Getting Here

Access from Major Cities in Japan

Shiga is located in the heart of Japan, making it easy to reach from major cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Nagoya.

Shiga’s Shinkansen Stop

Shiga’s sole Shinkansen stop is Maibara Station, located on the Tokaido Shinkansen line in the northern part of the prefecture.

The Hikari and Kodama services stop here, offering direct access to the region.

If you are traveling on the Nozomi service, you will need to transfer at Kyoto or Shin-Osaka and take a local JR line to reach Shiga.

By Train

Shiga is directly connected to Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya, and Gifu by JR lines and the Shinkansen.

Once you arrive, JR trains offer convenient connections across the prefecture, making it easy to explore each area smoothly.

Kyoto Station
Approx. 9 min.
JR Biwako Line
Otsu Station
Osaka Station
Approx. 40 min.
JR Tokaido Line
Otsu Station
Nagoya Station
Approx. 30 min.
Shinkansen
Maibara Station
Kanazawa Station
Approx. 57 min.
Shinkansen
Tsuruga Station
Approx. 33 min.
Limited Express
Maibara Station
Tokyo Station
Approx. 2 h 7 min.
Shinkansen
Kyoto Station
Approx. 9 min.
JR Biwako Line
Otsu Station

From Airports

You can reach Shiga from major and minor airports by Limited Express train, Shinkansen, or highway bus.

The main routes are as follows:

Kansai International Airport
Approx. 1 h 26 min.
Haruka Express
Otsu Station
Osaka Itami Airport
Approx. 60 min.
Express Bus
Kyoto Station
Approx. 9 min.
JR Biwako Line
Otsu Station
Narita Airport
Approx. 60 min.
Limited Express
Shinagawa Station
Approx. 2 h 7 min.
Shinkansen
Maibara Station
Haneda Airport
Approx. 35 min.
Limousine Bus
Shin-Yokohama Station
Approx. 1 h 56 min.
Shinkansen
Maibara Station
Kobe Airport
Approx. 18 min.
Port Liner
Sannomiya Station
Approx. 1 h 3 min.
JR Biwako Line
Otsu Station
Chubu Centrair International Airport
Approx. 30 min.
Nagoya Railway
Nagoya Station
Approx. 30 min.
Shinkansen
Maibara Station
Approx. 50 min.
JR Biwako Line
Otsu Station

Getting Around Shiga

Discover all the ways to get around Shiga Prefecture on our Transportation Options page.

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