Hikone, Japan : Castle, Cat and Beef

10th December 2010. Written by Xin Li.
Hikone, Shiga Prefecture
Located next to Lake Biwa, Hikone is most famous for its castle, the Hikone Castle built in 1622. The castle is one of the oldest original-construction castles in Japan. It is one of the only four castles to be designated as a National Treasure, the highest designation for cultural properties in Japan. The other three are Himeji-jo, Matsumoto-jo and Inuyama-jo.

Autumn Colours at Hikone

Tenshu of Hikone Castle

One reason why this small castle was unique was because it combines three different types of gables into the castle keep’s exterior. The admission fee cost 700 yen.

View of Lake Biwa from the Tenshu of Hikone Castle.

Furthermore, the castle also offers nice views of Lake Biwa, the largest inland lake in Japan. The castle is only a 15 minutes walk away from JR Hikone Station.

The mascot of Hikone is an adorable Samurai Cat called Hikonyan with a website dedicated to it. They have it in menus in restaurants, toys, key chains, train calling for ecological awareness, stone statues and even tombstones.

I find it irresistible to purchase a soft toy for 1000 yen from the souvenir store. Apparently the mascot is quite popular. We found it in Kyoto, Nara and Osaka as well.

Below: Soan-ji Temple.

We went for a walk along Yume Kyobashi Castle Road, a road outside Hikone Castle’s outer moat which has an atmosphere of a former castle town with Edo Period style architecture. It looked very pleasant indeed with an old world charm while being a modern shopping street at the same time. It has the atmosphere similar to Duxton and Ann Siang Hill.

OMI BEEF @ 近江牛と近江鶏の店 近江やWe had lunch at 近江牛と近江鶏の店 近江や along the Yume Kyobashi Castle Road as we were attracted by the fact that they serve Omi Beef at affordable prices.

I had the Steak Set for 1700 Yen. It came with a bowl of well-dressed, tangy salad, some pieces of takuan, a bowl of miso soup, a bowl of rice and a plate of Grilled Omi Beef Steak with dipping sauce and sautéed vegetables.

The beef was heavenly, so tender, juicy and flavorful. It felt very delicate as it just melts in the mouth leaving behind a fragrant aroma. The vegetables were nicely grilled with the right amount of seasoning.

My friend had the Hamburger Steak set for 1000 Yen. It was served with shaved white radish and the beef patty has a very smooth even texture. It was well minced with not fatty bits and adequately seasoned. The texture was much better than the one in Ma Maison and UCC Café.

REFLECTIONS ABOUT HIKONEIf you have the chance to visit Hikone, do visit this pleasant little town for a day trip before heading off for Kyoto or Nagoya. The castle is a must-visit, I read that the castle also have a pleasant garden that we missed due to the rain and time constraint.

Moreover, the Omi Beef here is a must-try for beef lovers. There are two decent restaurants (according to rtablelog) along Yume Kyobashi Castle Road that opens around 1100-1130 Hours that serves omi beef. The one we tried was the cheaper of the two. The other one is 近江肉せんなり亭 伽羅

There are lockers provided at the JR Hikone Station, 400 Yen for medium, 600 Yen for large. The town is easily accessible by JR lines from Kyoto or Nagoya.

Those ‘rocks’ are actually ducks.