Hikone Castle

Hikone Castle (Hikone-jo) was built over a twenty-year period by the daimyo Ii Naomasa beginning in 1602. It was subsequently taken over by his heirs. As it stands on Konki-san, a hill of 136 m, it is also called Konki Castle. The castle retains its original form to this day and the three-tiered donjon is designated a National Treasure. The castle became the home to successive generations of the Ii family, and its moat was also used for boating by daimyo by ingeniously utilizing the lake waters of Biwa-ko.

Shiga-in-teien Garden

Shiga-in Teien was laid out at the order of Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third shogun of the feudal government of Edo, which ruled Japan from the early 17th to the mid-19th century. The warlord Kobori Enshu is said to have designed the garden, being also a talented gardener. Shiga-in Teien is located on the western side of the Shiga-in Shinden (palace for the emperor's daily use), which was build by the bishop Tenkai Sojo, a well-known advisor to the Tokugawa family. Laid out on a narrow strip of land from north to south, the Shinden overlooks a pond. The garden is arranged so that visitors walking along the verandah can enjoy changing views such as stone bridges, waterfalls and clear brooks. The garden is said to have been modeled on the famous gardens at Katsura Rikyu and Shugakuin Rikyu.

MIHO-MUSEUM

The MIHO MUSEUM comprises two wings; the South and North Wings. The South Wing focuses on the Silk Road and contains a collection of treasures from the old-world civilizations of Egypt and Eurasia, such as a Statue of Queen Arsinoe II (Egyptian) and a standing Buddha from Gandhara, one of the largest in the world. The North Wing periodically hosts various exhibits and displays of Buddhist art, tea-making utensils, maki-e (gold-relief lacquerware) and other lacquer works. The museum was designed by I.M.Pei, an internationally acclaimed architect who also designed the glass pyramid at the entrance to the Louvre. More than 80% of the museum's structure is beneath the earth so as to preserve its natural environment, and to assimilate it into the surrounding scenery. It is located on a mountainside in a nature preserve near the town of Shigaraki, a historical site with the famous ruins of Shigaraki-no-miya Palace.

Shiga Kenritsu Kindai Bijutsukan (Museum of Modern Art)

The collection at Shiga Kenritsu Kindai Bijutsukan holds works of modern art, focusing on the United States. These include works by Andy Warhol, the standard bearer of pop art, and the powerful "new sculptor" George Segal. Another integral part of this collection is modern Japanese-style painting, including works by artists who contributed to the golden age of Japanese-style painting in the first half of the 20th century. These works include the historical paintings of Yukihiko Yasuda, based on ancient classics of China and Japan, and the realistic paintings of Gyoshu Hayami. In the garden is Calder's Flamingo, with Biwa-ko, Japan's biggest lake, forming the backdrop for those gazing out from the museum's interior.

Enryaku-ji Temple

Enryaku-ji is a temple built at the end of the 8th century by Saicho, the founder of the Tendai sect of Buddhism. This temple, established on the mountain Hiei-zan, exercises control over the Tendai sect throughout Japan. It was destroyed by fire in the 16th century, when it was attacked by Oda Nobunaga, who was the predominant force of Japan at that time. Subsequently rebuilt, the temple served as a place of study for many great priests in the history of Japanese Buddhism. The temple is divided into three areas: To-to ("East Pagoda") where Saicho is supposed to have stayed when he first arrived here; Sai-to ("West Pagoda"), which was established by a disciple of Saicho; and Yo-kawa (river "Yo-kawa"). The great hall located in the precinct is recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage. The Hoto Lamp in the To-to has burned continuously for 1,200 years. The Shaka-do (in the Sai-to) is a hall which enshrines a statue of the Shaka-Nyorai Buddha, a Buddhist idol which is kept hidden. The Shaka-do is designated by the national government as an Important Cultural Property.

Ishiyama-dera Temple

The ancient temple of Ishiyama-dera was established around the middle of the 8th century by Roben Osho. The main hall, designated as a National Treasure, is located on the grounds containing an exposed wollastonite (a fantastic crag, dark gray in color, and having a wavelike pattern), which is a natural monument. Enshrined inside the main hall is an image of the Nyoirin-Kannon (Goddess of Mercy), which is designated by the national government as an Important Cultural Property. The Taho-to (a pagoda that enshrines the Buddha), was built by Minamoto no Yoritomo, who ruled at the end of the 12th century. This pagoda is also designated as a National Treasure. Also contained here are many other historical and cultural properties, including the Todai-mon, a gate which is an Important Cultural Property, as well as the Genji-no-Ma, where it is said the world's oldest novel, Genji Monogatari (The Tale of Genji), was written.

Mii-dera Temple (Onjo-ji Temple)

Mii-dera is the temple that exercises control over the Tendai-jimon sect of Buddhism. Originally it was the main inner temple of the Tendai-jimon sect. Separating from the other temples on the mountain Hiei-zan in 13th century, it became an independent temple. The front of the temple gate, which is made of a stone wall, conveys the history of the contention between Mii-dera and Enryaku-ji (the latter being the temple that exercised control over the Tendai sect). The Kon-do, designated as a National Treasure, is a hall that enshrines an image of Miroku-Bosatsu, a Bodhisattva who is supposed to appear in the future world as the successor of the Buddha. Other structures here have been designated as Important Cultural Properties, including the Nio-mon (a gate with images of Deva kings on either side), on both sides of the entrance to which stand Buddhist images, and the three-storied pagoda. The sound of the bell at this temple has been admired for its beauty in literature since ancient times. With 1,500 cherry trees in the grounds, this temple is also famous for its cherry blossoms.

Tsukubusuma-jinja Shrine

The shrine of Tsukubusuma-jinja is also called Chikubujima-jinja. Chikubu-jima is an island in Biwa-ko, the largest lake in Japan, and has been a place of worship since ancient times because it was considered an island of the gods. The sanctuary has been repeatedly destroyed by fire, but has always been rebuilt from Fushimi Castle, which was the residential castle of the Toyotomi family who unified and ruled Japan at the end of the 16th century. It is for this reason that the gorgeous style of the Momoyama culture of the end of the 16th century, including paintings on sliding screen doors, paintings on ceilings, and gold lacquer on columns and floors, has been preserved here. The Funaroka passageway leading to the Hogon-ji Kannon-do was used for the boat of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the patriarch of the Toyotomi family. Chikubujima-sai, a festival with a 1,500-year history, is held here every year from 10-15 June.

Shigaraki ware

With a tradition stretching back 1,250 years, Shigaraki is Japan's oldest center of ceramics production, and one of the six leading centers in the country. Shigaraki-yaki ware developed as a result of Shigaraki's strategic location on a major road, and the availability of an abundance of suitable clay. In the Middle Ages, the region boasted a thriving industry making vessels for tea ceremony, with everyday items such as vases and sake bottles produced later on. Today, in addition to general ceramics, a variety of goods are produced here including umbrella stands, tiles, and gardening items such as tables. Shigaraki ware raccoon-dog ornaments are particularly well known throughout the country. Shigaraki ware was designated a traditional craft in 1970.