2025 Shiga Prefecture Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in April)

The 2.5-kilometer-long Metasequoia Tree-lined Avenue is hailed as a hidden autumn foliage gem in Japan. The road stretches from Makino Highland to Makino Agricultural Park, with 500 tall and dense Metasequoia trees planted in orderly intervals along both sides. During the autumn foliage season, the trees transform into a tunnel of red and yellow leaves, creating an endless view of autumn colors. Whether driving through this vibrant universe or strolling along the road to admire and photograph the foliage, the sight of towering Metasequoia trees ablaze in orange-red hues is a breathtaking spectacle.

#100 Ways to Travel Lake Biwa is located in Shiga and has a vast area. Mount Hira is a great place to enjoy Lake Biwa. From Kyoto, take a bus to Shiga Station, transfer to a bus and take the cable car to the top of the mountain, which is over 1,000 meters away. The cable car only takes 5 minutes! Immediately upon arrival you are greeted by a beautiful view of grass and blue! There are several restaurants on the mountain overlooking Lake Biwa. The venue is also very spacious. You can take the free cable car in the picture. It is very stable and can even be used by children. And there are many recreational facilities, such as grass skiing, swings, and recreational games. Children and adults have a lot of fun! The scenery is really beautiful, but it was very windy that day and the temperature on the mountain was only about 15 degrees. You must bring a jacket because it was too windy and I only stayed for more than an hour🤣 Tips: 1. Check the weather. Lake Biwa Cable Car has an official website where you can check the weather map on the mountain in real time. The cloudy sky should be really gray... 2. The mountain cable car costs 3,500 yen for a round trip. I heard that it is cheaper if you pre-order online. 3. After purchasing the ticket online, you have to go to the spot to redeem it. I didn’t redeem it first and queued for the cable car team again, but it didn’t take long. 4. Bring a coat and a girl with a hairdo that won’t mess up the hair, otherwise it will blow too much and make it impossible to take photos. 5. The scenery at Shiga Station is beautiful! After getting off the bus, I saw an unforgettable view on the platform! Hayao Miyazaki style! 🤣 #日本Travel #ibiwa湖

A shopping mall with a beautiful lawn near Otsukyo Station in Shiga Prefecture [BRANCH] The site is very large, and about half of it is a grassy park, so it feels good just to take a walk on a sunny day 🙆 That was the day I happened to go, but It seems that they also hold an event called Handmade Marche once a month. Handmade accessories and bags are on sale, and I never got bored looking at them. There is also a BRANCH food street, so dinner is perfect 👍 There is a parking lot on the second floor, so it doesn't seem to be crowded with cars. Opening hours 7:00-23:00 Address 1-1 Nihonmatsu, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture 520-0021 #Shiga#BRANCH

This time it is a very good parent-child travel skiing experience for us #琵琶湖 ski resort 🎿Hakodate Mountain. It is also our first time skiing⛷️From the kid who was very nervous to loving and taking the initiative to complete the goal alone, it is also a good experience and growth process for him... Hope to have a chance to play again next time👍🏻🙏🏻

I visited during Christmas time, and was impressed by the size of the restaurant, the seasonal decorations, and the deliciousness of the food. The restaurant is dark, but that's what makes it so great. First of all, I was excited just choosing the menu book! I definitely want to go again (*ˊ˘ˋ*) 3-9-27 Kokaki, Ritto City, Shiga Prefecture, 520-3024 #cafe #trip2022 #coupletrip

●Name Yakiniku Banban ●Access 507 Arakawa, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture 🚗Private parking available ●Points A great value for money yakiniku restaurant In addition to beef, pork, and chicken, the yakiniku also has a wide variety of side dishes such as ramen, curry, and rice bowls This is a yakiniku restaurant that Kyoto restaurants go out of their way to visit When you leave the restaurant, you'll be satisfied and think, "Is this all for this price after eating all this?" It's about 30 minutes from Kyoto on the free Kosai Road It's close to Shirahige Shrine, so please stop by #KyotoTrip

Shaun the Sheep Farm Garden 🐑✨ "Shaun the Sheep Farm Garden" in Maibara City, Shiga Prefecture is the first permanent outdoor facility of "Shaun the Sheep" in Japan. In addition to meeting the main character Shaun and his friends, the farmer's house and the sheep's huts that appear in the story are also realistically reproduced, so it is a place where you can experience the world of "Shaun the Sheep" in a realistic way. There are also many photogenic spots. 📷💖 There is also a place where you can feed the sheep. 🐑 The cakes at Shaun the Sheep Cafe were so cute that it was a shame to eat them. The park is very large and it is nice to walk around, but it is also easy to take the paid train. 🚂💭💭💭 Shaun the Sheep Farm Garden Address: 605-10 Tawada, Maibara City, Shiga Prefecture Opening hours: 10:00-17:00 #Travel #Shiga Prefecture #Cute #Farm #Recommended

I stayed at a bath cafe where you can relax 24 hours a day! 📍Bath Cafe New Biwako Hotel 📍Otsu Onsen Bath Cafe Biwakoza ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈❁⃘┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ✈︎Plan name New plan♪1 night with 2 meals Bamboo basket meal (Japanese or Western) plan ✈︎Room name Hollywood twin room ✈︎1 night rate Lowest price 10,600 yen per person ✈︎Check-in/check-out 15:00-25:00/10:00 #Cost-effective hotel #Shiga

The Metasequoia trees continued for a longer distance than I had imagined. 😳 It felt good to drive through it. ✨ There is a parking lot, so you can park your car and take photos. 📷 #Shiga #Autumn leaves #Breathtaking view

Speaking of Baumkuchen, this is the place to go ✨ La Collina Omihachiman in Shiga Prefecture. It's a theme park-like facility, and there are plenty of photo spots ♪♪ The freshly baked Baumkuchen is delicious 😋 #Shiga #ThemePark #Gourmet #Souvenir #GourmetTrip

NO-MA is a Borderless Art Museum in Omihachiman. It's located in a traditional shopping street, and has a lovely atmosphere🍃 You can enjoy art at your leisure in a calm space♪ #Shiga #retrotownscape #art

When I went to Shiga Prefecture to see the autumn leaves, I visited the shrines and temples on the east side of Lake Biwa that are famous for their autumn leaves, and the one I particularly liked was Kongorinji Temple. The red carpet and guest room at the main temple Myojuin were very atmospheric and lovely. Address: 874 Matsuo-dera, Aisho-cho, Aichi-gun, Shiga Prefecture Admission fee: 600 yen Parking: Free Opening hours: 8:30-17:00 #autumn leaves #maple #shrine

La Collina at Club Harie, famous for its Baumkuchen in Shiga Prefecture I've been there a few times, and although it's beautiful when the greenery is lush, I personally recommend the atmosphere during the autumn leaves season. You can buy freshly baked Baumkuchen, and they also sell bread and hot dogs, so you'll end up buying a lot. Address: 615-1 Kitanosho-cho, Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture 523-8533 #AutumnLeaves #Maple

Kongorinji Temple in Shiga Prefecture I went there when I went to see the autumn leaves around Shiga Prefecture. One of the three mountains in the eastern part of Koto. It is a Tendai sect temple and is a popular spot for beautiful autumn leaves. It is a famous spot for viewing autumn leaves, called "blood-stained maples." The grounds are very spacious, and there is a very large parking lot, so that security guards will guide you. Admission fee: 600 yen #autumn leaves #maple #shrine

I went to the hotel "The Grand Resort Omi Maiko" in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture. The rooms, lobby, and large public bath were all clean and very comfortable😆 You can see Lake Biwa from the guest rooms✨ The large public bath has a sauna and an open-air bath, so you can relax while looking out at Lake Biwa😊 #StayingAtHome

We stayed at GLAMPDOME Shiga Takashima in Shiga Prefecture! 💖 It's a dome-shaped glamping site, and although it's a bit pricey, it's really worth it!! 🥰 Everything from the facilities to the cleanliness was 100% perfect🌷 #stayhome #glamping #GRANDDOMEShigaTakashima #greatview #gourmettrip #triptoenjoyspring #coupletrip #gourmet

I went to Flyboard Lake Biwa Shirohige Beach in Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture 🌴 Unlike the ocean, the lake doesn't have waves, and since it's fresh water, your body doesn't get sticky, so you can enjoy it like you're in a pool! ☀️ Recommended for those who want to go wild and get back to their childhood! 🔥 #themepark#greatview #gourmettrip #triptoenjoyspring #coupletrip #gourmet

When you think of Shiga, you think of Lake Biwa!! It has the largest lake in Japan, covering one-sixth of the prefecture✨ There are many tourist spots around Lake Biwa, and many places with great locations◎ You can also meet Hikonyan, the idol of the mascot world✨ Shiga is full of tourist spots, and I hope this will be helpful when you go😊 [𝕚𝕟𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𓏗𓏗] ❶ Metasequoia Tree Line 📍Makino-cho Makino, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture ❷ Shirahige Shrine 📍 215 Kamogawa, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture ❸ Kurokabe Square 📍12-38 Motohama-cho, Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture ❹ La Collina Omihachiman 📍 615-1 Kitanosho-cho, Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture ❺MIHO MUSEUM 📍 300 Tashiro Momodani, Shigaraki-cho, Koka-shi, Shiga ❻ Ofuro Café Biwakoza 📍 1-9-18 Tsukinowa, Otsu-shi, Shiga ❼ Biwako Terrace 📍 1547-1 Kido, Otsu-shi, Shiga [Other recommendations] Thank you so much♥ Sorry I couldn't include them all🙏 ・Charle Mizugahama ・Hikone Castle ・Chikubushima ・Shaun the Sheep Farm Garden ・Yanmar Museum ・Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine #Amazing view #Free spot

I went to Taga Service Area in Shiga Prefecture! There are famous shops such as Lotteria and Starbucks Coffee, and the food court is spacious☺️ Another nice point is that it is very new and clean overall❤️ If you are not sure which service area to stop at for a toilet break, be sure to visit Taga Service Area! #FreeSpot #Shiga #GourmetTrip #SpringEnjoyTrip #CoupleTrip #Gourmet

On a clear day, the view of Lake Biwa from Lake Biwa Terrace is spectacular. There are many exciting spots with unique impacts, such as swings and zip lines that will make you envious. This is a theme park where you can experience something out of the ordinary. Address: 1547-1 Kido, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture #Theme Park

It's a very large square with a lot of play equipment, including bouldering, unicycles, stilts, horseshoes, and target practice. All are free to play with. It's so fulfilling that an hour will fly by if you play around with everything. There are many things for children, but adults can also enjoy it. Address: 1547-1 Kido, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture #Free Spot

This is a very large temple on Mount Hiei, the head temple of Buddhism. Because it is on top of a mountain, the maples were starting to change color even at the end of October, so I felt autumn a little early. I visited on a trip, so I prayed for good weather during my trip, and it was sunny the entire time. It was a blessing. The restaurant serves Hieizan Soba, which is delicious soba noodles with Kansai dashi. Address: 4220 Sakamoto Honmachi, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture #autumn leaves #maple

At the end of October, the beautiful autumn leaves began to change color, and the gradation of red and green of the maple leaves was beautiful. Inside the Monjuro, there is a photo of the principal image of the temple, Manjusri Bodhisattva, and a wooden sign with the mantra "On Arahashana" written on it. Address: 4220 Sakamoto Honmachi, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture #autumn leaves #maple leaves

Metasequoia trees line the Makino Plateau in Shiga Prefecture A road leading to Makino Plateau, lined with Metasequoia trees on both sides of the straight road. It's a popular spot for Instagram, and is best seen during the autumn foliage season. The best time to see the autumn leaves is late November to early December. Address: Makino, Makino-cho, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture #Free Spot

#Evergrace Lake Biwa just opened in April 2021. The biggest attraction is that the room comes with a canoe! I've never been in a canoe before, so it was amazing to be able to experience it at a lodging facility like this. After paddling the canoe while listening to the cries of the birds, I met turtles and fish, and had a very elegant time feeling nature... There is an outdoor bath, a hammock, and a bonfire! The BBQ lobster and meat were delicious, and breakfast was free. For us Shiga residents, it's really great to have such a wonderful glamping experience. If you're staying in Shiga Prefecture, you should definitely stay here! You can spend an extraordinary and wonderful time with your friends. The price when staying with the maximum number of people (6 people) is about 11,166 yen per person with dinner included! The cheapest! Great value for money. #Staycation #Unique Accommodation#Accommodation Experience

Hikiyama Museum This museum, located at 14-8 Motohama-cho, Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture, displays various materials related to the Nagahama Hikiyama Festival, which has been going on for over 400 years. Two of the four floats that will be used next year are also on display. For details on ongoing special exhibitions, events, opening hours, admission fees, etc., please check the official website. #Shiga #Nagahama #Museum #Rainy day spot #Summer trip

Momiji Pond, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture This pond is where you can see seasonal reflections (the water surface looks like a mirror). To see beautiful reflections, it is best to keep the wind speed below 2m/s. #Western Japan

In the Children's Kingdom Park in Penghu, I played at noon to a nearby family restaurant that my locals loved. really can't resist all kinds of home-made risotto egg The essence is that after opening the egg tart, it is very tender egg tart our family is very clean and hobby we go to eat the cabin at 2 o'clock at noon and are full of people next to the proprietress The first floor of the home is also used to make a restaurant name and food like the nature called, so that only the boss's family can not be copied, always my first choice for travel around the world