Hikone Castle

Hikone Castle was completed in 1622 after twenty years of construction. The hilltop castle served as the seat of the Ii daimyo (feudal lords) until the end of the feudal age in 1868. Hikone Castle is an original castle, i.e. it survived the post feudal era without undergoing destruction and reconstruction. Besides the castle's main keep, most of the inner moats, walls, guard houses and gates also remain intact. Hikone Castle's three storied castle keep is relatively small but displays a unique design that combines multiple different architecture styles. This is one reason why the castle keep has been designated a national treasure, the highest designation for cultural properties in Japan. At the base of the castle hill stands the Hikone Castle Museum whose main attraction is a partial reconstruction of the former palace buildings. The grounds of Hikone Castle turn into a popular cherry blossom spot in spring. Hikone's cherry trees reach full bloom usually about a week later than in nearby Kyoto around early to mid-April.