Shiga with Kids: What We Did + Recommendations
Last Updated on May 3, 2026 by Kay
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Thinking of visiting Shiga with your children and wondering what to do and how to plan your trip? If so, I’ve got you covered. I’m a mom who lives in Osaka, and Shiga is one of my favorite places to travel with my family.
Shiga Prefecture is located right next to Kyoto, and it’s surprisingly easy to reach from either Kyoto or Osaka. Shiga is most known for being home to the largest freshwater lake in Japan, Lake Biwa (Biwako), which is also the third oldest in the world! Despite this, though, it’s not much of a tourist destination, which is great for my family because it’s a wonderful place to relax while enjoying nature and history.
For those who may not know me, I’m Kay, and I write about my family’s life and trips in Japan. In this article, I’ll share what my family likes to do in Shiga Prefecture so that you will have an idea of how to plan your trip if you decide to go. (And you absolutely should!)
Table of Contents
Is Shiga Good for Kids?
Shiga is amazing for children. My family loves that it’s not crowded whatsoever, even on weekends (when we typically visit), and there’s so much nature that we leave feeling so refreshed. My daughter can take her time looking at things, especially all the “duckies” swimming about in Lake Biwa (her favorite part of Shiga), while my husband can relax since he doesn’t like going to busy places on his days off.
If your kiddos are still babies or toddlers, you’ll be happy to know that you can easily walk around with a stroller as well, since it’s so spacious.
The Best Things to Do in Shiga with Kids
Spend time at Lake Biwa
Shiga is centered around Lake Biwa, so you’re almost guaranteed to see Japan’s largest freshwater lake at some point while you visit. I’ve found that more often than not, the lake tends to be a little grey with clouds obscuring the sun. This is due to the mountain terrain surrounding Biwa, which causes clouds to accumulate around the lake.
Regardless, the sheer size of it is still absolutely stunning, and my daughter loves to spot the little duckies, fish, and sometimes even turtles swimming about.
For the quickest and easiest way to see Lake Biwa, I recommend going to Otsu.
Check Out Otsu
Otsu is the capital of Shiga Prefecture, and getting to Otsu Station takes less than 10 minutes by train from Kyoto Station, so needless to say, it’s easy peasy to reach.
I recommend taking the Michigan Cruise, which is a 7-minute walk from Biwako-Hamaotsu Station. The breeze while on the lake is lovely and you can enjoy some food and drinks while looking at the view.
If you want to sit inside, go to the third floor of the boat, where a few chairs come with tables.
Personally, my family loved the 4th-floor deck but I don’t recommend it if you want some shade from the sun. We didn’t find the sun too strong, though, and the breeze on the open deck felt lovely.
There’s also a little show halfway through the cruise on the third floor, but my daughter said it was “lame”.
The boat ride takes about an hour, but we loved how leisurely it was, and it was a great way to see around the lake. There’s also a 90-minute cruise that runs once a day but we felt that would be too long for our daughter, and she would get antsy and bored.
You don’t have to go on the cruise to enjoy Lake Biwa, though. We like walking around Hama-Otsu Nagisa Park and seeing all the wildlife in the lake. (Although be warned, sometimes there are dead fish floating about.)
My daughter and husband were thrilled to discover Gyarados and Gundam manhole covers here, so keep your eyes peeled!
There’s also a water show at Lake Biwa that lights up at night, which is quite fantastic, although it can be cold at night since it’s a little windy around the lake.
If you walk a little further, you will find a small park with that has an old SL train on display. This park isn’t particularly exciting, so I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way to visit. However, it is right by the Lake Biwa Otsu Prince Hotel, which has three restaurants that offer fantastic views of the lake. (Reservations are recommended.)
If the weather isn’t on your side or you have some time to kill, I recommend going to Round 1, a sports complex with bowling and karaoke that is right by the station.
I would expect to spend about half a day in the Otsu area of Lake Biwa. Personally, I think the afternoon is best because in the morning, you should take some time to go to one of the nearby temples.
Visit the Famous Temples and Shrines
Shiga is home to some of the most stunning temples and shrines I have ever seen, and my daughter always enjoys her visits to them.
Mii-dera
Mii-dera is located in Otsu, so it’s super easy to visit when traveling with kids. In fact, it’s only one stop away from Biwako-Hamaotsu Station (where I recommended seeing Lake Biwa). From Miidera Station, it’s a 10-minute walk.
While you head over there (or on the way back), make sure not to miss Lake Biwa First Canal, which was built during the Meiji Period and helped bring water, electricity and transportation to Kyoto (so it’s a pretty big deal!).
This temple is beautiful, but it’s especially lovely during cherry blossom season, and I got so many gorgeous photos of my daughter with the pink trees in the background. There is a bit of walking involved once you’re in the temple grounds, but my daughter handled it like a champ at age 4 when we first visited.
There is also a stunning view of the entire temple grounds and Lake Biwa from the shrine if you walk up a few stairs.
My husband did have to carry my daughter part of the way but I know if he hadn’t been around, my daughter would have had no problem going up completely on her own.
Ishiyamadera
Ishiyamadera, also in Otsu, is tucked into a medieval forest and was founded in 747. My daughter loves this temple because of the huge, towering trees, the quietness, and the wildlife, such as dragonflies, ducks, carp, and frogs. It had vibes that made us feel like we were in a Ghibli movie.
Some of the most beautiful views are past the main building (or hall), so make sure to take your time to explore everything. It’s a bit of a journey with some stairs involved (nothing my daughter at age six couldn’t handle), but it’s well worth it.
We heard a frog croaking near this little waterfall and went to take a look, but couldn’t find him. My daughter vowed she would find him next time.
The carp are also massive, some of the biggest we’ve ever seen!
The views from the temple are also so beautiful and peaceful.
My daughter is also a fan of the statues in the temple, such as one of a god stomping on a demon (inside a paid area where you have to take off your shoes and cannot take pictures), and a life-size figure of Murasaki Shikibu, the author of the famous novel The Tale of Genji. It’s believed that she was inspired to write the novel while she was at Ishiyamadera, and then she penned the novel there.
When my daughter saw her statue, she couldn’t help going back to peek at it a few times, noting details like a book she had tucked into her kimono and someone else standing behind her. Finally, my daughter quietly asked me in Japanese if the statue comes alive at night, which made some of the elderly visitors laugh.
There’s an amazing soba restaurant located near Ishiyamadera called Sumikura and I highly recommend visiting. It’s one of the best soba restaurants I have ever visited, and I say this as someone who has lived in Japan for almost two decades.
They provide dishes and utensils for kids as well, so it’s family-friendly.
I highly, highly recommend trying to visit Ishiyamadera if you’re going to Otsu, because it is such a fantastic place.
Shirahige Shrine
Shirahige Shrine is famous for its tori gate that “floats” on Lake Biwa.
Explore Hikone Castle
Hikone Castle, located on the northeast side of Lake Biwa, was home to the “red samurai” in Japan, who were as terrifying as you might imagine. But don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds. In fact, the castle is lovely, one of the most beautiful I’ve seen in Japan, and home to Hikonyan, the cat mascot for Hikone Castle.
My daughter loves going to Hikone Castle just for the opportunity to see Hikonyan. He pops up about three times a day, sometimes at the castle and sometimes in town, but you can’t get photos with him, just hear an explanation in Japanese about him and take photos of him. Although this might seem boring, Japanese kids (like my daughter) are enthralled and don’t want to leave when Hikonyan is around.
Anyway, I digress.
Hikone Castle dates back to 1622 and, interestingly, uses materials from other (now long-gone) castles in the area (my daughter was amused when I called it a “Frankencastle”). It’s also one of the few remaining castles from the Edo period that hasn’t been reconstructed. In fact, it still has its original castle keep, turrets, moats, and nearby garden, making it one of Shiga’s most important historic landmarks and one of five castles in Japan designated as a National Treasure.
It is very, very easy to spend an entire day here, so I would give yourself at least half a day. The castle is surrounded by cherry blossom trees, so it’s undoubtedly beautiful in the spring, and you can take a boat ride around the canal.
(Make sure to take some time to look at the wildlife in the canal. My daughter was so amused by some of the ducks that were spinning in pairs, which they do for food.)
However, with beauty comes crowds, and speaking from experience, Hikone Castle is crazy packed in spring. In fact, we couldn’t even buy tickets to go inside the castle when we first visited during cherry blossom season because there were too many people!
Thankfully, when we visited again in the early morning after the cherry blossoms were long gone, we were finally able to go inside Hikone Castle.
I do not recommend bringing a stroller here because although there are slopes, some areas have stone steps.
Notably, the steps inside the castle are very steep, narrow, and a bit slippery. My daughter did okay with her father’s help, but I imagine toddlers would have some difficulty climbing up. It’s certainly doable but it will take time and hold up the line if there are people behind you. So I suggest bringing a baby carrier if you have a small child and make sure you either go barefoot or have socks with good grip on them, since you have to take off your shoes to go inside.
One of my daughter’s favorite parts of the castle was the different shapes of windows from which samurai shot at enemies using arrows.
These are called sama or hazama, and they were defensive openings used for shooting weapons. The triangle- and square-shaped ones were for guns, while the rectangular ones were for arrows. Some windows were hidden from the outside so the castle could still keep its elegant appearance.
She also loved the beautiful view of Lake Biwa and the surrounding area:
Make sure to also pay extra to visit Genkyuen Garden, where my daughter insisted on having some matcha and enjoying the view while having a break (she studied tea ceremony at her preschool in Japan):
Hikone Castle Museum is also worth paying a little extra to visit. You can see the famous armor worn by the samurai connected with the castle, as well as other important items that were used by its occupants.
My daughter adored the quiet garden inside the museum, and she asked me to be quiet when she was looking out so she could enjoy a peaceful moment. (Yes, mummy talks a lot! Sorry, A!)
Note that, like the castle itself, you need to take off your shoes inside the Castle Museum. They have slippers you can borrow, including slippers for children (こども):
Lastly, there is a playground near the castle grounds called Hikoneshi Konki Park, which my daughter absolutely loved (because what kid doesn’t like playgrounds?). However, it’s undergoing renovations, so it might be closed intermittently until 2027.
I also highly suggest taking the time to look around Yume Kyobashi Castle Road. My daughter loves looking at all the Hikonyan goods here in the shop at Hikonyan Museum Square (sometimes the cat himself makes an appearance!).
There are also lots of great restaurants and cafes here. I recommend Omi Beef Udon, which has the most delectable wagyu beef sashimi I have ever had in my life. The udon topped with omi beef is also fantastic (you pour a broth over the beef to cook it, which I thought was fun).
My daughter had some udon and rice dish topped with omi beef, and thankfully they have children’s cutlery, too.
Although not kid-friendly, the coffee from Coffee and Beer WHILE really hits the spot when you need some energy. (As all parents do.)
Have a picnic in front of Nagahama Castle
Nagahama Castle isn’t as impressive as Hikone, especially since it’s a reconstruction and Hikone is the real deal, but it’s a great place to unwind and have a little picnic, especially during cherry blossom season.
If you really want to go to Hikone Castle, I recommend skipping Nagahama Castle because, from my experience, Hikone Castle and the surrounding area take at least half a day.
However, if you really have some free time, then I suggest exploring the area near the castle (Nagahama), specifically Nagahama Tetsudo Square, which is a small railway museum. Interestingly, it’s home to Old Nagahama Station, the oldest surviving railway station building in Japan.
Nearby, there’s a small (and free!) aquarium that has fish from Lake Biwa. You can also check out Kurokabe Square, which has a traditional old town atmosphere with plenty of glass shops, cafes, and restaurants.
Learn at Lake Biwa Museum
Lake Biwa Museum is located on the east side of Lake Biwa, which is opposite Otsu. Here, kids can learn about the history of Lake Biwa in an interactive manner.
Highlights were the massive aquarium in the museum, which houses fish that live in Lake Biwa:
Interestingly, this aquarium also recreates habitats for fish that live in famous lakes around the world. I did find that one of the aquariums, which houses a seal, was too small. Other than that, the tanks are about what you would expect at an aquarium in Japan. (So perhaps smaller than you expect.)
There is also a small play area where kids can learn about Biwa through fun activities and games, as well as dress-up. You need a timed entry card to get in (one card allows up to five people inside), which you can find near the entrance.
Note that everything inside is in Japanese, but some activities don’t require kids to understand the language, such as getting inside a giant shrimp and controlling the claws to try to catch some food:
Personally, I loved the retro area where you can see how the culture and everyday life in Japan has changed over the past 70 years:
My daughter loved exploring the recreations of Japanese homes as well:
And, if you head outside (out the back of the museum), you can go to a sandy little area where you can see Lake Biwa. My daughter loved seeing the ducks here, especially the ducklings.
Shop at PIERI Moriyama
If you have a car, I recommend stopping by PIERI Moriyama, a large shopping mall in Shiga. Here you can get lots of affordable and great everyday items from stores like 3COINS, Seria, and THREEPY, as well as plenty of clothing stores. There’s also a small indoor play area for young children called Jump Studio (ジャンプスタジオ).
Older kids might enjoy Lake Biwa Sky Adventure, which allows kids ages 4 and up (and parents!) to do ziplining or an athletic course. My daughter has done these types of tree-top athletic courses, which have climbing structures, balance obstacles, and rope elements, and she absolutely loves them. So I really hope to take her here, soon!
A bit further away, another athletic course we have our eye on in Shiga is Forest Adventure Ritto.
Burn Off Energy in Playgrounds
If your child has boundless energy (like my kid), there are plenty of playgrounds to take them to in Shiga.
Yabase-Kihan Island Park is near another shopping mall, AEON MALL Kusatsu, and it’s open until 9 PM, which is why we stopped by there after traveling on the east side of Lake Biwa. This park is best visited by car, and thankfully, parking is plentiful.
Now, the playground equipment is a little lacking. For older kids (ages six and up), they have massive rope pyramids, which my daughter absolutely loved.
For smaller kids, they have a little playground with some equipment:
I think the best part of this park is the cycle station, where you can ride unique bicycles for about 300 yen for 30 minutes. The cycle station is only open until 4:30 PM, though.
Located on the opposite side of Lake Biwa (north-west) is Biwako kodomo-no-kuni, a massive playground with lots of different playground equipment, including a rock climbing wall. We haven’t been here yet, but it’s on our way, we will definitely stop on our next visit.
Can kids go swimming in Lake Biwa?
Yes, kids can enjoy swimming in Lake Biwa in the summer at public beaches such as Biwako Omi-Maiko Nakahama Beach, Manohama Beach, and Matsu no Ura Beach.
How many days in Shiga is enough?
It really depends on what you want to do and see, but I recommend two days so you can see both sides of Lake Biwa.
Where to Stay in Shiga with Kids
If you’re thinking about staying overnight in Shiga, here are some options.
We’ve stayed at Ryokan Beniayu, which had a lovely view of Lake Biwa. Our room looked right out over the lake, and we had our own open-air onsen in our room, as well as a massage chair. My daughter particularly loved the spotting scope, which she used to look at birds on the lake.
Lake Biwa Otsu Prince Hotel is one of the most convenient hotels in Otsu as it’s less than 30 minutes from Kyoto Station and offers stunning bird’s-eye views of Lake Biwa.
If you want something more resort-style, I recommend Biwafront Hikone, which has an outdoor kids area and sports facilities, or Biwako Marriott Hotel, which has its own planetarium! How cool is that?