[Shiga In-depth Tour] Miho Museum, Old Bamboo Forest Garden or Hieisan Shrine, Lake Biwa Shirahige Shrine Water Torii Gate (Roundtrip from Osaka / Kyoto)
- Designed by Bell, go through the tunnel to the art museum
- Stroll along Hachimanbori and feel the charm of the Edo Canal
- Pray at Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine and visit the guardian monkey
- The stunning view of Lake Biwa, the sunset is super dreamy
- The old bamboo garden with the view of Mt. Hiei, beautiful in all seasons
What to expect
Shiga One-Day Essence Tour: Art, Water Towns, Shrines, and Lake Views
Start from the Miho Museum (I.M. Pei's "Peach Blossom Spring"), traverse tunnels to encounter an artistic wonderland of light and shadow. In the afternoon, visit the Old Rinkoin Temple, where you can enjoy tea and observe the changing seasons in a garden that borrows scenery from Mount Hiei. On days when the Old Rinkoin Temple is closed, you will go to Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine on Mount Hiei, a thousand-year-old shrine where you can encounter spiritual monkey statues, pray, and find peace of mind; at dusk, head straight to Shirahige Shrine on Lake Biwa, where the torii gate on the lake and the sunset are framed together, making every shot a masterpiece!
If this itinerary is not available on your preferred dates, we recommend the following tours:
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Reviews
There are 10 groups of guests, so we arranged for a large bus. Our tour guide, Zhao, was the only one out of the 3 tours I took during my entire trip to Japan who would proactively WhatsApp the pick-up time in advance. The drive to Shiga is quite long, so those staying in Osaka should be prepared for a round trip of almost 6 hours.
The experience was excellent, especially with our guide Bunny who took great care of the group! I would definitely sign up again next time.
Our tour guide, Mia, was incredibly kind and thoughtful, and her explanations in both English and Chinese were excellent. She's a five-star guide! The Miho Museum is definitely worth visiting, and it was absolutely stunning during cherry blossom season. We were also very lucky to encounter a festival when we visited Chikurin-in Temple, and the torii gate on Lake Biwa was beautiful as well.
Director Wu is very professional and we had a lot of fun along the way. Thank you!
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and appreciated the chance to witness the last opening day of the Miho Museum in 2025. Our tour guide - Naomi-san was incredibly friendly and attentive, making our experience even more special. The tour was well-organized, and the time management was exceptional. Highly recommended :)
I really didn't expect to have this Miho Museum trip! The tour guide, Casper, put a lot of effort into explaining the cultural differences, history, and festivals of Kanto and Kansai. 🫶🏻 He also proactively helped everyone take photos and flexibly arranged the itinerary so that everyone was very satisfied. 👍🏼 Thank you so much!!!
Today's itinerary to the Miho Museum, the Old Chiku-rin-in Temple, and the Shirahige Shrine's floating torii gate was excellent. The experience was great, not crowded, and allowed us to appreciate unique beauty. Our guide, Casper, provided explanations at each spot, which was fantastic. I think a good guide can really make a trip more exciting and memorable. Thumbs up for Casper! 👍
I was so lucky to have Naomi Mori as my tour guide on this trip! She's the best tour guide I've ever had. She's not only friendly and attentive, but her explanations are also lively and interesting, and her photography skills are amazing. She took such beautiful pictures of all of us 😍. The whole trip was smooth and fun. Highly recommended! The autumn leaves were super beautiful! A wonderful trip.
Our tour guide, Mr. Liao, was very dedicated in his introductions, but the vehicle used felt old and dilapidated. The rearview mirror even fell off while driving, forcing the driver to pull over to the shoulder of the highway to reattach it, which was quite frightening. The Japanese driver also took a wrong turn, causing a delay in our itinerary. The exhibitions at the Miho Museum were excellent, but two and a half hours felt insufficient. I recommend purchasing some rice balls or sandwiches beforehand to eat in the car to save time. The driver's constant shouting throughout the trip was unsettling. The other two stops on the itinerary, if not during cherry blossom season, did not feel worth visiting.
Despite the rain all day, it didn't detract from the museum's amazing scenery, magnificent architectural design, and rich collection! Tour guide, Xiao Guo, provided excellent service with a friendly and courteous attitude 👍
Good to know
Purchase Instructions | Important reminders, please read carefully
[Pre-trip instructions]
- Please be on time: If you do not participate in the trip due to personal reasons (late/lost/physical discomfort, etc.), you will not be able to get a refund. Please note that there is no refund
- This trip is a carpooling fixed route. You need to share the ride with other passengers throughout the trip. You cannot park outside the scenic spot at will.
- Depending on the number of participants on the day, the driver and guide may be used in a small car mode. Please cooperate with the staff to arrange the whole trip. (You will enjoy a more flexible itinerary rhythm in the small car. The driver will mainly drive and the explanation content will be relatively brief)
[Instructions during the trip]
- The stay time at each scenic spot has been optimized. Please strictly abide by the time to avoid affecting the overall itinerary.
- The itinerary time may be adjusted due to force majeure such as traffic, weather, and crowds. In the event of delays or partial changes in the itinerary, we cannot request a refund or compensation based on this. Please forgive and understand the uncertainty of the journey.
- Traffic congestion may occur during holidays and peak periods. The driver and guide will flexibly adjust the itinerary according to the situation. Please be mentally prepared. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
- To maintain the cleanliness of the carriage, please do not eat or drink in the carriage. If you cause any damage, a cleaning fee will be charged according to local standards. Please work together to create a comfortable riding environment.
- Leaving the group after the start of the trip/leaving the team midway will be regarded as automatically giving up the service and no refund will be given. (Safety responsibility during the period of leaving the group is borne by the passenger)
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