Hikone's centrepiece is its castle, one of Japan's finest, but the surrounding parklands, the lakeside gardens, and the historic post town of Toriimoto give you half a day more than you might expect. The Edo-era streetscape on Yume-Kyōbashi Castle Road is touristy but atmospheric. For something quieter, the Matsubara Shimoyashiki Gardens on the northern shore of Lake Biwa reward anyone who makes the fifteen-minute walk from the castle.