5 Photogenic Power Spots in Shiga

Shiga Prefecture, which embraces Lake Biwa, is dotted with shrines and temples so beautiful they take your breath away. The spectacular scenery woven by mystical light and nature is sure to color your Instagram feed in an instant. We introduce five very special photogenic spots that will make you want to grab your camera and dash out right now.

1. Shirahige Shrine (Takashima City) | "Omi's Itsukushima" Floating on the Lake

Shiga's proud strongest photogenic spot, where a vermilion great torii gate towers on the surface of Lake Biwa. The torii reflected on the water surface and the gradient of the sky are truly breathtakingly beautiful.

Photogenic Point: During the early-morning backlight hours, the lake surface falls as still as a mirror, and the torii is perfectly reflected in the water mirror. Days from autumn to winter when the air is clear are especially recommended.

Photography Advice: Use the "Ranko Shirahige-dai" observation deck set up in front of the shrine office to photograph the torii gate standing in the lake. Crossing National Route 161 in front of the shrine is extremely dangerous, and Takashima City asks visitors to refrain from doing so. From the deck, a horizontal composition including plenty of the lake surface creates depth.

Access: About 10 minutes on foot from JR Omi-Takashima Station

2. Chikubushima (Nagahama City) | A Mystical Island Floating on the Lake

The small island floating on Lake Biwa is itself a power spot. The island where Hogonji Temple and Tsukubusuma Shrine coexist is a space where the combination of greenery, stone pavement, and ancient shrines is almost too picturesque.

Photogenic Point: From the contrast of moss-covered stone steps and deep-green trees to the funa-roka (boat corridor) built as if jutting out over the cliff, everything is picturesque wherever you cut a frame.

Photography Advice: A low angle looking up from the bottom of the stone steps produces depth and impact. On cloudy days the green tones come out even more vivid.

Access: About 25 to 30 minutes by sightseeing boat from Nagahama Port or Imazu Port

3. Taga Taisha (Taga Town, Inukami District) | Solemn Beauty Woven by Vermilion and Green

Taga Taisha, known as the god of matchmaking and longevity. The combination of the large vermilion drum bridge "Sorihashi" and the lush green precinct creates a gorgeous and sacred shot.

Photogenic Point: In autumn, the contrast of the foliage and the vermilion shrine building is spectacular. In the early morning, there are few worshippers, so you can shoot leisurely in serene air.

Photography Advice: Capturing the drum bridge from a 45-degree diagonal brings out three-dimensionality and is recommended. A composition including the rolan (tower gate) beyond the bridge is the standard photogenic shot.

Access: About 10 minutes on foot from Taga-taisha-mae Station on the Ohmi Railway

4. Ishiyamadera (Otsu City) | A Fantastical Ancient Temple Associated with Murasaki Shikibu

Ishiyamadera, famous as the birthplace of "The Tale of Genji." The temple buildings standing atop the massive natural bedrock "wollastonite" and the scenery overlapping with the nature of each season are just like a painting.

Photogenic Point: The spring cherry blossoms with the vermilion-lacquered tahoto (two-story pagoda), and the autumn foliage, are especially popular on Instagram. The time of day when soft morning light streams into the precinct is the most fantastical.

Photography Advice: Aiming at the tahoto through the foliage or cherry blossoms in the foreground makes for a dramatic shot with depth. Emphasizing the height with a vertical composition is good too.

Access: About 10 minutes on foot from Keihan Ishiyamadera Station

5. Hiyoshi Taisha (Otsu City) | A Forest Corridor Woven by Moss and Stone Pavement

The head shrine of the 3,800 Hiyoshi and Hie shrines nationwide. The scenery of the stone-paved approach where sunlight filters down and moss-covered lanterns line up has a stillness and beauty as if time had stopped.

Photogenic Point: The fresh greenery of early summer and the autumn foliage season are spectacular. The time of day when the morning slanting light streams onto the stone pavement creates a drama of light and shadow.

Photography Advice: Shooting the lanterns that continue into the depths of the approach with a wide-angle lens, a composition emphasizing depth is great. Including a person to bring out a sense of scale is also recommended.

Access: About 20 minutes on foot from Eizan-Sakamoto Station

Calling Shiga Prefecture a "prefecture you pass through" is such a waste! In this land where a mystical lake and history intersect, a special "photogenic" found nowhere else awaits. Do visit with a camera in hand.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Opening and worship hours / closed days: The precincts of Shirahige Shrine are open for free worship at any time (the shrine office is staffed during the day) / Worship hours at Hiyoshi Taisha are 9:00 to 16:00, with the gates of the West Main Shrine and East Main Shrine open 6:00 to 16:00 from April to September and 7:00 to 16:00 from October to March / On Chikubushima, the length of your stay is determined by the sightseeing boat timetable
• Fees: Worship at Shirahige Shrine is free of charge / The garden contribution at Hiyoshi Taisha is 500 yen for adults, 300 yen for junior and senior high school students, and free for elementary school children and younger (450 yen per person for groups of 30 or more) / For admission fees at Chikubushima, Ishiyama-dera and Taga Taisha, check each official website
• Access: Shirahige Shrine = about 2 km southeast of Omi-Takashima Station on the JR Kosei Line, about 5 minutes by car. It is right by the "Shirahige Jinja-mae" stop of the reservation-based shared taxi (Ukawa Line) / Chikubushima = sightseeing boats from Nagahama Port and Imazu Port / Taga Taisha = 10 minutes on foot from Taga-Taisha-mae Station on the Ohmi Railway, or 10 minutes from the Hikone IC on the Meishin Expressway / Ishiyama-dera = about 10 minutes on foot from Ishiyamadera Station on the Keihan Line / Hiyoshi Taisha = 10 minutes on foot from Sakamoto-Hieizanguchi Station on the Keihan Ishiyama Sakamoto Line, or 20 minutes on foot from Hieizan-Sakamoto Station on the JR Kosei Line
• Parking: Shirahige Shrine has space for about 50 cars / Hiyoshi Taisha has a precinct car park for up to 50 cars as well as the Omiyagawa sightseeing car park (free of charge) and others; during the autumn foliage season, public transport or park-and-ride is recommended
• Etiquette for worship: All of these are active places of faith. Keep quiet in front of the shrine buildings and avoid walking down the centre of the approach path. The whole of Chikubushima is an object of faith, and there is no accommodation on the island
• Photography rules: Refrain from photographing the interiors of shrine buildings or prayer ceremonies in progress. Using a tripod on the approach path gets in the way of other worshippers. Commercial photography may require an application to each shrine or temple in advance
• Safety notes: [Most important] Crossing National Route 161 in order to photograph the great torii gate standing in the lake at Shirahige Shrine is extremely dangerous. Takashima City clearly warns that "crossing the national highway is extremely dangerous, so please refrain from doing so"; instead, take your photographs from the "Ranko Shirahige-dai" viewing platform in front of the shrine office. Chikubushima has many steep stone steps, and if you miss the last boat you will be stranded on the island, so keep strictly to the departure times

*Note: "Eizan-Sakamoto Station", the station nearest Hiyoshi Taisha, was renamed "Sakamoto-Hieizanguchi Station" in 2018.

(Sources: Takashima City official website, "Shirahige Shrine" / Hiyoshi Taisha official website, "Transport Access" and "Worship Guide" / Taga Taisha official website, "Transport Guide")