We took a day trip to Kyoto’s neighboring Shiga, Hikone City, a town with historical depth. First, Hikone Castle, a place where no one should miss when visiting Hikone. It is roughly 10 minutes on foot from Hikone Station. Completed in 1622, the castle is not particularly large, however, the historical richness and depth can be felt through the structure of the castle and the Japanese atmosphere can be enjoyed fully.
After visiting the castle, we took a walk around the Japanese garden of Genkyuen. The garden was very solemn and beautiful, with multiple bridges across the large lake. There is a tearoom within the garden and the view of the garden and lake can be enjoyed while drinking tea and/or eating snacks, making it a tranquil and peaceful space.
Moving along, we strolled around Yume Kyōbashi Castle Road, a shopping district with the atmosphere of a castle town of the Edo period. There are many souvenir shops and restaurants lined up in this district.
We ate mince meat cutlet with Ōmi Beef (fried round croquettes of minced meat and vegetables). The cutlet was packed with meat and was juicy—delicious!
Afterwards, to meet Hikonyan, the mascot of Hikone City, we took a visit to the Hikone Castle Museum. With the cat being the motif of the character, the white, round, and slow movements made the mascot especially cute!
Lastly, Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan was visited to catch sight of the afterglow. A slow and relaxed day could be spent, unlike days in Kyoto or Osaka.
Take a one-day break -Hikone-
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