Japan's largest lake stretches 61 kilometres north to south along the western edge of Hikone, giving the city a lakeside character quite unlike most castle towns. The eastern shore around Hikone is flat and easy to cycle — bike rental is available near the station and the paths along the waterfront are pleasant in any season.
Boat tours run from the Hikone port south toward the Chikubu Island (Tsukubu-shima), a small island in the northern lake revered since ancient times as the home of the goddess Benzaiten. The island's Hogonji Temple and Tsukubusuma Shrine are worth the forty-minute boat ride. Tours run seasonally and depart from Hikone and Nagahama.