Shiga Day Trip Tour: MIHO MUSEUM, Chikurin-In, and Shirahige Shrine From Osaka

Highlights

  • Explore Shiga's art museums and scenic gardens
  • Capture enchanting reflection photos at the historic Chikurin-in
  • Marvel at the stunning vermilion torii gate floating on Lake Biwa!
  • A guide fluent in Chinese, English, and Japanese will accompany the tour

What to expect

Join a day trip bus tour to Shiga's breathtaking spots. Visit a museum designed with a "paradise" theme, explore a scenic garden famous for enchanting reflection photography, and see the iconic torii gate floating on Lake Biwa.

What's included

  • Bus fare
  • Guide fee (Languages ​​supported: Main language - Japanese, Supplementary languages ​​- English, Chinese)

About this experience

Available dates
Until Aug 31 / Sep 26 – Sep 27 / Sep 29 – Nov 30 / Dec 1 – Dec 6
Starting at
08:40
・This tour operates with multilingual guides, including Japanese.
・This tour will not operate on days when MIHO MUSEUM is closed. When making a reservation, please check the 2026 closure dates below.

Every Monday in April and May; June 1; June 8 to July 3; every Monday in July; every Monday in August; September 1 to 25 and September 28; every Monday in October and November; December 7 to 31.

Schedule

  1. Meet at Nihombashi Station, Exit 2.
  2. 08:40
    Departure
    *All sightseeing spots are free to explore on your own. The guide will provide information only.
  3. 10:50
    MIHO MUSEUM *In winter, visit "Hachiman-bori" instead
    MIHO MUSEUM was designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei with a "paradise" theme.

    *Admission fee is excluded (around 1100-1300JPY), if its closed, go to another spot, Hachiman-bori Canal.
    *Restaurant and café available, paid on-site.
    *Check the website for dates: https://www.miho.jp/en/calendar/
  4. (Alternative: Hachiman-bori Canal)
    A picturesque area with canals and traditional Japanese architecture. You can enjoy a boat ride along the canal and take in the beautiful scenery.
  5. 13:50
    Former Chikurin-in Temple
    A nationally designated scenic garden offering beautiful views throughout the seasons. Once a retreat for monks from Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei, you can capture reflection photos that make the garden appear mirrored from inside the main building.
  6. 15:20
    Shirahige Shrine
    Famous for its vermilion torii gate floating on Lake Biwa, standing about 12 meters high with an 8-meter span between the pillars. Often called the "Itsukushima of Omi," the torii's reflection on the water is stunning, especially at sunrise and sunset.
  7. Tour Ends at Nihombashi Station

Location and Directions

  • Check-in / Check-out

    Nihombashi Station, Exit 2

    1-3-6 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, Osaka, Japan

    Nihombashi Station, Exit 2 — 1-3-6 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
    ■Meeting Point:
    Kyoto Station Hachijo Exit, Tourist Bus Parking Lot (see image)
    *Look for staff holding a flag with "GOGODAY" written on it. Please use this as a landmark to find us.

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Restrictions

  • Children aged 0-2 can participate for free if no seat is required.
  • Child seats are not available.
  • If less than 4 participants are booked, the activity may not operate.
  • Announcements on the bus will be made in Japanese and English or Japanese and Chinese.
  • Guests who are suffering from the ill-effects of the excessive consumption alcohol or are under the influence of alcohol on the day of the activity, are not permitted to participate in this activity.
  • Participants aged 70 and above are required to sign a waiver.
  • An email will be sent around 9 p.m. the night before your departure with details about the driver, guide, and vehicle. Please check your inbox and spam folder. Additionally, ensure your phone is reachable.
  • The guide will be at the meeting point with a yellow 'Gogoday' flag. Simply provide your booking name to join. Be sure to arrive 15 minutes early. No refunds will be given for latecomers or those who don't show up.

Other requirements

  • Arrive at the meeting point at least 15 minutes before the bus departure time. Latecomers cannot be accommodated, so punctuality is essential.
  • A staff member who can communicate in Japanese, Chinese, or English will accompany the tour. However, as the guidance will be multilingual, it may not always be in your native language.
  • Each person is allowed to bring one piece of luggage for free. If you have large luggage, please inform us in the remarks section when booking.
  • This is a shared tour with other customers joining. Requests for drop-offs at locations other than the scheduled stops cannot be accommodated.
  • Please review the travel conditions before booking.
  • Please review the terms and conditions before booking.
  • Around 9 PM the day before departure, an email will be sent with basic information, including the guide's phone number and the vehicle's license plate number. Please ensure this information can be checked via email or mobile phone.

Additional notes

  • The activity schedule is subject to change or cancellation due to weather or traffic conditions.
  • Due to crowd levels or weather conditions, some facilities or tourist spots may be omitted.
  • Admission fees, entrance fees, and food and drink expenses are not included and should be paid individually on-site.
  • The itinerary may change, or arrival times may be delayed due to road conditions or weather. As this is a long-distance trip, please allow ample time for connections with other transportation.
  • The type of vehicle used for the day trip will be adjusted based on the number of participants and the situation on the day.
  • <Travel Conditions>
    Departure Location: Osaka
    Duration: Day trip
    Transportation: Chartered bus
    Bus Company: Osaka Kokusai Kanko
    Meals: None (Breakfast 0, Lunch 0, Dinner 0)
    Accommodation: None
    Minimum Participants Required: 4 people
    Tour Conductor: Provided for groups of 13 or more; for fewer than 13, the driver will also serve as the guide.
  • <Travel Planning and Execution>
    Company: Tuyi Group Japan Co., Ltd.
    Address: 722 Shuzenji, Izu City, Shizuoka Prefecture
    License: Shizuoka Prefecture Governor Registered Travel Agency No. 2-633
    Membership: Regular member of the All Nippon Travel Agents Association
  • <Authorized Sales>
    VELTRA Corporation
    Address: 5th Floor (Reception on 4th Floor), Nippon Life Nihonbashi Building, 2-13-12 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0027
    Tokyo Metropolitan Governor Registered Travel Agency No. 2-5555
    Member of the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA)
  • Ticket for Miho Museum is excluded (around 1100-1300JPY), if the museum is closed, will go to another scenic spot, Hachiman-bori Canal.

Operated by

Tuyi group Japan Co.,Ltd (Code:190103)

Cancellation policy

  • 1-3 business days before (local time): 50%
  • Less than 1 business day before / No-show: 100%

Reviews

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2 reviews
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Guest photos 3

A tour with only foreigners on the bus is crazy.
Posted Date: 2025/10/19
The guide was not at the meeting time, and the bus number that was originally listed was different, so we had to walk around quite a bit at the meeting place to find it. The bus was also in very poor condition. It was not a large tour bus, but a small microbus, giving more of a feeling of being transported rather than riding. The ride was very bumpy, lacked cleanliness, and even had an unpleasant smell. If I had brought my grandparents, I think I would have canceled.

The guide could not speak Jap…
The guide was not at the meeting time, and the bus number that was originally listed was different, so we had to walk around quite a bit at the meeting place to find it. The bus was also in very poor condition. It was not a large tour bus, but a small microbus, giving more of a feeling of being transported rather than riding. The ride was very bumpy, lacked cleanliness, and even had an unpleasant smell. If I had brought my grandparents, I think I would have canceled.

The guide could not speak Japanese. Since we could speak both English and Chinese, we managed, but I felt that at least someone who could speak simple Japanese would be necessary in case of an emergency.

Although it was stated that we would go directly from Nipponbashi in Osaka to Shiga, we ended up going to Kyoto because we had to go to another boarding point, resulting in a loss of about 50 to 60 minutes overall. The time we had at the main attraction, the art museum, was significantly shortened, which was quite disappointing. We could hardly see the exhibits, and since we also had to have lunch, it was very busy.

Additionally, despite the tour fee being quite high, all entrance fees and meal costs were out of pocket. I think it's usually included, so that was disappointing.

The only good thing was that we were able to go to places we normally wouldn't visit. The price and quality are not balanced at all.
集合時間にガイドがおらず、元々記載されていたバスのナンバーも異なっており、集合場所でかなり歩き回ってさがしました。
そしてバスがあまりにもボロい。
大きな観光バスではなく、小型のマイクロバスで、乗車というよりかは輸送されている(運ばれている)感覚。揺れも大きく、清潔感もなく、臭いまでありました。仮に祖父母などを連れていっていたとしたらキャンセルしていたと思います。
ガイドは日本語が話せませんでした。
我々が英語も中国語もできたからまだ大丈夫でしたが、せめて簡単な日本語を話せる人じゃないと緊急時は頼りになら…
集合時間にガイドがおらず、元々記載されていたバスのナンバーも異なっており、集合場所でかなり歩き回ってさがしました。
そしてバスがあまりにもボロい。
大きな観光バスではなく、小型のマイクロバスで、乗車というよりかは輸送されている(運ばれている)感覚。揺れも大きく、清潔感もなく、臭いまでありました。仮に祖父母などを連れていっていたとしたらキャンセルしていたと思います。
ガイドは日本語が話せませんでした。
我々が英語も中国語もできたからまだ大丈夫でしたが、せめて簡単な日本語を話せる人じゃないと緊急時は頼りにならないなと思いました。
大阪日本橋からそのまま滋賀に向かうと書かれていたのに、もうひとつの乗り場までいくからとのことで京都まで行き、全体で見ると50~60分のロス。
最初に行ったツアーのメインである美術館での時間は大変短くなってしまい、かなり残念でした。展示品はほぼ見ることが出来ず、昼食も取らなければならなかったのでかなり忙しかったです。

またツアー代はしっかりかかっているにも関わらず、入場代や食事代は全て実費。
普通は含まれていることが多いと思うので、残念でした。

良かったところは普段行けないところに行けたという一点のみ。
値段と質があまりにも釣り合っておりません。
Machine translated from Japanese
It might be a tour for Chinese people...
Posted Date: 2025/06/02
af001
I participated in a tour on the weekend after Golden Week. Since I went to the Expo, I decided to join a tour of Shiga, a place I don't often have the opportunity to visit. Although it was the weekend, there were only about 10 people in total.

We joined as a pair, but everyone else was Chinese... The driver mentioned that he couldn't provide guidance in Japanese, so we were given a printed sheet with explanations of the tourist spots.

【Disappointing Points】
- Not at the meeting time
→ The meeting …
I participated in a tour on the weekend after Golden Week. Since I went to the Expo, I decided to join a tour of Shiga, a place I don't often have the opportunity to visit. Although it was the weekend, there were only about 10 people in total.

We joined as a pair, but everyone else was Chinese... The driver mentioned that he couldn't provide guidance in Japanese, so we were given a printed sheet with explanations of the tourist spots.

【Disappointing Points】
- Not at the meeting time
→ The meeting place was used for various tours, and I asked around but couldn't find anyone. Since time had passed, I finally managed to connect by calling on my mobile. It would be helpful to have something like a card to make it clearer.

- If it's for foreigners, I wish that was clearly stated
→ The driver was fluent in Japanese, but he said he was called in at the last minute because there were Japanese participants. Since all the sightseeing spots were free to explore, it wasn't a problem, but it was a bit intimidating.

- All entrance fees were out of pocket
→ It's often included in the tour price, so that was disappointing.

【Positive Points】
- The places we visited were ones I couldn't easily reach on my own, so it was great to be able to see them efficiently.

- All the tourist spots were wonderful. I enjoyed the art, the scenery, and the food. There were also many photogenic locations.

- The tour ended an hour earlier than planned, which gave us some extra time afterward.

As long as it operates safely, that's what matters, but I feel like there's a big variance in the quality of tours, so I think I'll be more careful when applying in the future.
GW明けの週末に参加。万博に行ったので、ついでにあまり行く機会のない滋賀のツアーにしました。週末でしたが、10名くらいの少人数でした。
2名で参加しましたが、私たち以外は全員中国人でした…運転手さんも日本人向けの案内は出来ないとのことで、観光場所の説明が書かれた紙を印刷して渡されました。
【残念な点】
・集合時間にいない
→色んなツアーの集合場所になっていて、片っ端から声かけましたが見つからず。時間すぎたので、携帯に電話してやっと合流できました。カードを持つとか、分かりやすくしてほしい。

・外国人用なら、その旨…
GW明けの週末に参加。万博に行ったので、ついでにあまり行く機会のない滋賀のツアーにしました。週末でしたが、10名くらいの少人数でした。
2名で参加しましたが、私たち以外は全員中国人でした…運転手さんも日本人向けの案内は出来ないとのことで、観光場所の説明が書かれた紙を印刷して渡されました。
【残念な点】
・集合時間にいない
→色んなツアーの集合場所になっていて、片っ端から声かけましたが見つからず。時間すぎたので、携帯に電話してやっと合流できました。カードを持つとか、分かりやすくしてほしい。

・外国人用なら、その旨明記してほしい
→運転手さんは日本語堪能でしたが、日本人がいるので急遽呼ばれたと言っていました。
観光場所は全て自由行動だったので問題はありませんでしたが、気後れしました。。

・入場料が全て実費
→ツアー代に含まれている事が多いので残念でした。

【良かった点】
・なかなか自力で行けない場所ばかりだったので、効率よく回れて良かった。

・観光した場所は、全て良かった。美術品に景色やごはん等満喫した。フォトジェニックな場所も多い。

・予定より1時間早く終了したので、そのあとの時間に余裕ができた。

安全に催行されればそれでいいのですが、ツアーによって当たり外れが大きい気がしているので、今後は申し込む際に注意しようと思います。。
Machine translated from Japanese

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