Tourist Attractions

Only 5 minutes' drive away from the hotel you can find Yanmar Museum. This interactive facility is dedicated to the technology and products of YANMAR, a Japanese engine manufacturer. It was built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the company’s foundation.
The museum offers various hands-on experiences, including workshops (reservation necessary). Inside, you can see different vehicles and machines as well as parts of an internal combustion engine (ICE). You can also challenge yourself on a simulator or try operating construction equipment. Restaurant and shop also available on the premises.
※ Image: Yanmar Museum

The Hikiyama Museum serves as an introduction to the Nagahama Hikiyama Festival (April 9～17th), which is registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. “Hikiyama” refers to a type of a float used in festivals, typically pulled manually using ropes. Nagahama's hikiyama are particularly stunning, as their construction utilizes wood carvings, lacquer work and metal decorations common for the Edo period. The appearance is so spectacular it earned the festival the name of a "moving art gallery". The festival is also known for kabuki performances starring only child actors.
Inside the museum you can admire authentic festival floats and learn about the history and art of the Nagahama area. It is a unique opportunity to get in touch with traditional aspects of Japanese culture.

In the autumn of 1886 (19th year of Meiji), the Emperor and Empress used a ship between Otsu and Nagahama upon returning to the Capital. They took a break here after disembarking in Nagahama and before changing to the railway.
In recent years, as the restoration and improvement of the garden advanced, the place was designated as a scenic spot in 2006.

The Hō Park was built in 1909 around the remains of the Nagahama castle, which had been abandoned in the early Edo Period. The park's name "Hō" uses the same character that can be found in the name of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a famous 16th century feudal lord who once owned the castle.
Selected as one of the hundred best places to watch the sunset from, it is also a perfect spot for admiring cherry blossoms, plums or wisteria, which each bloom at a different time of the year.

※Photo: Nagahama City Planning Division

A specialty store serving yakisaka somen, a local delicacy consisting of grilled mackerel served on somen noodles. Located in the old quarter of Nagahama and in the vicinity of two historical travelling routes, it occupies a traditional over 200 years old wooden building, making dining here a feast for both the eyes and stomach.

A local restaurant founded 150 years ago. A must-go if you would like to taste the delicacies of the Nagahama area! Items popular with locals are the „Italian Fried Noodles” and the „white gyoza dumplings.” Try this if you are looking for alternative experiences in Japanese cuisine.

Blackwall Square is a general term used to refer to the old buildings lining up alongside Hokkoku Kaido, a highway dating back to the Edo period. With the “Blackwall Bank” as the centre, which has been popular since the Meiji era, the Blackwall Square hosts many glass shops and manufactures, galleries, trial class venues, restaurants, and cafés. The historical atmosphere of the townscape makes it a very attractive touristic spot. Enjoy the exciting fusion of the old and the new, the traditional and the modern, in this magical district of Nagahama.

Chikubushima is a small island approximately six kilometers from Lake Biwa’s shore. It has attracted worshippers for centuries as the home of the Hogonji Temple, one of Japan's Three Great Benzaiten Shrines alongside Enoshima and Itsukushima, as well as a stop on the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage, worshiping the thousand-armed Goddess of Mercy.
Hogonji’s beautiful Chinese-style gate (karamon), said to be the only existing remains of Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s Osaka Castle, along with Tsukubusuma’s main hall (honden) have been designated as National Treasure of Japan.
In recent years, Chikubushima has gained popularity as the leading “power spot” of spiritual energy in the area. The island’s breath-taking landscape has also placed it among the Eight Scenic Views of Lake Biwa.

The highest peak in Shiga Prefecture, Mount Ibuki stands at 1,377 metres tall. From the summit, which can be reached by either hiking or a driveway, a truly magnificent panorama view on Lake Biwa spreads in front of you. The mountain is also popular thanks to its beautiful alpine flower fields and it has found its way onto multiple top hundred mountain lists.
Mount Ibuki also holds an important place in Japanese mythology and it has been considered sacred since the ancient times, appearing in historical texts of great significance, such as “Kojinki” (Records of Ancient Matters) and “Nihon Shoki” (The Chronicles of Japan).