Hikone, Shiga / 彦根城
Hikone Castle
Counted among the great castles of Japan with Himeji, Hikone Castle was built over about 20 years by Ii Naotsugu and Naotaka and completed in 1622, using stones and timber from Sawayama, Azuchi, Nagahama and Otsu castles. It escaped the Meiji castle-abolition order and war. The three-storey keep on "gobo-zumi" stone walls is a National Treasure, with harmonious curved roofs and arched katomado windows; the Tenbin turret, Taikomon gate and others are Important Cultural Properties. The castle under the moon is one of the Eight Views of Lake Biwa.
Last official check
26 Sept 2026
Traveler reports
0
Reports open in Phase 2
Next scheduled check
25 Dec 2026
Decide before you go
A short summary made from the official facts below. Check the rows for details.
- Getting there
- Train / Car
- Admission
- Paid (see the price below)
- Closing days
- Open every day (check the notes below)
Before you go
Only facts we confirmed on official sources are shown. Anything else is marked “Not checked yet”.
- Opening hours
8:30-17:00 (last entry to the keep 16:45).
Checked 26 Sept 2026 on the official site- Closed
Open every day.
Checked 26 Sept 2026 on the official site- Admission
Castle ticket (including Genkyuen Garden): adults 800 yen, elementary and junior high 200 yen.
Checked 26 Sept 2026 on the official site- Getting there
On foot from Hikone Station (JR Biwako line); 10 minutes by car from Hikone IC on the Meishin Expressway.
Checked 26 Sept 2026 on the official site- Parking
Parking: cars 1,000 yen, large vehicles 2,000 yen.
Checked 26 Sept 2026 on the official site- Payment
Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
- Accessibility
Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
Found wrong or outdated information? Let us know
Address: Hikone, Shiga (Japanese address: 滋賀県彦根市金亀町1-1)
Official site: https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/838/?active=spot
Location
Smaller pins are other spots nearby.
Nearby spots
- No photo yetSawayama Castle RuinsShiga2 km away (straight line)
- No photo yetFormer Toyosato Elementary School BuildingsShiga8 km away (straight line)
- No photo yetSaimyoji Temple (Koto Sanzan)Shiga11 km away (straight line)
- No photo yetHokoen Park (Nagahama Castle Site)Shiga11 km away (straight line)
- No photo yetKurokabe SquareShiga12 km away (straight line)
Distances are straight-line distances, not travel distances.
Crowds
- Crowd level
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Best time to visit
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Peak time
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Busiest days
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Busiest season
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Latest traveler report
- None yet
Traveler crowd data by time of day appears after 5 traveler reports (0 so far).
You can check typical busy hours in Google Maps ("Popular times" on the place's page). Open this spot in Google Maps
Visiting respectfully
- RulesThe keep is open with entry limits (up to 80 people).Checked 26 Sept 2026 on the official site
Verification log
- 26 Sept 2026First check · Official website · https://hikonecastle.com/Hours and fees read from the official site.
- 26 Sept 2026First check · Tourism board · https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/838/?active=spotAccess, parking, description, address and coordinates read from a tourism organization's site.