Table of Contents
Overview
Hikone City in Shiga Prefecture is first introduced as a place to visit where you can avoid the crowds and enjoy Japanese culture leisurely. It is conveniently located between Nagoya and Kyoto on the Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo, making it a convenient stopover before heading to Kyoto from Tokyo.
Facing Lake Biwa, Hikone was home to Hikone Castle, where the feudal lord Ii family resided during the Edo period. It is one of only five national treasures in Japan, built in the 17th century. Ii Naosuke, who served as a Grand Elder of the Edo Shogunate and concluded the Treaty of Amity and Commerce with the United States about 150 years ago. He spent his young and unfortunate days in a burial mansion outside Hikone Castle. Naosuke was also an excellent tea master, and his famous tea ceremony spirit of “Ichigo Ichie,” or “once-in-a-lifetime meeting,” has been handed down to the present day. This samurai residence and tea house is a must-see place to learn about the spirit of the tea ceremony. From Hikone, there is a regular boat service to Chikubushima, an island of ancient faith on Lake Biwa, and from Chikubushima, visitors can travel to the opposite shore of Lake Biwa, where Hieizan is located.
Must-see spots
Hikone castle
Hikone Castle is a 17th-century castle construction. The castle’s lord, the Ii family, was a man of courage and served the shogun as his close aide and held a high position in the Edo shogunate. The castle tower, a national treasure, is perched on a hill. The curves of the roof and the arrangement of the windows in traditional shapes are wonderful. Inside the castle are the palace, Japanese garden, and Noh stage. They were the living quarters of the feudal lord, vividly evoking the life of the samurai of that time
Umoregi-no-ya
Naosuke Ii, the 13th lord of the feudal domain, was a politician who even served as the highest-ranking Tairo (Grand Elder) of the Edo Shogunate. But he was not originally a successor to the feudal lord. He was supposed to spend the rest of his life in this small samurai residence. By a twist of fate, Naosuke suddenly became a top of the Ii family. However, during his impoverished life at Umoreginoya, he devoted himself to the arts, especially the tea ceremony, and left behind his famous words, “Ichigo ichie” (“Once-in-a-lifetime meeting”). Umoreginoya is a quiet place where you should strongly feel the spirit of the samurai’s tea ceremony.
Lake Biwa
Hikone City faces Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan. Visitors can take a liner from Hikone Port to Chikubujima, a small island with a circumference of 2 km in the northern part of Lake Biwa. Ancient people saw Chikubujima as an island of faith protected by a mysterious god. There are two national treasures located in temples and shrines on the island. The island itself is designated as a national scenic and historic site.
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More Infomation (links to other sites)
Access
JR Hikone station (7 minutes from Maibara station on Tokaido Shinkansen, or about 1 hour from Kyoto station by train)
