Nestled in the Southwest region of Shiga Prefecture is a city called Koka. Known as one of the birthplaces of the ninja, referred to as "shinobi no sato," Koka has a rich history and is a must-visit for anyone interested in the history of the shinobi. One of the main attractions there is the Koka Ninja Village, where visitors have the opportunity to experience what it was like to be a real ninja.
I started my trip here by donning a ninja costume, then prepared myself to undergo the Ninja Challenge. The female ninja, or "kunoichi," who guided my coworker and me through the obstacles told us many interesting facts about ninja along the way. I could tell that she knew a lot about the Way of the Ninja.

The first obstacle included climbing over a wall. My large running shoes were not ideal for finding grooves between the stones, but I managed to clamber my way to the top.
Then we were tasked with climbing atop a roof and stealthily making our way over the clay tiles. The rain challenged my balance, but I don't think anyone noticed me.

Then we had to shimmy across a wall over a narrow ledge. Unfortunately, once again my large feet did me no favors, but I managed not to fall off. The next obstacle was much easier. Making use of handholds and footholds, we had to traverse a roughly 20-meter-long bamboo wall. My rock wall climbing experience paid off here, and I made it over with relative ease.

Unfortunately, due to the rain and slippery surface, neither of us could overcome the following log cross, but I'm confident under dryer circumstances that we would have prevailed. I did get to redeem myself somewhat on the following zipline. Much like Bruce Lee in The Big Boss, I had to mimic a flying kick so I would not collide with the wall at the opposite side.

Next it was time to test our hand-eye coordination with the shuriken throw. Despite my excitement to test my aiming skills, I think I should stick to hand-to-hand combat. The final and most challenging test was the water crossing. While balancing ourselves on devices called "water spiders," we had to pull ourselves across a body of water without falling in. Despite making it to the other side safely, my large size ensured that my lower legs and feet would not make it out unscathed.

The training was fairly challenging, so be sure to stretch beforehand and wear comfortable clothes as well. If you are going to do the water crossing, you should bring another pair of socks (or an extra set of clothes if you fall in the pool!). Even though my aim was terrible, my favorite activity was shuriken throwing. I've participated in obstacle courses in the US before, but this was a new experience for me.

I enjoyed this experience so much that I can't wait to go back again. This is something that you can enjoy with your family, friends, or even by yourself! I will definitely bring my friends and parents here when they visit!

Have you ever heard of ninjas? If you've watched anime or any Japanese period movie, it's not unlikely you've seen these (often) black-clad men sneaking around and looking cool. But did you know that ninjas were not only real-life spies and skilled fighters, but also the precursors to today's scientists and chemists?
In the Shiga prefecture, we can find the region called Koka (often called Koga in Western media), home to the ninja clan of the same name and a wealth of vast and amazing knowledge about ninjas that goes far beyond just being cool (but there's plenty of that too!).

(At the Koka City Pharmaceutical Learning Center visitors can learn about ninja history while having great fun)
For one, the current (October 1st 2024 to August 10th 2025) exhibit at the "Koka City Pharmaceutical Learning Center", allows visitors the opportunity to see a myriad of ninja-related items and learn about the history of the local ninjas, including historical documents, tools, traditional garments and much more up close.

(Genuine historical documents are among the many incredible items on display)
In what can only be described as a unique and fascinating trip through history, visitors can see documents written by actual ninjas, learn their connection to mountain monks, the disguises they used, the meaning behind the famous "ninja hand gestures" widely seen in popular media like anime and video games and even see the weapons and tools used by these historical figures. On the more scientific side, visitors can learn how ninjas experimented with, acquired, and applied their knowledge of plants to develop medicines, poisons and more.

(The famous "ninja hand-gestures" are not only real, but deeply connected to Japanese culture and history)

In many ways ninjas were the precursors of today's chemists and acted as actual pharmacists and merchants, going around dressed as such to both gather information and travel incognito. Just imagine that your local pharmacist was actually a master spy, highly trained in martial arts and capable of brewing powerful poisons and salves and you can start to have an idea of how well these historical figures were able to blend in.

(Ninjas would often travel around disguised as medicine salesmen carrying medicine boxes such as this)
As of the time of writing (March 7th, 2025) the aforementioned exhibit is still available, so if you're interested it's best to not waste any time!
At the Koka City Pharmaceutical Learning Center visitors are not limited to just seeing and hearing about these facts, though. They also have the opportunity to experience first-hand how ninjas prepared their own drugs, including preparing a genuine ninja emergency ration yourself, using the same tools that were used in the period and then getting to taste it (spoiler: it tastes really good!).

(Visitors get to make and taste genuine ninja emergency rations)
With the exception of unusual circumstances, ninjas would have regular meals like any other person. However, as the name implies, these little balls were prepared in advance and kept with the ninja as a last resort for emergency situations where procuring food would be hard or impossible. So, for example, when ninjas were infiltrating enemy strongholds or eluding enemy searches it wasn't uncommon to have to hide for several days on end. At times like these, a few of these rations would provide a day's worth of nutrients (although they can't do much to satiate hunger or fill one's stomach).
The process for making them involves mixing several components including cinnamon, rice powder, mochi powder and sugar, for example. To grind the components, like herbs and plants, into powder form in order to mix them, one must use a tool called yagen (薬研), a mortar and pestle-like tool.

(Using the yagen)
The experience is, of course, accompanied by professional guidance and includes a history lesson that makes every single part of the process, from grinding to boiling, easy to follow and connected to the culture and circumstances of the time, giving participants a very realistic glimpse of what life was like for the ninjas of yore.
And while reading about history is always interesting, there is something incomparable about getting to have a hands-on experience. Feeling the weight of the yagen, the smell, taste and consistency of the rations, or the act of separating the final paste in smaller parts that are carefully measured are among the parts of the experience that are hard, if not impossible, to convey through words.
So, if this article piqued your interest, do yourself a favor and go to the Koka City Pharmaceutical Learning Center as soon as possible. It's an experience that must be had in person and if you have even a passing interest in Japanese history, culture or ninjas, then I can guarantee that you'll have an absolute blast!

Author : Diego de Sousa

Japanese cuisine offers a variety beef dishes, including Sukiyaki and Shabu-Shabu (hot pots) etc,. Over 200 brands of Japanese beef, the most highly regarded are Matsuzaka beef, Kobe beef and Omi beef, known as the Japan's Top 3 Wagyu brands said with over 400 years.

While Kobe beef may be better known internationally, it's actually Omi beef, which uses Japanese black cattle grown in Shiga Prefecture that has the longest history of the 3 brands.

Omi beef comes from carefully selected stock cattle bred in the abundant nature around Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture.

Many Omi beef fattening farmers carefully selected and use domestic feed with assured safety, such as straw of Omi Rice. Rice straw fed to the cattle will eventually become compost that cultivates Omi Rice, and its straw will again be fed to cattle.

The human and eco-friendly, sustainable cycle system that combines crop cultivation and livestock farming is formed within the Shiga prefecture.

Though it may not be as internationally famous as Kobe beef, Omi beef is regarded as a beef brand to be carefully appreciated by those in the know. Enjoy the extra special flavor, tender sweetness and mellow aroma even mesmerized Shoguns of Japan.

Walking the Nakasendo, its not only Nagano and Kyoto. You can walk the most popular section in Shiga, called Kusatsu or Moriyama, as a daytrip from Kyoto. Here's our recommended route of Nakasendo in Shiga.

Kusatsu was a Shukuba-machi, mean Post Town of Nakasendo. You can see some sign anywhere in Kusatsu.

As follow, still remaining same as above old picture.

Kusatsu was a place for branching and merging with the two major highways, the Tokaido and the Nakasendo connecting Kyoto and Edo (Current Tokyo). It was also a lively place for many travelers and goods because it was connected closely to the way to Yabase port where was an important place of ship transportation of the Lake Biwa.

This is a Honjin, so do you know what is "Honjin"?

"Honjin" was the most prestigious accommodation in Shukuba (post town) in the Edo period.

There were only one or two Honjin in Shukuba. It consists of a large land and a big building, and there were some special facilities that only the Honjin was allowed to make. "Honjin" used to refer to the "military headquarters", but later because of the meaning of "the place where the shogun is staying", it became to refer to "an accommodation facility for the exclusive use of elite of society, such as Daimyo (feudal load), Hatamoto (direct retainer of the shogun) and Kuge (the nobility)".

More information about Kusatsu Honjin : https://www.city.kusatsu.shiga.jp/kusatsujuku/english/index.html

In Kusatsu, Shiga prefecture, you can enjoy the walk Nakasendo also Tokaido. At the Furukawa Shuzo Sake Brewery is on the route of Tokaido, you can tasting some of Japanese Sake.

Just second minutes walk from Furukawa Sake Brewery, you can see the sign board picture by Hiroshige Utagawa.

Thsi building was a Japanese sweets shop and now Hyosendo's office, Hyosendo is selling Hyotan (Gourd) and it used to water bottle when people walking Nakasendo / Tokaido.

In Spring time, there is a festival called Kusatsu Shukuba Matsuri.

This festival includes a historical pageant that proceeds through the traditional city streets, with a large number of onlookers taking in the vast array of gorgeous outfits. The main players in the pageant strike a chord deep in the hearts of all who see them, while the rich and fabulous costumes and hairstyles clearly delineate the differences between samurai and noble cultures.

More information about Kusatsu Shukuba Matsuri festival : https://en.biwako-visitors.jp/event/detail/14

Visit Shiga to walking Nakasendo and Tokaido. We are next to Kyoto and only 9 minutes by normal train.

https://en.biwako-visitors.jp/

Você já ouviu falar do Lago Biwa? Famoso entre os japoneses, ele é o maior lago de todo o Japão! No dia 27 de maio tive a oportunidade de ir com a Emilie, Coordenadora de Relações Internacionais do Canadá, em um passeio de barco por essa atração local.

O embarque foi pontual, às 11:45. Nos reunimos em um píer às margens do Rio Seta e embarcamos no Yakatabune Shiki, nome da embarcação responsável por nos conduzir em nosso passeio. O tempo estava ótimo e o barco era lindo. A recepção calorosa que tivemos, então, só aumentou ainda mais nossa expectativa e empolgação.

Fomos gentilmente guiados ao primeiro andar da embarcação, onde já nos aguardava a mesa e um luxuoso bentô para cada um. Além dessa refeição, foi servido também matcha, chá tradicional no Japão.

Minha primeira surpresa agradável foi ao abrir a caixa e verificar o conteúdo:

Em poucas palavras, foi o melhor bentô que comi desde que vim ao Japão. Repleto de frutos frescos do mar e cuidadosamente preparado nos mínimos detalhes, ele já bastaria para me satisfazer e fazer o dia ter valido a pena.

Mas então o barco se afastou do píer e iniciou seu percurso pelo Biwako, como os japoneses chamam o gigantesco lago.

Tempo não era uma preocupação e por isso fomos comendo com calma, desfrutando daquele momento.

Após terminar nossa refeição, ouvimos que poderíamos ir ao andar de cima tirar fotos se quiséssemos. Foi então que nos dirigimos ao topo do Yakatabune.

Chegando lá, esta foi a primeira cena que se apresentou a nós:

Avançamos pelo barco apenas para nos dar conta de que estamos abraçados por todos os lados pelo Biwako. O céu azul nos envolvendo, a água tranquila, o vento fresco que faz esquecer que nos dirigimos ao verão.

É indescritível.

A embarcação avança tranquila pela água enquanto sinto o vento refrescante e observo a paisagem que parece não ter fim...

...Existem cenas que criam morada em nossa memória, e eu sabia que aquela era uma delas.

O passeio pelo Biwako a bordo do Yakatabune foi uma experiência única: o sorriso com que nos atenderam, o conforto da embarcação, o sabor impecável da comida e toda a beleza do maior lago do Japão.

Só resta agradecer à tripulação pela experiência maravilhosa que nos foi proporcionada.

Muito obrigado!

E até breve!

More details about Yakatabune Shiki https://en.biwako-visitors.jp/spot/detail/2599?active=eat

"Rosa & Berry Tawada" in Maibara city, Shiga prefecture, is a touristic farm established by a housewife who had a gardening hobby. This well-managed English-style garden offers a wide variety of activities which can be enjoyed by locals and tourist alike!

Rose Garden/ Peak season

If you are fortunate enough to visit Kansai during late spring, you should strongly consider checking out Rosa & Berry Tawada English Garden in Shiga if only to see the roses in full bloom. The temperature and climate of Maibara, Shiga is ideal for growing a large array of flora. In the 13,000m2 garden, the indigenous trees and plants have been kept and only enhance the seven gardens on the grounds to be conscience of the harmony with the surrounding environment. Despite being in Japan, you can truly feel as though you have been transported to England. (Two vacations in one anyone?)

BBQ Area

If you are feeling a bit peckish after strolling through the garden, there are several dining options, but for summer I would recommend the outdoor BBQ area. The entire dining experience is done in a DIY fashion. You are provided a grill and utensils for cooking your food. In a farm to table move, you can select and harvest seasonal vegetables from the field and cook using them just after picking. If traveling with small children, it is a great hands-on experience for them to learn where their food is coming from. The gazebo, which can seat up to 8 people, let you enjoy the scenery in comfort.

Onsite farms

In addition to the vegetable farm, they also a sheep farm and pony farm. Petting and feeding are permitted, but please only feed them the proper food provided by the staff.

Train

You can take a sightseeing trip from the station in Spacious Lawn to the new Fairy Garden area or just before the Sheep Petting Farm. Please enjoy the approximately 1 km comfortable train ride while your body sways with the train motion and your face feels the breeze.

Fairy houses

In 2018, Fairy Garden, a Village where Fairies Live,was opened on the small hills between mountains in the north area of Rosa & Berry Tawada. Like a scene from the Lord of the Rings, these small dwellings add a bit of magic to the garden and give you a feeling of wonderment and awe. Feel free to explore the area and find the various small houses and trappings of fairies.

Shaun the Sheep

Finally, the newest attraction at Rosa & Berry Tawada English Garden is the Shaun the Sheep Farm House. This area of the park is dedicated to the beloved Shaun the Sheep- a British stop-motion animated television series. Here you can interact with life sized replicas of characters and scenes from the show!

If you are interested to check out this unique venue while in Shiga, feel free to check the link down below for times, prices and access!

(Author : Deuce Ludas Griggs, Kansai Tourism Bureau)

When given the opportunity to take a trip to Nagahama for a day while studying abroad in Hikone, I knew immediately I had to go. Now, remembering the trip, I will make sure I visit Nagahama again in the future, as there are so much more things to see and do in the area than can fit in one day.

Many, if not all, regions in Japan have special meals or types of food that are considered special to the area. The first stop on our trip was to the restaurant Yokarou. There, we enjoyed somen noodles with mackerel. I was very impressed by the mild, savory flavor of the dish. The environment of the restaurant felt like a very significant cultural experience. From the screens dividing the rooms, to the traditional way we removed our shoes when we entered and sat on pillows on the floor, I felt like I was learning something new every second I spent at Yokarou.

Next, we visited the Kaiyodo Figure Museum. This was the part of the trip I was most excited for. As someone who loves miniatures and figures, as well as pop culture, this was a great place to explore. We saw many characters from cartoons, video games, and anime, as well as detailed animals and vehicles. My favorite item there was the many dinosaur figures on display. Another great thing about this museum is the huge collection of gachapon, or vending machines for capsule toys. We got to take home some complementary capsule toys, as well as some souvenirs I bought from the gift shop.

Lastly, we were lucky enough to view the 68th Nagahama Bonsai Exhibition of Ume Trees with Blossoms. The displays of numerous bonsai trees of all shapes and color made it impossible to not be amazed. I took dozens of pictures there. My favorite part about this location is the amazing smell that the trees create within the building. We were very lucky to participate in this event, as the trees only blossom within a very short time span around February.

Overall, the city of Nagahama was a great place to walk around for the day. The shops are very open and welcoming to customers, and there are many souvenirs to choose from. I indulged and bought some strawberry daifuku. I shared them with my roommate, and they were an amazing way to remember my trip.

Author : Talia Pulliam

Upon arriving in Nagahama after a scenic drive along the lake, we went to a restaurant called Yokarou that serves local Nagahama food. The inside was set up like a traditional Japanese building, so we took our shoes off and walked around in our socks. Our table was upstairs in a room lined with screens of Japanese art. We were served mackerel on top of somen noodles, a local specialty, along with some sides and green tea. It tasted really good.

Next, we made our way to the Kaiyodo Figure Museum. This was the highlight of the trip for me. The museum has figures for almost everything--anime, video games, manga, movies, and miscellaneous things, like animals and artistic works not connected to media. I was surprised and very happy to find a figure of the xenomorph from the Alien movie series, as it was something I was looking for in the museum but not expecting to actually find. This museum is especially good for people who enjoy Japanese anime and manga, as a large portion of the museum is filled with those. There's a lot of Evangelion figures, like a life-sized Ayanami Rei that I got a picture with. I wholeheartedly feel that everyone interested in Japanese media can find something that speaks to them in this museum, as there were so many varieties of things. Godzilla, Black Jack, Hatsune Miku, Snake from the Metal Gear series, Kenshiro from Fist of the North Star, and many, many more. They have a gift store, too, with figures available to buy, ranging in prices depending on the size. I know I saw some Yu-Gi-Oh figures and even some Marvel and DC ones. My friend bought a Shiga souvenir with Kirby on it. Surprisingly, there were also Hikonyan souvenirs there.

After leaving the museum, we went to an exhibition of a variety of bonsai trees, which takes place every year in February. The exhibition was held in a traditional Japanese building that we first had to walk through a beautiful garden to reach. The hallways filled with a very sweet smell from the bonsai trees, making the experience all the more pleasant. They had small trees, the blossoms of those seeming too big for trees of that size, but lovely all the same. They had big trees, too, one of which had a whole pond in its display. Watching the blossoms from the wide-reaching branches drift down and land in the water below was very soothing. I fell in love with that tree. I also adored the twisting and seemingly hollowed bark of many of the other trees.

My roommate and I immediately knew we had to come back to Nagahama and explore more of it.

Author : Colleen O'Keefe

Day 3 - 70km - Makino to Maibara via Lake Yogo

I woke early once again on my final day and went down to the beach for a morning swim. The freshwater was incredibly refreshing andset me in a good mood to start the last leg of the journey.

I set off after a hearty breakfast towards the hills of Northern Shiga. The first section was spectacular; skirting around the dramatic hills jutting out into the lake. When I reached the upper Eastern corner of the lake, I had the option to head a little further North to explore the secluded lake Yogo. This turned out to be a very pleasant part of the journey as it is tucked away from busy roads and residential areas and I highly recommended this peaceful spot to anyone who visits the area.

I then followed the coastline South through Nagahama city and then on to Maibara. The Nagahama castle, located a few minutes walk from Nagahama station, is well worth a visit and was my final stop before returning to Maibara at the end of my journey.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of cycling a loop around lake Biwa. I feel that it offered great variety from the cultural sites in the East to the rolling rice fields in the West and the dynamic landscape of the North. I'd love to try it again in the future especially during the cherry blossom or Autumn colours seasons as I think seeing it at a different time of year would really enhance the journey!

（Author : Simon Richards, Audley Travel)

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

On a Monday morning in late August, I boarded the bullet train at Nagoya and travelled to Maibara station on the Eastern side of the massive Lake Biwa. There was a dramatic change in scenery from the urban sprawl of Nagoya to the distinctive rice fields and hills of Shiga prefecture. Upon my arrival to Maibara station, I was met by the friendly faces of the Biwaichi rental cycle Maibara branch team, quickly sized up for a bicycle and sent on my way on my three-day 240km journey around Lake Biwa.

Day 1 - 70km - Maibara to Moriyama

From my research, it seemed that the first stretch of my trip would be the best for sightseeing with Hikone castle and Omi-Hachiman between me and my first overnight stop in Moriyama. This section of the journey is usually around 55-60km if you follow the coastline of the lake but I was determined to see both sites on my way so I did take detours to go see them.

After setting off Westwards from Maibara station, I was soon greeted by the vast expanse of Lake Biwa and the epic scale of the lake soon dawned on me. I followed the coast to the South while keeping an eye out for signs for Hikone castle. From a distance, I soon noticed Hikone castle towering above the town of Hikone so I parked my bike and had a look around the impressive structure.

I continued to follow the coastline for another 25km before arriving into Omi-Hachiman. This charming canal town gives a real flavour of old Japan and parts of it reminded me of the Gion geisha district of Kyoto but with significantly fewer tourists. I planned to take the Hachimanyama ropeway up to Mt. Hachiman to try getting some views of the area but I was conscious that I might run out of sunlight before arriving in Moriyama so I continued onwards.

For the remainder of the day, I followed the wavy contours of the lake crossing bridges of canals as they met the mighty Biwako. As successful first day in the saddle!

Read next article - Day 2 here

Read next article - Day 3 here