Splendour of

A visit to the city’s Lake Biwa with a glimpse

Hikone Castle during autumn.

Breathtaking!

Golden statues at the shrine; The shrine in Omi Hachiman; Rent a traditional dress!; Antiques by the narrow street of Omi Hachiman; Local residents along the str

WHEN my family and I visited Kyoto, one of Japan’s popular tourist destinations early last year, we stayed in the outskirts which has a scenic view of the country’s largest freshwater lake, Lake Biwa.

Named after its resemblance to the lutelike instrument favoured by the Benzaiten goddess, Lake Biwa serves as a reservoir for the cities of Kyoto and Otsu, providing water to some 15 million people in the Kansai region. It is also a breeding ground for freshwater fish, including trout, as well as pearl cultivation and other industries.

However, we didn’t really give the lake much thought then as we were too excited to visit all the famous locations in Kyoto.

As Japan is becoming our annual family retreat, we thought, why not go on a repeat trip to Lake Biwa and spend time exploring the charming undiscovered attractions surrounding it? And what better place to stay than at Lake Biwa Marriott Hotel, Marriott International’s new property that is located

right on the shore of the lake.

BEAUTY OF OMIHACHIMAN

We kick off our Lake Biwa discovery with a visit to Omihachiman, a quaint little town located further east from the lake.

Well, if you like the busy city-scene, Omihachiman is everything but that. It is a quiet, charming town with an ancient Japanese feel. It is also where many Japanese samurai films were shot.

The town was founded in 1585 by Toyotomi Hidetsugu, who had built a castle and developed a commercial area where merchants gathered. Prior to the invention of trains and cars, this area used to be the hub for canal transportation.

According to our guide, the town was divided until the mid-19th century by the Hachiman-bori canal where the samurai lived in the north while the common people lived in the south.

Walking along the narrow street with rows of old-fashioned Japanese homes makes you feel as if you are in a samurai movie. The architecture is mostly well preserved but instead of private homes, most of the houses are now shops selling local products as well as fancy Japanese restaurants.

However, you can still view one of the remaining homes of a rich merchant named Nishikawa Riemon on Shinmachi-dori street. Riemon’s family lived there for over three

centuries and the home provides an insight into how the rural wealthy lived in Japan. Today, it is open to the public.

Next door is the Omihachiman City Museum (Omihachiman Shiritsu Shiryokan) which showcases exhibits of everyday life from the past.

We also get the chance to visit the biggest Shinto shrine known as the Himure Hachimangu Shrine, located beside the Hachimanbori moat. The shrine is almost 2,000 years old and it is said that its original location was on the top of Mount Hachiman before it was moved in 1590.

HISTORY OF HIKONE

Next on the list is Hikone, a more vibrant part of Shiga. This city is famous for its castle and it is located an hour from Lake Biwa Marriott Hotel.

Hikone Castle is one of only four castles in Japan designated as national treasures. But visiting a castle would not be complete without me trying on the traditional costume!

This time, instead of wearing the tight kimono, I am trying the hakama, another type of Japanese traditional costume, which I rent from Something Four Bridal House located not too far from the castle. Unlike the kimono, hakama is worn by women especially during graduation ceremonies. It is more comfort-

Freshly-cut sashimi is a must!