Experience Shiga in Winter
Overview of Winter in Shiga
Shiga in winter offers many places where serene, snow-dusted scenery can be enjoyed.
Experience the beauty of winter in Shiga by hitting the slopes for winter sports or strolling along the lakeside, and savoring delicious seasonal flavors.
Winter Tours & Activities
Koka Ninjutsu Yashiki
This ninjutsu yashiki (“house of ninja techniques”) was built during the Edo period (1603 – 1868), and is the last true house of ninja remaining in Japan.
Omi Jingu Shrine
Omi Jingu Shrine is a registered Cultural Property, and a representative example of the Showa period (1926 – 1989) shrine construction known as Omi construction or Showa construction.
Michigan Cruise (Biwako Kisen)
The Michigan is a cheerful paddle steamer that sails the south of the lake.
English Garden Rosa & Berry Tawada
An English garden located in Maibara.
Enryakuji Temple Ceremony to Exorcise Evil & New Year’s Bells
The New Year’s Bells and Ceremony to Exorcise Evil are annual traditions for New Year’s Eve at Hieizan.
BIWAKO VALLEY/BIWAKO TERACE
Biwako Terrace offers a sophisticated resort for adults and delivers soaring views looking out over the lake.
Nature & Parks in Winter
Lake Nishinoko
At Lake Nishinoko you can experience the Water Channel Tour that feudal lord Nobunaga Oda and his court are said to have enjoyed so much.
Nagahama Plum Tree Bonsai Exhibition
The Nagahama Plum Tree Bonsai Exhibition started in 1952, and has now become the number one plum tree bonsai exhibition in Japan in terms of both history and scale, as well as a much beloved annual springtime tradition in Kansai.
Strawberry Factory
Strawberry Factory, located in Kusatsu, Shiga, offers not only strawberry picking but also a café and fields for rent.
Nakasendo Road Samegaijuku (Jyuousui, Jizokawa River)
Jizokawa River is comprised of pure spring water such as Isame no Shimizu, and is famous for the extremely rare water buttercups that grow in the river.
Shizugatake (Shizugatake-jo Castle Ruins)
Shizugatake has views over Okubiwako and Chikubushima to the north and south, Mt.
Roadside Station Kagaminosato
Holds a variety of events depending on the season, allowing an exciting slice of Japanese culture to be experienced.
History & Culture in Winter
Shiga Prefectural Azuchi Castle Archeological Museum
The first permanent installation hall has a theme of “archaeology,” allowing you to slip back in time to Omi during the Yayoi period (300 BC to 300 AD) and the Kofun period (300 to 538).
Cobbled Lanes
The “Ishitatami no Komichi” (Cobbled Lanes) is a commercial area that offers everything from shopping through to dining, preserving the historical scenery of Hachiman waterways while letting you experience what it must have been like to walk those streets in olden times.
Temple Stay – Guesthouse Ko-Rai-Gen
Experience a quieter and deeper side of Japan at Guesthouse Ko-Rai-Gen, a private temple stay beside a 600-year-old Buddhist temple near Lake Biwa in northern Shiga.
Remains of the Enmanin Temple Gate
The large and extremely beautiful gardens that spread to the south of Enmanin-shinden Temple are a nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty and Historic Site, and a visit is especially recommended during the changing of the leaves in fall.
Kinomoto-Jizoin
Kinomoto-Jizoin is a Jishu sect temple that houses a Buddhist statue worshipped for healing eye diseases.
Samegai Inn Museum (Toiyaba)
“Toiyaba” were lodging stations along the roadside during the Edo period (1603 – 1868), providing manpower and horses to Daimyo lords and other important people using the roads and handling the transport of goods.
Looking for more seasonal experiences?
Wondering what to pack for your trip this winter?
Check Shiga’s year-round weather and climate trends to help you prepare for your trip.
Other Seasons
Spring
Summer
Autumn