History / Culture / Tour Spots in Kohoku / Nagahama Area

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Kohoku / Nagahama

Category

Travel / Tourism

History / Culture / Tour

Kurokabe Square

4.0

352 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Shiga Pref. Nagahamashi Motohamachou 12-38

Long known by the nickname “the Kurokabe Bank (Black Wall Bank),” this remodeled former bank building houses the Kurokabe Glass Shop as well as a gallery and restaurant, and has come to be known as the largest space exhibiting glass crafts in western Japan. In addition to glass and porcelain, visitors can also enjoy trying their hand at making a diorama in the popular Kaiyodo Figure Museum.

Went there mainly to visit Kaiyodo Museum but we found lots of good food! Try the sweet potato sweets, theyre worth it!
Nagahama Castle Historical Museum

3.5

199 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...
Nagahama Railway Museum

4.0

111 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...
Yanmar Museum

4.5

83 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Nagahama-shi Sanwacho 6-50

Yanmar is a well-known diesel engine and machines manufacturer Japan-wide and worldwide. It was the first company that invented and commercialised the worlds first smallest diesel engine since the...
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.

年配の人にはフィギュアの魅力がよく分からないので、若い人で行ったほうが楽しめると思う。ミュージアムには入らなかったが、店内ショップの大量のガチャガチャが面白くて、何回か回しました。
Nagahama Betsuin Daitsuji Temple (Gobou-san)

4.0

89 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Shiga Pref. Nagahamashi Motohamachou 32-9

This is a temple of the Otani sect of Shinshu that has long been fondly known by the nickname of “Gobo-san”, whose origins lie in its establishment on the site of Nagahama Castle in 1602. Thereafter, it was moved to its current location in 1652. You can catch a glimpse of the splendid Momoyama culture in the main hall and the banquet hall which are said to be the remains of Fushimi castle and have been designated as National Important Cultural Properties. Within the temple grounds, there is also Ganzanken Japanese Garden, a kanshoshiki kare-sansui (“dry landscape”) garden, and there is also the Rantei Japanese Garden which is a National Place of Scenic Beauty. The temple is famous for having a great number of cultural properties such as paintings on paper sliding doors and screens.

The main gate which took that of Higashihonganji as a model is very impressive. Although Nagahama is now a small town, we can understand it was once a very prosperous place. To enter the premises is...
Keiunkan

4.0

35 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Shiga Pref. Nagahamashi Minatochou 2-5

A historic building located in Minato-cho, Nagahama City. The building was built with funds provided by local businessman Asami Matazo to accommodate Emperor Meiji when he stopped by Nagahama while returning to Tokyo after visiting Kyoto in 1886. The building is a nationally designated Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty.

京阪神の新快速電車内では、新春を迎えると長浜盆梅展のお知らせが目に付きます。盆梅とは盆栽の梅が咲くものです。その盆梅展が開かれるのが慶雲館で、庭が立派です。
Hikiyama Museum

4.0

48 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.

長浜市曳山博物館は、平成12年(2000年)10月1日にオープンしました。本物の曳山が展示されていたり、修理を行う修理ドックや曳山の文化の普及を担っている施設です。見学には約40分かかりました。
Kinomoto Jizoin Temple

4.0

43 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Shiga Pref. Nagahamashi Kinomotochoukinomoto 944

A Buddhist temple located in Kinomoto Kinomoto-cho, Nagahama City. The temple’s founding is said to date back to the Hakuho period (645–710), and temple records state that it was visited by such eminent figures as the great monk Kukai and shogun Ashikaga Takauji. The temple’s principal object of worship is known as the “Eye Buddha;” a hidden Buddha not normally made viewable to the public, a Kshitigarbha figure modeled after this statue stands on the grounds, with a frog with one eye closed called the “Stand-in Frogs” sitting at the figure’s feet.

駐車場に車を停めて境内に入ると、大きな地蔵像の後ろ姿が見えて来ました。平日のためか、参拝客の姿はほとんど無く、ひっそりとしていました。眼の地蔵菩薩として、古くから信仰を集めているそうです。人気店のつるやパンは、すぐそこです。
Odani Castle Sengoku Historical Museum

3.5

19 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Shiga Pref. Nagahamashi Odanigujouchou 139

A museum located at the site of the Odani Castle Ruins, a National Historic Site, in Ibe Kohoku-cho, Nagahama City. The museum contains exhibits on the Azai clan, who ruled Omi during the Warring States period, as well as their castle, Odani Castle. The museum’s two exhibition rooms, dedicated to three generations of the Azai clan and Odani Castle, respectively, exhibit artefacts excavated from the site of the castle, portraits of relevant individuals, and materials on the structure of Odani Castle.

日本百名城の一つである小谷城を訪問した際、夕方でお城に向かうのは時間が無かった為、こちらの資料館に足を運びました。小谷城が背後に控えている場所にあります。小谷城とその主だった浅井氏の歴史を丁寧に説明しているので、歴史好きの方にはオススメします。次回は、小谷城を歩いて廻った後、訪問してみたいと思います。
Kogenji Temple (Doganji Temple Kannondo)

4.5

18 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Shiga Pref. Nagahamashi Takatsukichoudouganji 50

A Buddhist temple located in Doganji Takatsuki-cho, Nagahama City. The temple enshrines an eleven faced figure of the Kanzeon Bodhisattva; one of only seven in the country to be designated a National Treasure, this figure is famously considered particularly beautiful among the seven. Numerous other figures of Kanzeon Bodhisattva, housed in other Kannondo temple halls, can be found in the surrounding area, and during the Kannon no Sato Furusato Festival held in October, all of these halls make their figures viewable to the general public at the same time.

The isthmus between Wakasa Bay and Ise Bay is the narrowest and, accordingly, the lowest part of Honshu Island. The Fukasaka Pass between Wakasa Bay and lake Biwa has only the altitude of 370 meters...
Shakudoji Temple

4.5

27 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Shiga Pref. Nagahamashi Kinomotochouishimichi 419

A Buddhist temple located in Ishimichi Kinomoto-cho, Nagahama City. The temple’s principal object of worship, an 11 headed Kanzeon Bodhisattva, is recorded to have been made in the distant Heian period and has been designated a National Important Cultural Property. In October each year, the Kannon no Sato Furusato Festival is held, during which time area temples, including this one, all unveil their normally hidden statues of Kannon to the general public.

間近に鑑賞することが出来ます。カイトフック等に唇の朱が残っていることの記述が多くありますが、それ以上に衣等にも彩色が残り更に右側の親指がわずかに上がり一歩今にも踏み出す様子を見逃さないことお薦めします（堂内は写真撮影禁止なので写真にて紹介出来ず）。なお近くにある[己高閣・世代閣]は 7月19日参拝時新型コロナ感染予防の影響で仏像の拝観不可となっておりました。
Nagahama Hachimangu Shrine

4.0

21 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Shiga Pref. Nagahamashi Miyamaechou 13-55

"This shrine honoring Nagahama's patron deity has been there since the Heian Period. The deity was installed there in 1069 from Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine, and it's been the region's protective spirit ever since. The shrine declined temporarily during the Warring States Period, but the lord of Nagahama Castle, Hashiba Hideyoshi, favored the shrine and it regained its status. The Nagahama Hikiyama Festival is its main celebration is especially famous. Held yearly from April 13 to 16, area children perform extravagant ""Kids Kabuki"" shows on top of flamboyant festival floats. "

It is maybe one of the most interesting tourist attractions in Nagahama. Its origin remounts to over 1000 years ago, but during Sengoku Period it was devastated. At the time Hideyoshi was in...
Keisokuji Temple Koko-kaku & Yoshiro-kaku

4.0

17 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Shiga Pref. Nagahamashi Kinomotochoufuruhashi 1107

Two treasure houses located in Furuhashi Kinomoto-cho, Nagahama City. The Koko-kaku was built as Shiga Prefecture’s first treasure house for cultural properties in 1963 to store items such as the Keisokuji Temple’s eleven headed figure of the Bhaisajyaguru and the treasures of other temples on Mt. Kodakami-yama. The Yoshiro-kaku was built in 1989 to store items such as the Yoshiro Yamatoiwa-ji Temple’s standing figure of Bhaisajyaguru. Together, the two facilities store and display a large number of cultural properties.

あの有名な最澄が雪に残る鳥の足に導かれ埋もれていた観音様（その昔、近江の国の鬼門にあたる己高山に祀られたが、朽ちて仏頭だけになっていたのを修補）。いいお顔をしていました。
Samegaijuku Shiryokan Museum

3.5

19 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Shiga Pref. Maibarashi Samegai 592 Former Post Office

"This archive of history is located in Samegai, Maibara City. It makes use of the Western-style ""Samegai Post Office"" and the ""Ex-Samegai Inn Toiyaba (postinn station)"" built in the Taisho period and designated as Cultural Property. On display are materials such as old documents related to Samegai-juku (inn), which was prosperous as a post town of Nakasendo. You can use the location as a place to rest, as well."

ヴォーリス作の名建築の一つです。元は醒井郵便局です。見た目は鉄筋みたいだが、実は木造２階建の擬洋風建築です。現在は資料館となっている。入館は２００円、９時から５時まで。毎月曜日は休館。古い建物が続く旧醒井宿の家並でひと際、異彩を放っている素晴らしい外観の建物でした。
Takatsuki Kannon-no-sato Historical Folk Museum

3.5

17 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Shiga Pref. Nagahamashi Takatsukichoudouganji 229

A museum located in Doganji Takatsuki--cho, Nagahama City. Takatsuki is known as the “Kannon-no-sato” or “Village of Kannon,” and the museum contains exhibits on the history and folk customs of the area as well as the Kannon faith. The museum also introduces local eminent figures such as mid-Edo period Confucian scholar Hoshu Amenomori.

展示品は 1階と2階に分かれ 1階：仏像、神像（旧高月町内からの寄託された像、小さな像ですが 7月19日訪問時平安時代の像が数多くありヒックリでした）、2階：湖北の歴史と民俗となっています。この為これらに関心を持っておられないと入館されてもつまらないかも知れません。一方で仏像鑑賞に関心を持っておられると 300円で平安時代の仏像に会え価値ありです。又湖北の仏像鑑賞に関心を...
Seiganji Temple

4.0

12 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Shiga Pref. Maibarashi Maihara 669

A Buddhist temple located in Maibara, Maibara City. The temple was originally founded as the Beisenji temple by Sasaki Doyo, military commissioner of Omi, in the distant Nanboku-cho period. The temple’s rock garden is a designated National Place of Scenic Beauty and, with a reservation made at least five days in advances, visitors can enjoy a special Japanese Buddhist vegetarian meal while taking in a view of the garden.

米原市の太尾山（ふとおやま）西麓にある曹洞宗の禅刹です。南北朝時代に、近江国の守護・京極氏が建てたお寺をルーツとしています。兵火により焼失した際に、難を逃れた本尊の聖観音像が、長い年月を経たまま古びた小堂に祀られている様子を、遊行中の彦根大雲寺の僧侶が哀れみ、青岸寺として再興したと伝えられ、寺名は再興に尽力した敦賀人の謚に因んでいます。湖東（琵琶湖の東部）エリアに点在する近江七福神霊場札所の...
Kunitomo Gun Museum

4.0

9 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Shiga Nagahama-shi Kunitomocho 534

A museum located in Kunitomo-cho, Nagahama City. The museum contains exhibits on the history of Kunitomo, an area which flourished as a center for “teppo” gun production from shortly after their introduction to Japan during the Warring States period through to the Edo period. Visitors can see exhibits on the Kunitomo teppo gun production process and a recreation of what a Kunitomo blacksmith’s workshop looked like, as well as real matchlock teppo guns. The museum also has exhibits on engineers and cultured persons born in Kunitomo such as Kunitomo Ikkansai, who conducted astronomical observations using his own home-built reflecting telescope; and tea ceremony master Tsuji Sohan.

一度は行ってみたいところでした。駅前からバスに乗って資料館へ。朝一番という事で１時間余楽しみました。展示資料はそれほど多くはありませんでしたが、鉄砲の里という事で、そこここに立つ道標にも歴史を感じました。資料館の館長さんも気さくな方でお話を伺い、グッツも沢山仕入れました。
"Azai Folklore Museum “Oichi-no-Sato"""

4.0

9 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Shiga Pref. Nagahamashi Oyorichou 528

A museum located in Oyori-cho, Nagahama City. The museum has a local culture hall which focuses on three generations of the Azai clan during the Warring States period and contains exhibits on the clan in general as well as the three famous Azai sisters. There’s also a facility which contains exhibits on the cultivation of silkworms practiced by the Azai as well as Kusano blacksmithing; and the home of a late Edo period village headman moved to the museum site and restored to give viewers a taste of what life looked like back then.

湖北地方の歴史を学ぶことができる。戦争はやはりつらいものだと痛感させられる。近くを立ち寄ったら是非訪れてほしい。
Odani Castle Ruins

Travel / Tourism

Shiga Pref. Nagahamashi Odanigujouchou , Shiba prefecture Nagahama shi Kohokucho Ibe

A designated National Historic Site located in Ibe Kohoku-cho, Nagahama City. The castle belonged to the Azai clan and is known for its connection to Chacha, Hatsu, and Go, three famous sisters born between the samurai lord Azai Nagamasa and Oichi, the younger sister of the mighty lord Oda Nobunaga. After the downfall of the Azai clan, the castle temporarily passed into the possession of the great lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi but was later abandoned. An archeological excavation conducted decades ago discovered ruins believed to have been the castle’s palatial residence and storehouses.

Shiga Kohoku / Nagahama

Travel / Tourism History / Culture / Tour

Reference/Local/Exhibition/Literature Museum Shrine Castle / Ruins of Castle Historical Monument Temple Church Ruin / Grave / Ancient Tomb Memorial Hall Cultural Property Event Hall / Public Hall Art Museum Museum / Science Museum Other Historic Site/Building

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.