Leisure / Outdoors Spots in Shiga Area

Area

Shiga
- Japan
- Hokkaido / Tohoku
  
  Hokkaido
  
  Aomori
  
  Iwate
  
  Miyagi
  
  Akita
  
  Yamagata
  
  Fukushima
- Kanto
  
  Ibaraki
  
  Tochigi
  
  Gunma
  
  Saitama
  
  Chiba
  
  Tokyo
  
  Kanagawa
- Koshinetsu / Hokuriku
  
  Niigata
  
  Toyama
  
  Ishikawa
  
  Fukui
  
  Yamanashi
  
  Nagano
- Tokai
  
  Gifu
  
  Shizuoka
  
  Aichi
  
  Mie
- Kinki
  
  Shiga
  
  Kyoto
  
  Osaka
  
  Hyogo
  
  Nara
  
  Wakayama
- Chugoku
  
  Tottori
  
  Shimane
  
  Okayama
  
  Hiroshima
  
  Yamaguchi
- Shikoku
  
  Tokushima
  
  Kagawa
  
  Ehime
  
  Kochi
- Kyushu / Okinawa
  
  Fukuoka
  
  Saga
  
  Nagasaki
  
  Kumamoto
  
  Oita
  
  Miyazaki
  
  Kagoshima
  
  Okinawa

Category

Leisure / Hobbies

Leisure / Outdoors

MIHO MUSEUM

4.5

343 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Pref. Koukashi Shigarakichoutashiro Momotani 300

This unique design of this art museum in Koka City, Shiga was created by famous architect, I. M. Pei who was also responsible for designing the glass pyramid at the Musee de Louvre. Built to evoke the image of Shangri-La, 80% of the building is underground allowing it to assimilate into the beautiful natural surroundings. Over 3,000 pieces of art are on display in four exhibition rooms which cover Egypt, Western-Asia, Southern-Asia, and the Western Regions of China and special themed exhibits are also held. * The museum is closed for the winter until March 20th, 2019.

Excellent museum on a different level. Full of treasures. Must have cost them a fortune to build. And to fill it with all those treasures from around the world. SPECTACULAR
Lake Biwa Museum

4.5

156 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Pref. Kusatsushi Oroshimochou 1091

Focusing on Lake Biwa, this museum explores the relationship between people and the lake. The museum’s aquarium exhibit, displaying the freshwater animals in general and particularly those found in Lake Biwa, is one of the largest in Japan. Some of the museum’s numerous points of note include an exhibit of endemic species such as the Lake Biwa catfish and a 10-meter-long tunnel aquarium which allows visitors to walk under the water and enjoy freshwater fish from around the world. There are also dioramas presenting the history of Lake Biwa and exhibits presenting items once used by people living in the areas. The museum restaurant’s black bass dishes are popular with visitors. Take the bus from JR Kusatsu Station and get off at Biwako Hakubutsukan-mae.

We started with the aquarium, which is one of the best Ive seen (and Ive seen a lot of them). Really great exhibits --we spent about 2 hours there. The restaurant was also good and the other areas...
Nagahama Castle Historical Museum

3.5

197 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Pref. Nagahamashi Kouenchou 10-10

A museum located on the site of the Nagahama Castle Ruins in Koen-cho, Nagahama City. The museum operates out of a restoration of the castle based on how it would have looked in the distant Azuchi-Momoyama period. The museum’s standing exhibition looks at the history of the northern Lake Biwa area and Nagahama; the mighty samurai lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who built Nagahama Castle; and other themes relating to Nagahama. The museum also holds special exhibitions on the Nagahama area and historical figures like Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

This small castle is a short walk from the Nagahama JR station and has a great view out over Lake Biwa. It was one of Hideyoshi Toyotomis first castles and the museum explains some of the history of...
Hikone Castle Museum

4.0

172 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Pref. Hikoneshi Konkichou 1-1

A museum located in Konki-cho, Hikone City. The museum is located on the site of Hikone Castle’s front palace and operates out of a recreation of that now destroyed structure. The museum contains some 45,000 pieces of valuable works of art, handicrafts, and ancient documents handed down for generations in the Ii clan, who once ruled ancient Hikone domain; as well as over 91,000 items relating to Hikone.

It is a museum of Hikone Castle. When you buy a combination ticket, you can visit the castle, garden and this museum. I strongly recommend you to buy it and visit this museum. There are interesting...
Genkyu-En

4.5

180 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Pref. Hikoneshi Konkichou 3

This is a garden with a large central pond and a circular walking trail located northeast of Hikone Castle. It was said to have been built by Ii Naooki, the fourth feudal lord of Hikone domain. This is a famous garden built with every luxury imaginable from the Edo culture—it is designed after a palace garden from the Chinese Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. Buildings such as Rinchikaku, artificial hills of Houshoudai are built as if they project out into the large lake, and trees, shrubs and rocks are cleverly arranged to imitate “Omi Hakkei” (Eight Views of Omi). The illumination is also well worth seeing, which is held in November during the season for autumnal leaves.

Originally, I was going to pass on the gardens but it came included with the castle so I decided to come. I am glad I visited the garden because it was beautiful and there were amazing views of the...
Kyukamura Ohmi-Hachiman Campground

4.0

107 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Pref. Oumihachimanshi Okishimachou Miyagahama

A campground located on the grounds of the Kyukamura Omi-Hachiman hotel in Miyagahama Okishima-cho, Omihachiman City. Situated in front of beautiful Lake Biwa, the campground has permanent deluxe tents with tarps and benches, raised wooden platforms for visitors to pitch their own tents on, and roofed day trip barbecue sites. The campground also has lodges with warm water showers. In addition, guests can make use of the large indoor hot spring bath in the hotel’s west building.

６月２５日（土）滋賀県で最も賑わっている「ラコリーナ」のカフェで「バームクーヘンセット」を楽しんでから、休暇村東館へ。１５分程。宮ヶ浜水泳場は湖水を楽しむ家族連れが数十人。湖岸道路の山側高台に東館はある。日本遺産に指定されている「沖島」の眺望が良い。温泉浴場は、広くはないが、露店もある。夕食は懐石料理。近江牛のすき焼きもある。朝、宮ヶ浜を散歩。西館へも行ってみた。西館は浜に近く、湖水遊びにはベター...
"Azuchi Castle Museum “The House of Nobunaga"""

4.0

103 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Pref. Oumihachimanshi Aduchichoukuwanomiji 800

A museum located in Kuwanomiji Azuchi-cho, Omihachiman City. Inside the museum is a life-sized recreation of the tower of Azuchi Castle originally built for Seville Expo ’92 in Spain. The structure includes recreations of the tower’s artistic touches, as well, such as a room partition painting of the powerful samurai lord Oda Nobunaga created by the renowned Japanese painter Kano Eitoku; and the tower exterior itself, which is decorated with 100 thousand sheets of gold leaf.

安土城考古学博物館と同じ敷地の中ですが、棟続きにはなっておらず雨天だったので傘をさしての移動でした。中にある天守の再現は屋外ならもっと巨大に感じたのかもしれません。安土城での徳川家康のための饗宴献立の再現は興味を持って見学しました。
Nagahama Railway Museum

4.0

110 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Pref. Nagahamashi Kitafunachou 1-41

A railroad museum located in Kitafuna-cho, Nagahama City. The museum consists of the former Nagahama Station building, constructed in 1882 and the oldest extant station building in Japan; the Nagahama Railway Culture Hall, and the Hokuriku Line Electrification Memorial Hall. Visitors can tour areas of the station building such as the old waiting area and stationmaster’s office as well as view relevant exhibits. In addition, the museum has train models, a D51 steam locomotive which visitors are allowed to sit in the driver’s seat, and an ED70 ac electric locomotive. The museum’s observation deck offers a super close view of the trains running on the Hokuriku Line track.

The building sits nicely on its site. It is said to be the oldest existing railroad station building in the country. We were here for autumn foliage and the trees in front of the building were at...
Kaiyodo Figure Museum Kurokabe Ryuyukan

4.0

95 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Pref. Nagahamashi Motohamachou 8-22 Nagahama Art Center

A museum dedicated to figurines and models situated along the Hokkoku Highway in Motohama-cho, Nagahama City. Kaiyodo is a company known around the world for its figurines, and this museum displays some of the company’s most renowned pieces as well as over 2,000 snack prize figurines, dioramas, and more. The museum also holds workshops on figurine painting and diorama making. Be sure to stop by the museum shop situated on the Nagahama Otemon Shopping Street in Motohama -cho.

They had a special exibition in another building but I really wanted to see the real one... At least I got to see the life sized figures I wanted.
Koka Ninja House

4.0

64 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Pref. Koukashi Kounanchouryuboushi 2331

A sort of real ninja theme park filled with secret ninja tricks located in Ryuboshi Konan-cho, Koka City. The residence was built around 1700, during the Edo period, by the Mochizuki Koka ninja clan. Preparing for the unexpected, the house was filled with tricks and traps, including trick windows, rotating walls, and drop pits. Items used as part of daily ninja life are also on display here.

Although it is a guided tour conducted in Japanese, we were able to follow the tour as the staff passed us a folder with English description and she helped us along the way. It is amazing to...
Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park

4.0

62 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Pref. Koukashi Shigarakichouchokushi 2188-7

A public park located in Chokushi Shigaraki-cho, Koka City. The park is dotted with outdoor art exhibits and also encloses such facilities as a ceramics art gallery, training hall where ceramics arts can stay, and a Shigaraki ware museum with a shop and café. The park also has ceramics arts hold workshops and demonstrational lectures as well as artist markets.

There are three main bulidings set in a large landscaped park. The weather on the day we visited was good and there were some families having picnics and playing on the (patchy) grass. One building...
Kusatsu City Aquatic Botanical Garden Mizunomori

4.0

46 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Pref. Kusatsushi Oroshimochou 1091

A public park located on the Karasuma Peninsula in Oroshimo-cho, Kusatsu City. Designed around the theme of “contact between plants and people and water and people,” visitors to the park can enjoy a variety of flowers throughout the year. The park’s Lotus Hall is filled with lotuses, water lilies, and other aquatic plants; the hall also has a store and a restaurant serving dishes such as soft serve ice cream and udon noodles made with lotus.

昨年（2021年）は 7月4日に訪問し [花影の池]で《睡蓮》と《オオオニハス》による独特の美しさに会えましたが今年（2022年）は 6月2日に訪問するも《睡蓮》の季節に少し早く [花影の池]はあまり印象的な景観を与えてくれませんでした。一方日本国内では 2ケ所[他の1ケ所；しまね花の郷（出雲市）]しか開花例がないと言われている《悪魔の手の木添付写真参照》やとても珍しい《ヤマサキカ...
Sagawa Art Museum

4.0

7 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Pref. Moriyamashi Mizuhochou Kitagawa 2891

An art museum located in Kitagawa Mizuho-cho, Moriyama City. The museum’s collection consists of pieces by Japanese painter Ikuo Hirayama, sculptor Churyo Sato, and ceramic artist Kichizaemon Raku. The museum has three standing exhibit halls each supervised by one of the artists. The museum also holds special exhibitions of other artists’ works. In addition, the museum owns a Buddhist temple bell designated a National Treasure which was originally cast in 858 to serve as the bell for the Hodoin west bell tower at the Enryaku-ji Temple (note that this bell is not normally put on display).

The restaurant / cafe is not too appealing... Food is o.k, prices are a bit high. Could have been much nicer. It feels too generic for a location like that...
Makino Sunny Beach

4.0

29 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Takashima-shi Makinocho Nishihama Chinai

A seven-minute walk from JR Makino Station. This swimming beach is located next to the mouth of the Chinai River on the northwest coast of Lake Biwa. The beach spans a kilometer, stretching from Takagihama in the north to Chinaihama in the south. The beautiful beach was selected for inclusion in a list of the top 100 white sand beaches and green pine groves of Japan which people want to pass on to the 21st century in 1987, and the Ministry of the Environment's list of the Selection of Best 100 Beach in 2006. From the beach, visitors can see the Kaizu Osaki Peninsula and Chikubu Island, each of which is one of the Eight Views of Lake Biwa; there are also many campgrounds in the area. In most years, swimming is allowed from July 1st to August 31st.

My friend and I decided to camp here after hiking up Mt. Fuji a day before. We had originally decided to stay two nights, but we had to take the JR line all the way to Tokyo, then all the way back to...
Hikiyama Museum

4.0

47 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Pref. Nagahamashi Motohamachou 14-8

It is a museum concerning one of the three largest float festivals in Japan, the “Nagahama Hikiyama Festival” which is registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, and is held in April every year in Nagahama City. There are four festival floats in the collection, two of which are exhibited in the museum. These luxurious and gorgeous ornaments with gold engraving, wood carving and lacquer coating are a must see. There are also an exhibition of stage dummies and a “Kid’s Kabuki” (Japanese classical drama) video show, which is performed on one of the stage floats that is a highlight of the festival. There is also a coffee shop at the museum.

Small museum located in Kurobe Square - 10 minutes walk from station. Displays showcase the Hikiyama Matsuri which takes place in April, highlighting the role children play in the performance...
Koka Ninja Village

4.0

9 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Pref. Koukashi Koukachouoki 394

A theme park located in Oki Koka-cho, Koka City. Facilities include a museum with exhibits on Koka ninja, a ninja funhouse, a ninja dojo with nine training grounds, a shuriken dojo, a craft dojo where you can pain raku ware and do other crafts, and a Shinobi-jinja Shrine dedicated to ninja. There’s also a restaurant where you can enjoy “ninja barbecue,” a store selling ninja goods, and a costume rental shop.

The 25- or 30-year-old buildings and equipment are showing their age, and in need of maintenance in some cases, but our family of 4 had great fun climbing walls, skimming across the muddy pond...
Otsumatsuri Exhibition Pavilion

4.0

41 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Pref. Otsushi Chuou 1-2-27

"The Otsumatsuri Exhibition Pavilion is located around five minutes' drive from the Otsu Interchange on the Meishin Expressway. The exhibits displayed in the Pavilion include artifacts and materials relating to the Otsu Matsuri (Otsu Festival), which is held in Otsu City, to the southwest of Lake Biwa, and which has been designated as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, as well as life-size replicas of the Hikiyama floats used in the festival. The emphasis in the displays within the Pavilion is on ""enabling visitors to experience the fun and excitement of the Otsu Matsuri,"" and visitors can view video footage of the actual festival. The ""Ohayashi Experience"" area, in which visitors can try their hand at playing ohayashi festival music using such traditional instruments as gongs and Taiko big drums and so on, is very popular with children."

無料で見られる大津祭の展示館です。大津祭の写真や山車なども館内に有りました。写真から祭りの熱気も感じられます。スタッフの方も親切ですよ。尚館内は撮影OKです。
Kawara Museum

3.5

46 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Omihachiman-shi Tagacho 738-2

This museum, located in Taga-cho, Omihachiman City, contains exhibits on Hachiman roof tiles, a local industry which developed with the building of Hachimanyama Castle in 1585 by Toyotomi Hidetsugu. Here visitors can view gold leaf and eave-end roof tiles excavated from the ruins of Hidetsugu’s residence, decorative ridge-end gargoyle roof tiles and tile figures from the Edo period, and gargoyle roof tiles from studios and workshops situated along the Hachiman-bori Canal.

Very expensive entry fee ($10 / 1,000 yen) to see some roof-tiles. If it was more friendly fee, I think you would have seen more visitors.
Shiga Prefectural Azuchi Castle Archeological Museum

3.5

35 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Pref. Oumihachimanshi Aduchichoushimotoira 6678

A museum located in Shimotoira Azuchi-cho, Omihachiman City. The museum contains exhibits on artifacts excavated from ancient burial mounds and historic sites such as the Dainaka-no-ko Konan Iseki ruins; fortresses and castles from the medieval to the modern period such as and the Kannonji Castle Ruins and the Azuchi Castle Ruins; and Oda Nobunaga, the mighty samurai lord who built Azuchi Castle. The museum also holds special exhibitions.

名前が表すように一応考古学の視点にたっての展示になっていました。安土城が中心ではありますが、その建築の過程や城があった時代、炎上その後と解説がありました。安土城自体は知っている身ですが、地域の地理や歴史の詳細までは知らないので役に立ちました。田んぼの中を道を車で行くと洋館のような建物なのが異彩でした。
The Museum of Modern Art, Shiga

3.5

15 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Pref. Otsushi Setaminamiogayachou 1740-1

An art museum located in Biwako Culture Park in Setaminamiogaya-cho, Otsu City. The museum’s collection and standing exhibition consists of modern Nihonga Japanese paintings, works of art by Nihonga painter Yuki Ogura and other artists connected to the local area, and other works of post-WWII American and Japanese modern art. The museum also holds permanent exhibitions and workshops and rents out exhibition spaces to city residents.

日本各地の公立美術館には、それぞれ特色があって初めて行くときはワクワクする。立地、建物、企画、特色にもいろいろあるが、やはりいちばん重要かつ訪問の決め手になるのはコレクションだろう。コレクションは寄贈によるものと収集方針によるものがあり、寄贈はご当地出身の作家や収集家からものが多い。そして、それを機会に収集方針にも寄贈作品を引き継ぐ流れができていく。滋賀県立美術館の場合は、山元春挙と小倉遊亀...

Shiga

Otsu Shigaraki / Koka Konan / Kusatsu Omihachiman Koto / Hikone Kohoku / Nagahama Kosei / Takashima

Leisure / Hobbies Leisure / Outdoors

Amusement Park / Theme Park Pool Beach Park / Green Space Aquarium Museum / Science Museum Zoo Orchard Art Museum Art Gallery / Gallery Botanical Garden Event Complex Facility / Commercial Facility Camping / Auto Camping Hiking / Walking Boat Pier Fishing / Fishing Pond / Managed Fishing Ground Fishing Equipment / Fishing Bait Shop Other Leisure Facility / Other Outdoors Facility

Shiga Areas

Visitors to Shiga prefecture are almost always hopping east across the prefectural border from Kyoto, and they are almost certainly Lake Biwa-bound. Covering an area of 670 square kilometers, Lake Biwa makes up the bulk of Shiga prefecture, with beautiful lakeside paths that offer myriad walking and cycling opportunities, connecting a string of museums, shrines, and picturesque views that finally lead you to Hikone Castle on the eastern side of the lake.