Hikone, Castle town in Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Hikone is a city on the eastern shore of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture, where mountains frame the horizon and wooden houses stand between modern buildings. Streets run from the lakeshore inland, passing temples, gardens, and residential districts with low houses.
Construction of the castle began in 1603 when Ii Naomasa gathered materials from other fortresses to build a new complex. His son completed the work in 1622, making the castle the center of a domain that lasted until the 19th century.
Craftspeople work in small workshops on butsudan, Buddhist household altars with fine wood carvings and gilded decorations. This centuries-old production still shapes the cityscape and the identity of residents today.
Trains on the Biwako Line run regularly from Kyoto to Hikone and take just under 50 minutes for the trip. Arriving visitors find signs in Japanese and English pointing to the main sites around town.
A spiral ramp called mizunote runs inside the castle, designed to slow attackers while defenders could watch them from strategic points. Such ramps are rare in Japanese castles.
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