Things to Do in Shiga
Hand-picked sights and experiences across Shiga.
When to catch the colours in Shiga?
Average red maple, golden ginkgo and cherry blossom dates for Shiga, from the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991–2020 normals — the fortnight to aim for, not a promise for any particular year.
- Red maples
- Leaves turnNov 28
- Peak viewingNov 28 – Dec 12
- Golden ginkgo
- Leaves turnNov 20
- Peak viewingNov 20 – Dec 4
- Cherry blossom
- First flowersApr 1
- Full bloomApr 8
Where to look next?
The prefectures we've mapped so far, nearest to Shiga first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lake Biwa — Japan's largest lake — ringed by Hikone's original-keep castle, the 'floating' torii of Shirahige shrine, Ōmi beef, and Enryaku-ji, the great monastery atop Mt. Hiei on the Kyoto border.
Yes — it's one of only a handful of original keeps, with a genuinely defensive hilltop layout and a lovely lakeside garden, and it draws a fraction of Himeji's crowds. Half a day from Kyoto by shinkansen-speed trains.
Ōtsu and the lakefront are minutes away by JR; Hikone is about 50 minutes. For the photo everyone wants — Shirahige's torii standing in the lake — go early morning on the west-coast line to Ōmi-Takashima.