The Pioneer of the Yuru-Chara Boom! 8 Must-Visit Tourist Spots in Hikone, the Hometown of Hikonyan

Hikone City is a castle town located on the eastern shore of Lake Biwa. Centered around Hikone Castle, which boasts a National Treasure keep, the city is dotted with tourist spots rich in history and culture. It is not only the birthplace of “Hikonyan,” the pioneer of Japan’s yuru-chara mascot boom, but has also recently gained popularity among tourists as a site connected to the NHK Taiga drama Onna Joshu Naotora. Here are 8 must-visit sightseeing spots in Hikone City.

1. Hikone Castle

Hikone Castle celebrated its 410th anniversary in 2017. It was built by Ii Naomasa, the adopted son of female castle lord Ii Naotora and one of Tokugawa’s Four Heavenly Kings.

Hikone Castle is one of only five castles in Japan with a keep designated as a National Treasure, and it preserves many structures such as turrets, gates, and stone walls. It is one of the top tourist attractions in Shiga Prefecture.

Its charm can’t be summed up in a few words, so let’s break it down into several points.

◆ The Keep

The keep of Hikone Castle is a modest three stories tall, but its elegant appearance stands out thanks to decorative elements such as karahafu gables and katomado windows.

Of course, as a castle, it is built for defense as well as beauty. Its steep, ladder-like staircases could be easily removed or blocked by defenders to prevent enemies from climbing.

◆ Tenbin Yagura (Balance Turret)

Guarding the entrance to the main bailey, the Tenbin Yagura is a key defensive position. At the center of this Important Cultural Property is a gate connected by a bridge.

Many people have likely seen this scene on TV—it is a famous filming location for period dramas. Take your time to enjoy the view and commit its striking composition to memory.

◆ Hikonyan Appearances

Hikonyan, who debuted as the mascot for the Hikone Castle 400th Anniversary Festival, is the pioneer who sparked the nationwide yuru-chara boom! Hikonyan merchandise is a staple souvenir of Hikone tourism.

You can still meet Hikonyan almost daily at Hikone Castle. Check the official website for the schedule to see when and where Hikonyan will appear.

◆ Hikone Castle Museum

Built on the site of the castle’s main palace, the museum houses around 20,000 historical artifacts and works of art. Among them, the “Customs Painting,” also known as the Hikone Byobu, is designated as a National Treasure.

The building itself is a reconstruction of the original exterior based on old drawings and excavation findings. The Noh stage was reconstructed using actual remains, making it a fascinating sight in itself.

◆ Sawaguchi Tamon Yagura & Kaikoku Memorial Hall

The white walls of the Tamon Yagura stretching in a line, the full water-filled moat, and the keep standing on the hill beyond—this scene at Sawaguchi Tamon Yagura, with the Iroha-matsu pine-lined street, is one of the best photo spots when visiting Hikone Castle.

Part of the Tamon Yagura houses the Kaikoku Memorial Hall, which hosts special exhibitions about the castle and the Ii family.

2. Genkyu-en Garden

At the foot of Hikone Castle lies Genkyu-en, a daimyo (feudal lord) garden. It was once directly connected to Lake Biwa and is said to have been modeled after the “Eight Views of Xiaoxiang” in China, making it a spacious and refined landscape.

The highlight of this spot is the breathtaking view that combines the garden and the castle keep in one frame—complete with a pond, the Hakkei-tei (Rinchikaku) pavilion, and the green hill with the keep rising above. On clear days, you can even see the castle’s reflection in the pond.

Genkyu-en is a classic sightseeing spot in Hikone that offers beautiful scenery in every season—spring, summer, autumn, or winter.

3. Umoregi-no-ya Residence

Ii Naosuke, the Tairō (great elder) who led the Ansei Purge and was assassinated during the Sakuradamon Incident, was one of the most prominent politicians of the late Edo period. However, Naosuke was the 14th son of Ii Naonaka, the former domain lord, and originally had no realistic chance of inheriting the family headship.

When he was young and still living as an unestablished family member, lamenting his situation, Naosuke named his residence “Umoregi-no-ya” (“Buried Tree House”). By today’s standards, it is a large home, but for the son of a daimyo it was considered modest, and it was located in an inconspicuous area outside the castle grounds.

Naosuke spent 15 years in seclusion at Umoregi-no-ya. During this time, however, he diligently studied both the literary and martial arts, laying the groundwork for his later skillful service as the highest-ranking official of the shogunate.

Today, it is open to the public as a sightseeing spot in Hikone.

4. Yumekyobashi Castle Road

Stretching straight from Kyobashi at the moat’s edge of Hikone Castle, Yumekyobashi Castle Road is a tourist street lined with Edo-period-style buildings. Here you’ll find wagashi (Japanese sweets) shops, souvenir stores, famous restaurants serving Omi beef, and stylish cafés—everything essential for sightseeing in Hikone.

As there aren’t actually many restaurants geared toward tourists in central Hikone, if you’re wondering where to eat, this is the perfect place to look.

Near the Kyobashi intersection, the “Yumekyobashi Akari-kan” is also worth a visit. You can buy stylish Hikone-themed goods, and in its attached Hikone Machinaka Museum, there are various special exhibitions on the city’s history and culture.

5. Yonbancho Square

Adjacent to Yumekyobashi Castle Road, Yonbancho Square is promoted with the slogan “A town overflowing with Taisho romance.” Once a retro arcade shopping street called Hikone Market Shopping Street, it fell into decline over time, with many shuttered stores. Concerned about this, young shop owners decided to renovate, and in 2006 Yonbancho Square was born.

With gas lamps, willows, and tiled pedestrian-only streets, it’s refreshing just to stroll around. The area is lined with a variety of shops, from fine restaurants serving Omi beef to open-terrace cafés and even old-style delicatessens that retain the atmosphere of the past. Combine your visit here with Yumekyobashi Castle Road for a fuller experience.

6. Ruins of Sawayama Castle

Before Hikone Castle was built, Sawayama Castle served as the residence of Ishida Mitsunari. It was such a formidable fortress that it was said to be “more than Mitsunari deserved.” However, as it was the castle of a defeated commander at the Battle of Sekigahara, it was disliked by Ii Naomasa, a direct retainer of the Tokugawa, and was demolished.

The castle ruins can be reached via a trail along the Omi Railway or from behind Ryotanji Temple. Most of its building materials were taken for the construction of Hikone Castle, so today only remnants of moats and stone walls remain. From the mountaintop, however, you can enjoy a sweeping view of Hikone Castle and the city.

In contrast to the splendid tenshu of Hikone Castle, the ruins of Sawayama Castle evoke a sense of transience—the remains of warriors’ dreams. It’s a hidden historical site in a city full of famous landmarks.

7. Toriimoto-juku

East of Sawayama, in a valley from central Hikone, lies Toriimoto. During the Edo period, it was a post town on the Nakasendo route, and before that it served as the castle town for Sawayama Castle.

Today, it appears to be a quiet, unremarkable village, but the narrow street is still lined with buildings that retain the charm of an old post town. In particular, the udatsu-adorned earthen-walled houses are a valuable reminder of Toriimoto’s former prosperity.

To the north of town is a sharp right-angle bend called a masugata, a defensive feature common in post towns. At the bend stands Arikawa Pharmaceutical, the most notable attraction in Toriimoto-juku. Remarkably, it is a pharmaceutical manufacturer that has been in operation for 360 years since the Edo period. Its Akadama Shinkyogan, once beloved as a digestive medicine by travelers along the Nakasendo, is still sold here today.

8. The Waters of Juo Village

About a 20-minute walk from JR Minami-Hikone Station on the Tokaido Main Line, the Waters of Juo Village is a famous spring included in Japan’s Top 100 Famous Waters list. Known since the Edo period as one of the “Three Famous Waters of Koto,” it continues to attract people who come to draw water.

At the center of the pond where the water bubbles up stands a hexagonal Jizo hall, affectionately called “Jizo-sama of Mother’s Milk” by locals. This name comes from a legend: a woman from Juo Village married into another village but suffered from poor lactation; when she drank this spring water, her milk flowed abundantly.

If you have time while sightseeing in Hikone, try tasting the spring water that has been famous for centuries.

◎ Summary

Most of Hikone’s sightseeing spots are concentrated around the city center. With the JR Tokaido Main Line’s Special Rapid Service, it takes only 1 hour and 15 minutes from Shin-Osaka. Plus, Maibara Station—Shiga Prefecture’s only shinkansen station—is right next door, making access very convenient.

Be sure to enjoy a great trip and memorable sightseeing in Hikone, the castle town of the Ii clan.