An Osakan spent a day in 【Nagahama City, Shiga.】 Nature! History! Sweet treats! Extremely satisfied with this lady’s trip full of attractions.☆
Nagahama City is located in the northern part of Shiga prefecture. Since you can experience the elegance of Japan there, the number of foreign tourists has increased.
I recently visited Nagahama City which is becoming a popular tourist destination.
Taking “Special Rapid train bound for Maibara and Tsuruga” from JR Osaka station.
Please get on one of the rear cars, as front cars are uncoupled at Kyoto station.
※Please pay attention to on-board announcement indicating car numbers heading to Nagahama.
Without changing trains, you would arrive at Nagahama station in about 1 hour 40 minutes.
Go to “Cruise boat boarding point” by car as soon as you arrive! Then, off to “Chikubushima” regarded as a sacred island where gods dwell.
While on board, a video introducing Lake Biwa and history of Chikubushima Island was played.
Learning history of the place, etc. before paying a visit makes the trip more enjoyable.
It takes approx. 30 minutes to the island. So, you can take a seat and relax, or enjoy the surrounding scenery while feeling a breeze. It is a pleasant boat ride.
It is lovely that, when arriving there, the view opened in front shows you both nature and history of the island.
Passing the street lined with souvenir shops, you can see a torii gate at the top of the stone-steps.
Hogon-ji Temple
After climbing up the flight of long stone-steps, …
the main temple building is waiting for you!!
Here, there is a unique way to make a wish.
That is this “Negai-daruma (or wishing daruma).” Their hand-drawn faces are all different from one another. Which one shall I choose? ♡
You put the crumpled paper ball on which your wish has been written into the hole on the bottom of your daruma figure.
Pay the fee at the reception and get it sealed with a sticker. That’s all!
Now, it is just a usual procedure. You dedicate it and pray.
Good luck to me. ☆
There is a place with a nice view near the temple! I have climbed up quite high. …
(´-ω-`).｡oO(I thought that the flight of stone-steps was very long. Well, I was right. I have come up a lot, indeed.)
Tsukubusuma Shrine
Not only a temple, but a shrine is also on Chikubushima Island.
Here as well, there is a unique way to make a wish.That is “Kawarake-nage (or throwing small earthenware plates)”
You write your name on one of two plates and your wish on the other. You throw them towards the torii gate. It is said that, if they went through it, then, you wish will come true.
Of course, I did it. Well, … the one with my name was sunk in Lake Biwa. (lol)
But, the one with my wish went through it.
So, yes, my wish will come true!! (lol)
After enjoying Chikubushima Island, I felt hungry. So, I went back to Nagahama City. The island itself is not very big, and so, one hour is just enough.
Momiji-ya
I chose Momiji-ya for lunch, as Nagahama’s local dish, “Noppei-udon” is available at this restaurant.
I also had sashimi (slices of raw fish) of Lake Biwa’s “biwamasu (or Biwa trout).” It was my first time to eat it!
It tasted like salmon, but lighter, and was delicious. Fish roe was also good.
With the shop atmosphere of old days, I felt warm and content.
When you are full, you feel like eating something sweet, don’t you?
Shizen-do
I found a fancy café.☆
I chose a parfait in which seasonal fruits were abundantly used. Take-out is also available, but I decided to eat inside because I was tired after a long walk.
I heard that they try to use local fruits as much as possible! I like the idea of eating dishes in which local ingredients are used when being on a trip.
Light yogurt flavored ice cream and fruits were matching very well!
I also recommend their fruit sandwiches with selected fruits. It was nice with fresh cream too sweet.
Seasonally changed interior of the shop is also something to be noted.☆
LE BONBON ET CHOCOLAT
I did souvenir shopping at the chocolate shop which has earned a reputation that chocolates made by a chocolatier from Nagahama City are very good.
A variety of chocolates made by this chocolatier who studied and received training in France was lined up in a row.
It’s O.K. to buy only one piece. It seems that there are some tourists buying just one and eating it at the place while strolling around.
I think their bean to bar is a must to eat as you can enjoy different taste, depending on the product country of origin of cacao beans.
Five o’clock in the evening. I started on my way home.
With traditional Japanese streets still remaining, Nagahama has many charms which are not known yet.
How about visiting this city once?
※The information herein is as of March 2020.
