of Fujitec, maker of elevators and escalators.
• Toriimoto Station (鳥居本駅) - Toriimoto-juku is a former stage town on the Nakasendo Road.
• Hikone Station (彦根駅) - Hikone Castle and temples are nearby.
• Hikone-guchi Station (彦根口駅) - .
• Takamiya Station (高宮駅) - Transfer point between the Ohmi Railways Main Line and the Taga Line for Taga Taisha Shrine.
• Screen Station (スクリーン駅) - New station opened on March 15, 2008. Near Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co. Ltd.'s semiconductor R&D center. The station was built by the company for its employees.

Maps

Placemarks in Google Maps are in English.

View Larger Map

• Sightseeing maps of Hikone

Photos

Hikone Castle and sakura	Hiko-nyan in Hawaii

More photos at Hikone Photos. More Shiga photos here.

Videos

Click on the video image to start playing the video.

More Shiga videos here.

History

• 1600 - At the Battle of Sekigahara, Ishida Mitsunari, lord of Sawayama Castle in Hikone, is defeated by Tokugawa Ieyasu and later executed in Kyoto. Lord Ii Naomasa, for his meritorious service at the battle of Sekigahara, is rewarded with the fief of Omi (present-day Shiga) and Sawayama Castle. Naomasa, however, did not like the fact that Ishida Mitsunari once occupied the castle, so he decided to build a new castle.
• 1602 - Lord Ii Naomasa dies mainly due to an old gunshot wound received at Sekigahara.
• 1603 - Construction of Hikone Castle begins. Structures and materials from nearby castles in Otsu, Nagahama, and Sawayama were also used.
• 1607 - Construction of Hikone Castle is completed for the most part, and Lord Ii Naokatsu (Naomasa's first son) moves in.
• 1622 - The final phase of Hikone Castle's construction, including the palace, is completed.
• 1677 - Genkyuen Garden next to Hikone Castle is completed.
• 1860 - Lord Ii Naosuke is assassinated in Edo, near Edo Castle's Sakuradamon Gate.
• 1952 - Hikone Castle is designated as a National Treasure.
• 1963 - NHK TV broadcasts its first year-long Taiga Drama series called "Hana no Shogai" (花の生涯) from April to Dec. 1963. Based on the period novel of the same name written by Funahashi Seiichi 舟橋 聖一 for Mainichi Newspaper during 1952-53, the story is about the life of Ii Naosuke (1815-60), lord of Hikone Castle and Chief Minister (Tairo 大老) of the Tokugawa government. Naosuke was played by Onoe Shoroku II, a kabuki actor. The series boosts the number of tourists visiting Hikone. Unfortunately, most of the original videotape of the series was erased to reuse the expensive videotape.
• 1969 - Sister city ties with Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA established.
• 1989 -The Japan Center for Michigan Universities (JCMU), a study center operated by a consortium of the fifteen public universities in the State of Michigan and the government of Shiga Prefecture opens in a temporary facility in Maibara. In 1990, the permanent campus is completed.
• 1991 - Sister city ties with Xiangtan, Hunan, China established.
• 2007 - Hikone Castle celebrates its 400th anniversary.

Miscellaneous

Recent News

• On March 15, 2008, a new train station opened on the Ohmi Railways Taga Line called Screen Station (スクリーン駅). Located between Takamiya and Taga Taisha-mae Stations, it serves mainly the employees of Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co. Ltd.'s semiconductor R&D center. The station was built by the company at the cost of 100 million yen. There are also many more direct trains running from Maibara and Hikone Stations to the Taga Line, making it unnecessary to transfer at Takamiya Station.
• On Nov. 25, 2007, the 400th anniversary festival for Hikone Castle ends with a total attendance of 764,484 during the period of March 21 to Nov. 25. This far exceeded the break-even attendance of 550,000. They spent an estimated 17 billion yen or an average of 5,200 yen per person who came on a day trip and 23,300 yen per person who lodged in Hikone. Ten percent of the amount were spent on Hiko-nyan merchandise.
• In Oct. 2007, Ohmi Railways announced that it is looking to sell the Hikone Prince Hotel (along with three ski resorts) due to red ink.
• Sawayama Castle, formerly occupied by Ishida Mitsunari, has been "rebuilt" in Sept. 2007 with a giant drawing of the castle tower on plywood mounted at the base of the castle mountain.
• Hiko-nyan, the official mascot character created for the 400th anniversary of Hikone Castle, has proven to be so popular that the city has decided to retain Hiko-nyan as the city's official mascot.
• Three buildings at Hikone Castle which have been closed to the public will remain open to the public even after the 400th anniversary event ends in Nov. 2007. You can enter the Umaya horse stable, Tenbin Yagura turret, and Nishinomaru Sanju-yagura turret. However, the castle admission will be increased by 100 yen to cover maintenance costs.
• A proposal is being pushed for Hikone and the neighboring towns of Kora-cho, Taga-cho, and Toyosato-cho to merge into one city.
• In April 2006, graffiti was found etched on a gate at Hikone Castle.

Trivia

• For the Tokaido shinkansen, building a shinkansen station in Hikone instead of Maibara was the original plan since Hikone had a larger population. However, due to the higher cost and calls from the Hokuriku region (Fukui, Kanazawa, etc.) wanting a shinkansen connection, the shinkansen station was built at Maibara.

Famous People

• Ii Naomasa (井伊直政) (1561-1602 ) - First lord of Hikone from 1600 during the Tokugawa Period. He was a general under Tokugawa Ieyasu whom he helped to win the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. He was rewarded with Sawayama Castle and the fief of Omi (now Shiga). Instead of occupying Sawayama Castle, home of his former enemy Ishida Mitsunari, he had wished to build a new castle in Hikone. His wish came true years after his death.
• Ii Naosuke (井伊 直弼) (1815-1860) - Tokugawa shogunate's Chief Minister (Tairo) who favored and concluded commercial treaties with the Western powers and thus broke Japan's isolation from the world. Foreigners were then allowed to trade with Japan and take up residence in cities like Yokohama and Hakodate. Ii was later brutally assassinated in 1860 by people who sought to oust the foreign "barbarians."
• Ishida Mitsunari 石田 三成 (1560-1600) - Native of Nagahama, and loyal retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Became lord of Sawayama Castle in Hikone and was later the ill-fated leader of the Western Forces defeated at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. Executed by Tokugawa Ieyasu in Kyoto.

Side Trips

Other sights in neighboring cities/towns within easy reach from Hikone.

• Taga Taisha Shrine - Near Taga Taisha-mae Station on the Ohmi Railways.
• Nagahama - Major city up north.
• Maibara - Hikone's northern neighbor.

Related Articles

• Shiga Prefecture
• Shiga Prefecture Sights
• Shiga Prefecture Transportation
• Shiga Prefecture Municipalities

External Links

• Hikone City Hall
• Photos of Hikone

Municipalities of Shiga Prefecture 滋賀県

Cities & Towns: Aisho-cho | Azuchi-cho | Higashi-Omi | Hikone | Hino-cho | Koka | Konan | Kora-cho | Kusatsu | Maibara | Moriyama | Nagahama | Omi-Hachiman | Otsu | Ritto | Ryuo-cho | Taga-cho | Takashima | Toyosato-cho | Yasu

愛荘町 | 安土町 | 東近江市 | 彦根市 | 日野町 | 甲賀市 | 湖南市 | 甲良町 | 草津市 | 米原市 | 守山市 | 長浜市 | 近江八幡市 | 大津市 | 栗東市 | 竜王町 | 多賀町 | 高島市 | 豊郷町 | 野洲市

Prefectures of Japan

Aichi | Akita | Aomori | Chiba | Ehime | Fukui | Fukuoka | Fukushima | Gifu | Gunma | Hiroshima | Hokkaido | Hyogo | Ibaraki | Ishikawa | Iwate | Kagawa | Kagoshima | Kanagawa | Kochi | Kumamoto | Kyoto | Mie | Miyagi | Miyazaki | Nagano | Nagasaki | Nara | Niigata | Oita | Okayama | Okinawa | Osaka | Saga | Saitama | Shiga | Shimane | Shizuoka | Tochigi | Tokushima | Tokyo | Tottori | Toyama | Wakayama | Yamagata | Yamaguchi | Yamanashi