Otsu, Shiga / 膳所城跡公園
Zeze Castle Ruins Park
Zeze Castle, on land jutting out just south of the west end of Omi Ohashi Bridge, was the first castle Tokugawa Ieyasu had Todo Takatora, a master castle builder, construct after the Battle of Sekigahara. A classic water castle using the lake as a natural moat on its west side, its white keep and stone walls floating on the lake were praised in a local song. It was abandoned in the Meiji Restoration; its gates, Important Cultural Properties, survive at Zeze Shrine and Shinozu Shrine. The main enclosure is now a park known for cherry blossoms.
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
Before you go
Only facts we confirmed on official sources are shown. Anything else is marked “Not checked yet”.
- Opening hours
Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
- Closed
Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
- Admission
Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
- Getting there
From Zeze-honmachi Station (Keihan Ishiyama-Sakamoto line); about 10 minutes from Otsu IC.
Checked 26 Sept 2026 on the official site- Parking
Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
- Payment
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- Accessibility
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Address: Otsu, Shiga (Japanese address: 滋賀県大津市本丸町7)
Official site: https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/802/?active=spot
Location
Smaller pins are other spots nearby.
Nearby spots
- No photo yetSeta River and Lake Biwa River CruiseShiga4 km away (straight line)
- No photo yetIshiyamadera TempleShiga4 km away (straight line)
- No photo yetBiwako Otsukan (Yanagasaki Lakeside Park)Shiga4 km away (straight line)
- No photo yetMiidera Temple (Onjoji)Shiga4 km away (straight line)
- No photo yetKusatsu-juku HonjinShiga6 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
Verification log
- 26 Sept 2026First check · Tourism board · https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/802/?active=spotAccess, parking, description, address and coordinates read from a tourism organization's site.