Shiga: Future World Heritage Site Hikone Castle Guided Tour

Hikone Castle is one of Japan’s best-preserved feudal castles and a designated National Treasure. Built after the fall of nearby Sawayama Castle, it became the seat of the Ii family, loyal vassals of the Tokugawa shogunate. Its main keep, believed to have been relocated from Otsu Castle, represents both military strength and aesthetic refinement. Visitors can explore the original defensive moats, gates, and turrets, and from the top floor of the keep, enjoy sweeping views of Lake Biwa and the Ōmi region. The castle embodies the political and cultural role of the Ii clan, who governed Hikone for over 250 years and contributed greatly to the stability of the Edo period.