Nagahama is a former castle town on Lake Biwa's northeastern shore, known for its Kurokabe Square district of Meiji-era merchant buildings now housing glass workshops and craft shops. From the port, sightseeing boats cross to Chikubushima, a small forested island holding Hogon-ji Temple and Tsukubusuma Shrine, both reached by a long flight of stone steps up from the dock. The combination gives a full day: a walkable historic town in the morning, then an island with no cars, no residents and lake views on all sides in the afternoon.
| Distance | 50 km northeast of Otsu |
|---|---|
| Travel time | 50 min by JR Biwako Line New Rapid to Nagahama, then 35-min cruise to Chikubushima |
| Address | Kotobukicho, Nagahama, Shiga 526-0059 |
How to get there
- Mode
- JR Biwako Line + Biwako Kisen cruise
- Duration
- 50 min train + 35 min boat
- Cost
- ¥1,340 ($8.40) train + ¥3,600 ($22.70) cruise round trip
- Notes
- Cruise operator: Biwako Kisen, 077-524-5000; check seasonal schedule
- Mode
- Rental car + Imazu Port cruise
- Duration
- 50 min drive + 25 min boat from Imazu
- Cost
- ¥6,000–10,000 ($37.80–63) car rental + cruise fare
- Notes
- Imazu Port on the west shore is a shorter crossing to Chikubushima
Location
Kotobukicho, Nagahama, Shiga 526-0059
35.3785, 136.2653 View on map
Highlights
- Kurokabe Square — Meiji-era merchant street rebuilt around glassblowing studios and galleries
- Hogon-ji Temple — Chikubushima's clifftop temple, known for its ornate Karamon gate moved from Toyotomi-era Osaka
- Tsukubusuma Shrine — Shinto shrine on the island linked to Hogon-ji by a covered corridor
- Nagahama Castle — reconstructed keep with a small museum on the town's Toyotomi Hideyoshi history