Takashima area
The "Omizo Waterfront Landscape", designated as an Important Cultural Landscape and a Japanese Heritage Site, is packed with many sights and unknown history in a small area, making it perfect for a stroll. If you walk with a local knowledgeable guide, it will be a hundred times more fun! There is no doubt about it.
There are two walking courses available. Please check the website for details.
During the Sengoku period, the area developed around Omizo Castle, which was built by Oda Nobuzumi, the nephew of Oda Nobunaga.
We will introduce you to the cutting-edge town planning of the early modern period (from the Warring States period to the Edo period), such as town-diverting waterways, and the various ideas that made use of the benefits of water.
Takashima area
We will assist you in your journey with our sincere guides to help you enjoy Nishiomiji and Takashima, whether you are looking for the romance of ancient times, thinking about the poets of the Manyo period, recalling the past in the vestiges of the castle town, or being comforted by the blessings of nature.
Popular courses include visiting Shirahige Shrine, the oldest shrine in Omi, the 48 stone Buddha statues, the Omizo Castle ruins, and the Man'yoshu poem monuments.
After strolling through the castle town, you can also enjoy dining and other experiences at Takashima Village.
Makino area
We are working to create an organization of volunteer guides who can introduce Makino's tourist spots, history, and culture to people both inside and outside the region.
This is a four-season amusement park full of attractions, including the cherry blossoms of Kaizu Osaki and Shimizu, the Katakuri Village, the plants of Akasakayama, the metasequoia-lined streets that show different faces throughout the seasons, Sunny Beach with its white sand and green pines, Pick Land, the kingdom of nuts, Makino Kogen Hot Springs "Sarasa," which is perfect after hiking or winter sports, and the scenery of the Kaizu, Nishihama, and Chiriuchi areas, which were designated an Important Cultural Landscape in 2007.
Azumigawa area
We view life itself as a tourism resource, and under the philosophy of "cherishing nature and resources, and searching for what is there to enjoy Takashima City's nature, history, lifestyle and culture with all five senses," we work toward both environmental conservation and local revitalization.
We can provide guided tours for a variety of courses, including mountain climbing, walking, and bamboo forest conservation eco-tours.
This area, where the second largest river in Shiga Prefecture (the Azumi River) flows, is a town dotted with ancient history, culture, and nature, which still remains abundant today.
In particular, it is loved by many people as the birthplace of Nakae Toju, the founder of Japanese Yangmingism.
The area is dotted with facilities related to Nakae Toju, including the Nakae Toju Memorial Museum, Toju Shrine, and the remains of the Toju Study School, where he taught his disciples.
Azumigawa area
We, the volunteer guides, Travel Takashima, provide guided tours in various locations throughout Takashima City. We guide not only to tourist sites, but also to historical and cultural sites. As an original course, we will introduce the Kita-Funaki area, which has a variety of tourist attractions, centered around fishing nets in the Azumi River.
This traditional fishing method involves setting up a fan-shaped net and chasing the sweetfish that swim upstream to the riverbank to catch them. In 1090, Kitafunagi in Azumigawa Town became the kitchen of Kamigamo Shrine in Kyoto, and offered fresh fish caught in the Azumi River and Lake Biwa. This method has been passed down to the present day.
Takashima City area
To help foreign tourists visiting Takashima City learn about the city's attractions and enjoy a more fulfilling trip, local guide-interpreters will support you on your trip. (Takashima City Local Guide-Interpreters are legally certified guide-interpreters by Takashima City.)
Located in the northwest of Lake Biwa, it is a treasure trove of rich nature surrounded by forests, villages, and the lake. In 27, "Lake Biwa and its Waterfront Landscape" was designated a Japan Heritage Site.
