Discover Takashima: Ōmizo Castle and Lake Biwa

When planning your trip to Takashima, it is worth exploring the historical and water-related features of the area. These include Ōmizo Castle, the history of its castle town, and waterways that once formed part of its defenses. Preserved traces, festivals and an exhibition area offer different perspectives: you can explore the history of the castle or focus on the waterside landscape along Lake Biwa.

Ōmizo Castle and the waterside landscape

Ōmizo Castle was built by Oda Nobusumi in 1578. Its defenses made use of the small inland lake Otome-ga-ike, connected to Lake Biwa by a narrow waterway, as well as a river and moats. The lake’s history goes back further: during the Manyō poetry era, the area around Otome-ga-ike was a bay of Lake Biwa that extended to the foot of the mountains. Later, the lake served as the castle’s outer moat. Here, the evolution of the landscape and the history of the castle come together.

In the former town of Takashima, the Ōmizo waterside landscape is an important cultural landscape. To this day, it preserves the spatial layout of the castle and its castle town, whose history dates back to the Middle Ages and the early modern period. This perspective sets the wider landscape apart from a closer look at individual historic buildings.

Traces of the castle town

The historic town layout has been preserved in Katsuno, the former castle-town district. Stone markers bearing former street names and information about their origins can be found at various locations. Katsuno is also home to the gate of Ōmizo Jin'ya, parts of samurai residences and waterways. The Sōmon is the only surviving building of Ōmizo Jin'ya and is designated a cultural property by the city of Takashima.

The Ōmizo Jin'ya Sōmon serves as an information center for the Takashima–Ōmizo area and distributes castle seals and castle maps. Following its reopening on April 1, 2024, an exhibition area for regional cultural properties was set up there, and an approximately 15-minute CG film about Ōmizo Castle was produced and is shown regularly. The site of the former main keep is on a low hill surrounded by stone walls, about 150 meters southeast of Ōmi-Takashima Station.

Festivals and other cultural highlights

The Ōmizo Festival is the spring festival of Hiyoshi Shrine and is considered an outstanding float festival in the western lakeside region. The traditional program spans three days: May 3 is the eve of the festival, May 4 is the main festival, and May 5 is the post-festival celebration. Five floats join the procession from five districts of Katsuno: Minato, Tomoe, Takara, Isami and Ryō.

The float of the Tomoe group is considered particularly unusual and the oldest. Its four corner posts and entire roof can be raised and lowered. If you would like to include the festival in your travel plans, check the dates in advance.

At Shirahige Shrine in Ugawa, a large vermilion torii gate stands in Lake Biwa, while the shrine buildings are located beyond National Route 161. The Narukomairi ritual, held on September 5 and 6, is also associated with the festival there. Check before your trip whether the events are taking place. In Ukawa, a group of stone Amida Buddhas also commemorates the late Muromachi period: the statues, about 1.6 meters tall, are made of granite; 33 of the original 48 statues remain in Ukawa.

Things to do in the municipality

Takashima Village comprises eight renovated buildings in Katsuno, the former castle-town district. Visitors can stroll through the historic quarter, dine, take part in activities and shop; individual businesses may have varying hours. In Building 1, Candle Workshop Rōsoku-chō offers candle-making and herbarium workshops for children and adults. Check the current availability of workshops before your visit.

The Active Biwako Center’s program includes a trip on Lake Biwa in a nine-meter-long, hand-rowed cutter. Check the booking details and participation requirements for this trip before you travel. The boat trip, the historic traces in Katsuno and the festivals described here offer different focal points, so you can shape your stay around whichever interests you most.

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