Chikubu Island -- A Sacred Gem Floating on Lake Biwa

Rising quietly from the northern waters of Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, lies Chikubu Island (Chikubushima) -- a tiny, uninhabited isle just two kilometers around. Though small and seemingly isolated, this island has long been a deeply spiritual place. It is home to Hōgon-ji Temple, one of the thirty-three sacred sites of the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage, and has been revered for centuries as a place of worship and prayer. Even today, many visitors come seeking peace, faith, and a touch of ancient mystery.

The belief that the entire island itself is a deity dates back to the Middle Ages. For the boatmen who once traversed the vast expanse of Lake Biwa, Chikubu Island was both a beacon and a source of spiritual comfort. Before modern transport, waterways were essential -- and Lake Biwa, covering one-sixth of Shiga Prefecture and sitting close to Kyoto, was a major hub of commerce. Goods such as seafood from the Sea of Japan were unloaded at Tsuruga Port, carried over the mountains, and then shipped across the lake to Kyoto.

The Sacred Treasures of Chikubu Island

Two major sacred sites rest upon this small island -- Hōgon-ji Temple and Chikubushima Shrine. Both are culturally significant, and notably, the Karamon Gate of Hōgon-ji and the main hall of Chikubushima Shrine are designated as National Treasures of Japan.

Hōgon-ji's principal deity is Benzaiten, the goddess of beauty, wisdom, and music. Alongside Enoshima Shrine in Kanagawa and Daigan-ji Temple on Miyajima, it is counted among Japan's Three Great Benzaiten temples -- and is said to be the oldest of the three. The sacred statue of Benzaiten is a hidden Buddha (hibutsu), only revealed to the public once every sixty years. The next unveiling is scheduled for 2037.

Descending from the Kannon Hall, you'll find the beautiful Karamon Gate. Originally built as the Gokuraku-mon gate of the Toyokuni Shrine in Kyoto's Higashiyama district -- dedicated to the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi -- it was later relocated to Chikubu Island by order of his son, Toyotomi Hideyori. Historical records also suggest that the Gokuraku Bridge of Osaka Castle was similarly moved to the Toyokuni Shrine around the same time.

In May 2020, major restoration work was carried out on the Karamon, Kannon Hall, and the connecting corridor. Using laser technology to analyze pigments and patterns, craftsmen meticulously repainted and re-lacquered the gate, restoring it to its original splendor.

A Bridge Between Japan and Austria

Interestingly, recent research revealed that this very Karamon Gate, beautifully restored, also appears in a painted folding screen embedded in the walls of Eggenberg Palace in Graz, Austria.

Within the palace -- which celebrated its 400th anniversary -- lies a remarkable room known as the "Japanese Room." Its walls display eight panels of a folding screen titled "The Osaka Castle Screen of the Toyotomi Period," depicting the grandeur of Osaka Castle and its surrounding castle town. Among the detailed scenes is the Gokuraku Bridge, once spanning the inner moat of Osaka Castle.

The upper carvings of Chikubu Island's Karamon feature a golden pheasant, whose feathers were said to adorn the crowns of kings -- a symbol of power and prestige. This makes the gate not only a sacred relic but also the only surviving architectural remnant directly linked to the Toyotomi era's Osaka Castle.

After the fall of Osaka Castle to the Tokugawa shogunate in the early Edo period, a fragment of that world -- this Karamon -- survived quietly on Chikubu Island. And now, through art, it also connects to faraway Austria.

It's even said (though unproven) that Empress Maria Theresa herself may have once stood in that room at Eggenberg Palace, gazing upon the painting of a gate that still stands proudly on an island in Japan's Lake Biwa.

A Journey Through Time

Whether you visit for historical curiosity or spiritual serenity, both Chikubu Island on Lake Biwa and Eggenberg Palace in Graz offer a fascinating bridge across cultures and centuries.
If you ever have the chance -- visit both, and experience this remarkable story of faith, art, and time for yourself.

Eggenberg Palace (German: Schloss Eggenberg) in Graz

Chikubushima Hogonji Temple

Qui connaît Shiga, connaît le lac Biwa, le plus important du Japon. Ses eaux mouillent les berges de trois îles : Okishima, Takeshima et Chikubushima. Après avoir visité la deuxième, nous jetons notre dévolu sur la dernière.

Chikibushima est reconnue comme un lieu de puissance spirituelle, où l'on peut recharger sa barre d'énergie en s'entourant de nature. Lieu sacré depuis l'an 420, l'île abrite aujourd'hui le sanctuaire shinto de Tsukubusuma et les temples bouddhistes de Hogonji. Ils
sont consacrés en partie à la déesse Benzaiten, ou Sarasvati, qui est connectée à l'eau et à tout ce qui coule, dont la parole, la musique et le savoir, et est considérée comme la sainte patronne des artistes. Aussi appelée Benten, c'est la seule divinité féminine des sept
dieux japonais du bonheur modernes.

Nous embarquons au port d'Imazu, sur la côte ouest du lac. Les bateaux de la Biwako Kisen partent d'ici et de Nagahama plusieurs fois par jour. Nous passons les 25 minutes du voyage au grand air, et, bientôt, l'île se dévoile peu à peu jusqu'à ce qu'on aperçoive le port
et une partie des escaliers. Une légende dit que Chikubushima serait la tête coupée d'une déesse-montagne qui aurait osé dépasser le mont Ibuki, et il faut être en forme pour gravir les 165 marches qui mènent directement au pavillon réservé à Benzaiten du Hogonji. Plus
d'un chemin y mène, mais préparez-vous à monter, quel que soit votre choix!

Après avoir payé notre entrée, nous montons, donc, nous arrêtant seulement pour prendre quelques photos et pour le lavage rituel des mains. Le pavillon est entouré de verdure et de plus petits bâtiments. On peut faire signer son livre de sceaux et se procurer une clochette en forme d'oiseau--l'une des 6 à collectionner à différents temples de la préfecture--à gauche, ou prier à une divinité protectrice à droite.

Le temple lui-même nous en met plein la vue : une partie de ses murs est couverte d'un nombre impressionnant de daruma, de petites poupées à l'apparence de matriochkas rouges, peintes à l'image de Benzaiten. En échange de 500 yens, vous pouvez faire un
vœu que vous glisserez dans la poupée, et pour lequel ils offriront des prières pendant une année.

Quittant ce lieu charmant, nous montons jusqu'au point accessible le plus élevé de l'île. Ici se tient une pagode vermillon dont l'intérieur coloré contient un Bouddha doré, ainsi qu'un musée rempli de trésors anciens. La salle n'est pas très grande, mais les artefacts sont
assez intéressants pour qu'on y reste un certain temps. Ce jour-là, nous avons aussi la chance de voir une impressionnante mante religieuse près de la pagode!

Après avoir tout exploré, nous descendons vers la dernière section de l'île, où se cachent le pavillon principal du Hogonji, ainsi que le sanctuaire de Tuskubusuma. Au moment de notre visite, la porte principale de Hogonji était en rénovation, mais elle a depuis été
terminée avec de nouvelles couleurs. À l'entrée, on trouve un Bouddha de bois tout usé : si vous avez mal où que ce soit, vous n'avez qu'à frotter la statue au même endroit pour lui transférer votre douleur! Bien entendu, il vaut mieux éviter de le faire en temps de
pandémie.

Nous suivons alors un corridor étroit jusqu'à un petit magasin et à l'alcôve de dévotion.

Vous pouvez acheter des porte-bonheur, des chandelles ou de l'encens, selon vos besoins. Quelques pas de plus et nous nous trouvons dans le Funa Rôka, ou corridor du bateau, qui mène directement au sanctuaire principal. Son nom vient de son toit, qui faisait
originalement partie du bateau de plaisance de Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Des morceaux du château de ce dernier sont aussi intégrés à l'architecture du sanctuaire.

Comme Hogonji, Tsukubusuma est fait de plusieurs sections. En descendant l'escalier du sanctuaire principal, on se retrouve dans une petite cour avec quelques statues et d'autres pavillons.

Le plus gros de ces derniers, le Ryujin Haisho, est le plus intéressant : dédié au dieu dragon qui habite dans le lac, c'est là qu'on peut participer au kawarake-nage, ou lancer de poteries. Nous achetons d'abord les petits disques en poterie; nous écrivons notre nom sur
le premier, et un souhait sur le deuxième. Il faut alors lancer les disques au travers du torii qui se dresse devant le lac; si vous parvenez à y lancer les deux, votre souhait sera exaucé par le dieu dragon. C'est plus difficile que ça en a l'air et nous ne réussissons qu'à
moitié ce jour-là.

Nos disques lancés, nous retournons vers le port afin de ne pas manquer notre bateau.
Nous descendons le reste des escaliers pour nous retrouver au port avant de relaxer en voguant vers Imazu.

24th September, 2020

9:30 JR Otsu station

We arrived at Otsu Station in Shiga Prefecture at 9:30 am, which is conveniently only 9 minutes away from Kyoto Station via the JR train system.Shiga was known as Ōmi Province or Gōshū before the prefectural system was established. Omi was a neighbor of Nara and Kyoto, at the junction of western and eastern Japan. During the period 667 to 672, Emperor Tenji founded a palace in Otsu. Although in current times, the prefecture is known as Shiga, you can see the old province name very prevalently in location names as well as their revered Ōmi Beef, one of the most well known beef brands in Japan along with Kobe Beef.

10:00 Arrive at Marina Club Revre

MARINA CLUB RIVRE is located only 30 minutes away from Kyoto and one hour away from Osaka using the JR Kyoto line and Kosei line. Take one step further for more fun and quality time.Transfer available from JR Katata station.

10:15~12:00 Sailboat (including instruction)

At the Marina Club Rivre, you can try a multitude of water based activities including SUP (Stand Up Paddle Boarding), wind sailing and yachting. We chose the latter for our activity this time around and took off in a yacht with a very experienced captain. While riding around the lake, he pointed out various points of interest such as Omi-Fuji, the tallest mountain in the area. After a bit of instruction, passengers are also allowed to pilot the yacht around the lake.

12:00~13:00 Omi beef BBQ

The Marina Club Rivre also offers lunch packages as well. We went with the Omi Beef package but they also offer a chicken set as well.

Omigyu (Omi beef) Set Menu (locally produced)

Oumigyu is considered to be among the top-three types of Japanese "wagyu" beef, together with Kobe beef and Matsuzaka beef. It has been recognized as a type of wagyu beef for over 400-years. Please enjoy this delicate, tender, and delicious beef.

Tankai chicken Set Menu (locally produced)

If you love chicken, we recommend our locally-produced Tankai chicken. The male chickens tend to be leaner, while the females tend to be tender, well-balanced, and moist. Both have a deeply satisfying taste. Enjoy the various textures and consistencies of your chicken, perfectly complemented by our fresh vegetables.

13:20 Arrive at Moriyama Giant Rental Cycle store

Cycling around Lake Biwa is famous cycling route for beginner cyclist in Western Japan. Known as "Biwaichi", this route aims to show riders the more local side of Shiga. ne can expect to run into all sorts of temples, shrines and lovely locals who are keen to share their slice of Japan with you.

Giant Store Biwako Moriyama was opened at Marriott Hotel, so there is no lack of accomodation for those wishing to travel leisurely around the lake.

As the Biwako Ohashi Bridges, which connect Otsu City and Moriyama City in Shiga Prefecture, will mark their 50th anniversary this year, a commemorative ceremony will be held on September 28. The 1.4-kilometer-long southern bridge will be pedestrianized for the first time since its opening. The anniversary will be celebrated through events such as 1,000 people holding hands while standing in a row on the bridge and others.

The first Biwako Ohashi Bridge was opened on September 28, 1964 as a "bridge of dreams" connecting the west coast and the southern and east coasts of the lake in order to contribute to industrial development and promote tourism at Lake Biwa. In 1980, pedestrian and bicycle lanes were installed. In response to increased traffic, a new bridge was constructed on the north side in July 1994, making a total of four lanes. Currently the bridges are run by Shiga Prefectural Road Public Corporation. More than 30,000 cars per day cross the bridges.

⇒Ukimido

The Ukimido, the "floating temple hall" at Mangetsuji Temple, is famous for being featured in one of the Eight Views of Omi, "wild geese returning home at Katata." The current structure is a recreation that was erected in 1937, and then underwent repairs in 1982, yet it fully retains the atmosphere of the original construction. The Kannondo in the temple grounds also contains an Important Cultural Property in the form of a statue of Sho Kannon.

⇒Back to Moriyama Giant Rental cycle store

16;30 Depart from Moriyama

17:30 Check-in at Hotel Koo

The accommodation is very nice and modern. You feel away from the city. It can be a bit noisy during the day, but if you want to relax at night it's perfect for you. I stayed alone and it was a bit too big for me, but if I ever go to Shiga, I would definitely go with a friend or 4.

Hyakusaiji Temple

Near the entrance was a giant, bear tree when we went, which I am sure would be beautiful when spring comes. However nearby there are plenty of red, maple trees to appreciate. After a short walk past the entrance, there is a large pond filled with koi. There are a few colorful ones, but the majority appeared to be black. The fish are quite feisty and there is fish food nearby that you can pay for. I would recommend trying to feed them if there is fish food that you can purchase. Of course, the pond is situated around plenty of colorful trees, so there is a beautiful view all around the it.

Further up the path, there were a lot of yellow and orange leaved trees when we had gone. That is not to say there were not any red leaves at all, but rather the temple had the most variety of leaf colors among the temples I have visited for autumn leaves. Near the top was also giant bell that people could ring, so feel free to try it. Near the mountaintop you could hear monkeys sometimes, and if you're lucky enough you might see one too.

Kyorinbo Temple

My first impression of entering Kyourinbou was how colorful the leaves were even at the beginning of december. The walking path was filled with autumn leaves, which made me constantly stop to take pictures. Although the walking path is not particularly long, the scenery rivals that of any larger temple. There was nearly nothing that I did not want to have a picture of when I went.

Situated near the center of the path was a shrine facing the pond. While there were a decent group of people sitting crouching and taking photos, I would not say that the area felt crowded. The pond has a terraced, moss-covered rocks that are right in front of Japanese maples trees. Watching the leaves fall and float in the pond up was a one of the kind experience.

(Author : Robin Zhang / JCMU student, 2019)

Fujii Honke Sake Brewery was established in 1831 and sole brewery to make and provide sacred Sake to the Japanese Imperial Court and shrine all over Japan because of the Inperial Niiname Harvest Festival.

Lake Biwa is surrounded by mountains and is known as one of the ancient lakes of the World, It's unique geographic character makes the local weather and water ideal for sake brewing and rice cultivation.

This sake called "Kyokujitsu Kirara" made by very traditional ways and it was a gift for world leaders at G20 summit held in Osaka, 2019.

Also, Their Sakagura Brewery building is registered Tangible Cutural Property, it 700 years old! Over 8000 visitors a year come to Sakagura Brewery tours to learn how to make Sake traditionally.

Fujii Honke Sake Brewery offers international shipping. For more details, please contact them by email using the following template.

E-mai : info@fujiihonke.jp

≪Inquiry Template≫
　　　Your Name:
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9:30 Meet at Keihan Line "Sakamoto-Hieizanguchi" station

I left my accomodation in Osaka City and traveled a little more than an hour by train to begin my day in Shiga Prefecture. Sakamoto- Hieizanguchi is located in Otsu City in Shiga Prefecture, so it is easily accessible from larger cities such as Osaka and Kyoto.

9:45 Start trekking

After meeting with my fellow hiking companions, we walked for about five minutes to arrive in front of Hiyoshi Taisha shrine. The stone steps next to the torii gate at Hiyoshi Taisha mark the entrance to the Mt. Hiei trekking Pilgrimage route.

Honzaka was once the main path used by those coming to worship at Hieizan Enryakuji, but with the opening of the cable car, the route has seen far less use and is not especially well maintained. This makes the hike a bit more rigid than most other popular hiking locations, but it is not impossible. If you choose to take part in the hike, you should allot 2 to 2.5 hours to complete it with ample breaks and photo opts.

12:00 Arrive at Hieizan-Enryakuji Temple (top of the Mt. Hiei)

Lunch at Tsurugi Soba Noodle restaurant

13:00 Tour around Hieizan Enryaku Temple

Hieizan Enryakuji Temple, with its sprawling grounds across Mt. Hieizan, is the head temple of the Tendai Sect, and was registered as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1994 and as a Japan Heritage site in 2015. Conveniently located for access by driveway, cable car and all bus routes, it is comparatively easy to make it all the way to the top of the mountain. At Enryakuji Kaikan you can also experience what it's like to train at the temple, including Zen meditation and making copies of the sutras. Please inquire to 077-578-0047 (9:00 - 17:00) for more details.

Konpon Chudo, a national treasure, is a hall that was originally created from a structure erected by Dengyo Daishi Saicho, founder of Enryakuji Temple, in 788. Meeting with destruction at the hands of various disasters over the years, with each rebuilding it also increased in scale. Its current form was completed in 1642 under orders from Iemitsu Tokugawa. The statue of the Yakushi (Bhaisajyaguru) Buddha here has an eternal light placed in front of it, which has not gone out in more than 1200 years. While the building is currently undergoing major repair work, the work itself is quite a sight to see as it is being performed on a National Treasure. Don't miss this chance to see interesting restoration work underway. (The work started in 2016 and will continue for approximately 10 years)

15:30 Back to the station by Sakamoto Cable

16:00 Arrive at Keihan Line "Hieizan-Sakamotoguchi" station

The hotel located near Hieizan Enryakuji Temple offers character lattes like Medama-Oyaji (目玉おやじ or 目玉親父, Lit. "Eyeball Father"), or Medama-no-Oyaji (目玉のおやじ). This particular one is a major character in the GeGeGe no Kitarō franchise. Once a fully-formed adult ghost, he perished of a disease, only to be reborn out of his decayed body as an anthropomorphic version of his own eyeball. His primary role in the series is to support the main character Kitarō with his knowledge of all things yōkai(japanese spirits).

Author : Deontae Deuce Griggs / Kansai Tourism Bureau

À l'époque d'Edo, deux grandes routes reliaient l'ancienne capitale, Kyoto, à la nouvelle, Edo : la Tokaido et la Nakasendo. Pour éviter les montagnes, elles devaient passer par Shiga, longeant le lac Biwa au sud. Encore aujourd'hui existent des échos de leur passé, notamment à Otsu et à Kusatsu.

Nous commençons la journée dans la capitale de Shiga, où nous visitons d'abord le pont Seta no Karahashi, qui enjambe la rivière Seta. Une courte promenade nous permet d'apprécier le paysage et de faire le plein de vitamine D. Ce pont a toujours été d'une importance stratégique puisqu'il s'agissait du lien direct à Kyoto le plus sécuritaire étant donné les vents capricieux qui soufflent du mont Hiei sur lac Biwa et déroutent les bateaux. Il a donc été détruit plusieurs fois pendant ses plus de mil ans d'existence et sa forme actuelle est moderne. Encore aujourd'hui, c'est un lieu passant, à l'ombre duquel des pêcheurs se tiennent sur la berge et où le festival Senkosai a lieu tous les mois d'août.

Pendant le festival, des mikoshi (un type de grand reliquaire portable) traversent le pont et voyagent sur la rivière. Un des mikoshi provient du sanctuaire shintoïste Takebe Taisha, notre destination suivante.

On dit que ce sanctuaire est l'un des plus anciens du Japon. Sa proximité au lac Biwa lui donne un lien fort avec l'eau, qui se reflète dans ses différents types de divinations omikuji : ici, la prédiction apparaît comme un message secret au contact de l'eau, là, elle se trouve dans un petit poisson qu'il faut pêcher!

Le sanctuaire est assez grand, avec un étang et un jardin en plus des nombreux bâtiments principaux et auxiliaires.

L'un d'entre eux, juste passé le pont où les carpes se rassemblent sous nos pieds, aiderait à trouver l'amour.

L'endroit est paisible et nous prenons une autre bouffée d'air avant de retourner à Karahashi.

Là, nous continuons notre chemin vers la boutique de céramique Karahashiyaki Kamamoto.

Contrairement aux autres poteries de Shiga, celles de style Karahashi utilisent de l'argile tirée directement du lac Biwa. Cette glaise proviendrait des créatures vivantes du lac, qui insuffleraient leur énergie aux céramiques. Le style est aussi célèbre pour sa laque de couleur « bleu lac Biwa ».

Après une discussion fort intéressante avec le maître potier, nous nous dirigeons vers un atelier à part, où nous passons l'heure suivante à fabriquer nos propres tasses.

Le maître est excellent professeur et nous nous amusons tous ensemble à créer. Le produit fini doit être cuit et lacqué à plusieurs reprises pendant un mois avant d'être prêt.

Venue l'heure du midi, nous retournons sur les berges de la rivière Seta, où nous embarquons à bord du Yakatabune Shiki, un bateau-mouche exploité par Shiga Chuo Kanko Bus.

Là, nous dévorons notre thé et nos boîtes repas remplies de spécialités de Shiga avant de monter sur le pont supérieur pour profiter du paysage.

Pendant un peu plus d'une heure, la croisière remonte la rivière et fait un tour du sud du lac avant de revenir à son point de départ.

La vue est, bien entendu, merveilleuse; je serais curieuse de la voir aussi de nuit, mais ce sera pour une autre fois! Pour l'instant, nous nous dirigeons vers la ville voisine, Kusatsu, où nous passerons l'après-midi.

À suivre...

Have you seen "Omamori" lucky charm before?

All over Japan, each shrine and temple you may drop in on sells small Omamori luck charm. They are meant to be put on or in your bag, purse, walle or whever you want, may protect or blessing.

At Tarobogu Jinja shrine, you can make your original own Omamori lucky charm by yourself like this.

Please do not worry about how to make it. Chief priest or shrine maiden will teach you how to make it and instruction board will be show you some step to complete.

So, let's see how to make your own Omamori lucky charm!

Please watch carefully this instruction board here :

Japanese only.....but please don't panic! As I said, priest or shrine maiden will teach you, but also can not speak any English. But they can show you how to do it. Easy!

This is a set of Omamori lucky charm making. You can choose your small cloth bag and colour of ribbon by yourself.

Please write down your wish on the paper, it has enough space to write your wishes.

And then, put it into the small bag with Tarobo-gu shrine's God's stone together.

Tight the ribbon .... and completed!

How do you think? My one is middle, and I love it so much.

Tarobogu Shrine is located about halfway up the 350m high mountain, and said to have been founded around 1,400 years ago, it is connected to warding off disaster and bringing good luck and success in business.

Visit Tarobogu Shrine and try making your own Omamori luck charm for your sourvenir in Shiga!

Sacred mountain in Shiga, it called Hieizan mountain.

Before you go climb that Hieizan mountain, here's our beginners guide to trekking to Hieizan Mountain.

If you are beginner to climb, please don't worry. The route where we choose, it would be great to enjoy.

But please invest your good quality of equipment and bring your enough water.

During your trek to Hieizan mountain, make sure you stay properly hydrated by drinking lots of water.

Finally, trekking is not race, so go at your own pace is most important.

Now, lets' go!

---------------

(1) Nearest station

Nearest station of Hieizan Mountain is "Sakamoto Hieizanguchi" station (Keihan Line).

From the station, just go to Hiyoshi Taisha Shine's Torii gate. It is easy access, its just follow the sign board.

It takes around 5 minutes by walk.

(2) Entrance of Hieizan Mountain Trekking

This is a Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine. Left side of Torii gate, there are some stairs made by stone.

This is a first step of Hieizan Mountain.

Stairs will be continued to 2nd entrance of Hieizan. Just follow the stairs until end.

From here, there is no ENGLISH sign board, so there is only Japanese sign.

But please don't worry, it is easy access to the goal called Hieizan Enryakuji temple.

Enjoy the scenery of Lake Biwa and ancient stone statue, breathe in the fresh air insidethe wood, and appreciate the things that you see along the way.

(3) Way to the Hieizan Enryakuji Temple

After the stone stairs, you will be on the street vlike this.

End of this street, you can see the iron gate.

After the this iron gate, you can walk on the stone and rustic wood, but it is no quite danger way. Its just struggling to walk....

Continues to walk, you can see some statue and sign board. We've enjoyed making some stone ornaments like this ;-)

We are trying to find some place to rest, middle of the way to the top, there is a place like this.

Stone statue on the line. There is a wooden chair to sit down in front of this statue.

After the rest, we go for walk again!

If you see this sign board, it said Enryakuji temple is so close.

But it not said how long. So we need to walk....

Around Hieizan mountain and Enryakuji area called Sakamoto, it quite famous as a great stone work in ancient time. So you can see some ancient stone work in everywhere of this route.

And is you see this old wooden ruin and turtles, it will be ending your journey.

Unfortunately, from here to the goal is soooo slightly uphill.....

It must be difficult but goal is just there, you must go.

Thsi sign borard is a goal, here is a next to the Hieizan Enryakuji Kaiakan hall (accommodation).

If you are OK, please up to the Hieizan Enryakuji temple's formal gate called Monjuro to Konpon-chudo to pray.

Konpon-Chudo is a Enryakuji's main building, and undergoing some renovation and will be covered by scaffolding until at least 2026.

Watch the video to learn how Enryauji is : https://www.tokyostreetview.com/hieizan-enryakuji-temple-shiga/

Day 2 - 100km - Moriyama to Makino

I rose early with excitement and continued South past the city of Kusatsu. This was the first section of the trip where I could truly see the opposite side of the lake from the shore as I was in the slimmest part in the South. I crossed the Setagawa Bridge at the Southern point of the lake and pressed on up the other side through Otsu city. This was the most built-up section of the trip so was not necessarily the most attractive however, the Ukimido or 'floating temple' was a pleasant surprise and felt like a real hidden gem.

I eventually escaped the urban sprawl of Otsu city and soon found myself in the multi-coloured rice paddies scattered around Wani and Hira on the Eastern banks. This was a particularly enjoyable part of the ride as I could just get my head down and focus on the ride without worrying about traffic. The further North I went, the more impressive the scenery was.

The Shirahige shrine was my next stop, which is a red tori gate that stands in Lake Biwa about 30 metres from the coast. The gate itself attracted lots of visitors all posing for photos from the shore but I took a stroll around the area, stumbled across the Iwato-sha shrine in the foothills of the mountains, and took refuge there from a sudden downpour. It was a well-needed rest and extremely atmospheric so I would recommend anyone visiting to look around the surrounding area.

The remaining 20km to Makino largely consisted of the city of Takashima, which was home to some lovely old-style backstreets away from the main road. Upon arriving at my hotel on the lakeshore, I was so tired I headed straight to the property's private beach and lay down to enjoy the sun setting behind me and reflecting off the lake.

Read next article - Day 3 here