Nagahama, the castle town Toyotomi Hideyoshi built as his first domain on Lake Biwa’s northeastern shore, has reinvented its historic core as one of Japan’s most successful heritage-revival districts. Its centrepiece is Kurokabe Square, named for the handsome ‘black wall’ Meiji-era bank building that now anchors a quarter of glass studios, galleries and workshops where artisans blow, cut and lamp-work glass before your eyes, threaded through streets of latticed townhouses, sake shops and the venerable Daitsuji temple, with Hideyoshi’s rebuilt lakeside castle keep watching from its park.
🗓️ At a Glance
| Location | Nagahama, Shiga |
| Hours | Shops ~10:00–17:00 |
| Admission | Streets free; glass workshops ~¥1,500–3,000 |
| Time needed | Half day |
| Best time | Year-round; January’s bonsai-plum show |
What to Do
- Kurokabe Square and its black-walled Meiji bank building.
- Glassblowing studios and hands-on glass workshops.
- Latticed old streets, sake shops and Daitsuji temple.
- Hideyoshi’s rebuilt lakeside castle keep in Ho Park.
Combine Your Visit
- Combine with Hikone Castle , 10 minutes away.
- Pair with a cruise to Chikubushima from Nagahama port.
- Read our Shiga overview .
Getting There
- By train: JR Biwako Line to Nagahama Station (~60 min from Kyoto), then a 5-minute walk.
- By boat: Chikubushima cruises depart Nagahama port.
Tips
Book a glassmaking experience for the trip’s best souvenir — beginner sessions produce a genuinely usable glass or bead and take under an hour, but finished blown pieces need a day to cool, so schedule pickup or shipping. Nagahama pairs perfectly with Hikone as a one-day castle-and-crafts combination, and the Chikubushima ferry makes it the gateway to the lake’s sacred island.
