Nagahama sits on the northeastern shore of Lake Biwa in Shiga prefecture, a compact city with one of the best collections of traditional architecture in the region. Streets east of the train station are lined with machiya (townhouses) and kura (storehouses), many now converted into shops, galleries, and cafes.
The city's signature craft is glassware. The Kurokabe Glass Shop, housed in a handsome converted bank building, is the centrepiece of a whole district of glass studios and boutiques. It is worth an afternoon of browsing.
West of the station, a reconstructed castle perches on a hill overlooking the lake. The original was built in 1574 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi — his first castle — only to be dismantled in 1615 so its materials could be used in the construction of neighbouring Hikone Castle. The reconstruction is modest, but the views across Biwa-ko are good.