Kinomoto-cho, Shiga

Kinomoto, Shiga (木之本町; Kinomoto-chō)
View from Mt. Shizugatake More Kinomoto photos here.
[{{{GoogleMapLink}}} Google Map of Kinomoto here.]
Location	Shiga Prefecture, Kinki region, Honshu island, JAPAN
Population	8,329 (2007-02-01)
Area	88.44 km²
Town Centers	Kinomoto Station, Hokkoku Kaido Road
Major Sights	Mt. Shizugatake, Kinomoto Jizo-in temple
Major Gateways	JR Kinomoto Station
Train Stations	JR Kinomoto Station
Claim to Fame	Battle of Mt. Shizugatake where Toyotomi Hideyoshi defeated Shibata Katsuie.
Products
Neighbors	Takatsuki-cho, Yogo-cho, Nishi-Azai, Nagahama, Ibigawa-cho (Gifu)
Old Name(s)
Keywords	Shizugatake, Kinomoto-juku, Hokkoku Kaido, Kannon
Historical Persons	Yamauchi Kazutoyo
Links	Kinomoto Articles | Kinomoto Photos
Kinomoto Tourist Information
Location	滋賀県伊香郡木之本町1472番地 (Kinomoto Station)
Phone	Tel: 0749-82-5909 Fax: 0749-82-3956
Tourist Links	Kinomoto Tourism
Int'l Association	[Web site] Tel:
Volunteer Guides	Tel: 0749-82-5909
Kinomoto Town Hall 木之本町役場
Address	〒529-0492滋賀県伊香郡木之本町木之本1757-2 Kinomoto 1757-2, Kinomoto-cho, Ika-gun, Shiga-ken 529-0492 JAPAN
Phone/Fax	Tel: 0749-82-4111 Fax: 0749-82-3956
Official Site	Japanese | English
Symbols	Flower:	Magnolia コブシ
	Tree:	Zelkova ケヤキ
	Bird:	Varied tit ヤマガラ
	Others:	Jizo, Kannon
	Logo:	enter
Sister Towns

by Philbert Ono

Kinomoto (木之本町; -chō) was a town in Shiga Prefecture. It was dissolved as a municipality upon the town's merger with the city of Nagahama on Jan. 1, 2010. Note that this Web page will no longer be updated. For the latest photos and news about the Kinomoto area, please refer to the Nagahama page for travel info and the Nagahama gallery page for photos.

The Kinomoto area is best known for Mt. Shizugatake which provides grand views of Lake Biwa and Lake Yogo. It was also the site of the Battle of Shizugatake where Toyotomi Hideyoshi defeated Shibata Katsuie.

Kinomoto-juku was also a lodging town on the Hokkoku Kaido Road linking the Hokuriku region with Kyoto and Edo. Kinomoto also has its share of noted Kannon temples. A new and spacious Kinomoto Station building was completed in 2007.

Sights

• Mt. Shizugatake 賤ヶ岳 - Provides grand views of Lake Biwa and Lake Yogo. One of Shiga's most scenic spots. A chair lift (400 yen one way or 760 yen round trip) from the foot of the mountain takes you near the summit. After getting off the chair lift, climb up about 300 meters to the summit. The summit has a few lookout decks where you can see a grand view of Lake Biwa, Lake Yogo, and Kinomoto town. Closest train station is Kinomoto Station on the JR Hokuriku Line. Buses run from Kinomoto Station to near the chair lift. The bus stop is right outside the train station. Take a bus bound for Sugaura (菅浦) or Shindono (新道野). Get off at Ooto (大音) and walk toward the mountain. You can see the chair lift cutting through the mountain. then go up the chair lift (operates April-Nov., 9 am - 5 pm). Buses run infrequently (check schedule here). It's possible to walk, but it will take a good 40 min. Or take a taxi for a 4-min. ride, costing about 1,020 yen. From the Shizugatake summit, there are hiking trails to Lake Yogo and Yamamoto-yama. One trail to Lake Yogo goes along the mountain ridge and will take 2 hours. Another trail is shorter (1.5 km) going down to the Yogoko-so Kokuminshuku lodge. You can then walk along Lake Yogo to Yogo Station. Shizugatake was the battleground between Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Shibata Katsuie in 1583. Shizugatake chair lift Web site here.
• Kinomoto Jizo-in 木之本地蔵院 - Real name is Joshinji temple (浄信寺). A short walk from Kinomoto Station, it's along the old Hokkoku Kaido road going to the Hokuriku region. Noted for a giant statue of Jizo, one of Japan's three largest Jizo statues. The temple also has a few statues designated as Important Cultural Properties.
• Hokkoku Kaido Road 北国街道 - This old road linked the Hokuriku region with the Kinki region and was Kinomoto-juku's main street. It also includes the place where Lord Yamauchi Kazutoyo's wife Chiyo bought a fine horse for her husband. There are signs along the road indicating where the Honjin and the horse selling area were.
• Kannon temples - Kinomoto, along with other neighboring towns, have a number of temples with noted Kannon statues. They include Kuroda Kannon-ji 黒田観音寺 and Shakudoji 石道寺. Ask for a map at the tourist info counter in the train station.

Event Calendar

• Aug. 22-25 - Kinomoto Jizo Festival 地蔵縁日 attracts many people to the temple lined with food stalls.

Travel Tips

• Tourist information counter is in the new and spacious Kinomoto Station.
• It's possible to see both Mt. Shizugatake and Lake Yogo during the same day. First see the Jizo-in temple, a short walk from Kinomoto Station, then take a bus to Mt. Shizugatake. After seeing the views, follow the hiking trail to Lake Yogo. When hiking, always go with a friend.
• By taxi from Kinomoto Station, it takes 4 min. to get to Mt. Shizugatake, costing about 1,000 yen.

Getting There

By Train

JR Kinomoto Station on the Hokuriku Main Line.

Train Lines & Stations

• JR Hokuriku Main Line: Kinomoto Station

Travel Time

• From Tokyo Station to Kinomoto Station - 2.5 hours via JR Tokaido Shinkansen Hikari to Maibara Station, then 25 min. via Hokuriku Main Line to Kinomoto Station.
• From Kyoto Station to Kinomoto Station - 55 min. via JR Biwako Line to Maibara Station, then 25 min. via JR Hokuriku Main Line. Or 22 min. via Tokaido Shinkansen Kodama to Maibara Station, then 25 min. via Hokuriku Main Line to Kinomoto Station.
• From JR Nagoya Station to Kinomoto Station: About 25 min. via Tokaido Shinkansen or 1 hr 15 min. via Tokaido Main Line (train transfer at Ogaki Station may be required) to Maibara Station, then 25 min. via JR Hokuriku Main Line to Kinomoto Station.
• From Maibara Station to Kinomoto Station - 25 min. via JR Hokuriku Main Line.
• From Hikone Station to Kinomoto Station - 35 min. via JR Tokaido/Biwako Line and JR Hokuriku Main Line (transfer at Maibara Station may be necessary).
• From Nagahama Station to Kinomoto Station - 15 min. via JR Hokuriku Main Line.
• From Otsu Station to Kinomoto Station - Approx. 62 min. via JR Tokaido/Biwako Line.
• From Tsuruga Station to Kinomoto Station - 30 min. via JR Hokuriku Main Line.

By Bus

Nearest Airports

• Kansai International Airport
• Central Japan International Airport (Centrair)
• Osaka International Airport]

Getting Around

By bus

Buses leave Kinomoto Station infrequently. Check with the tourist info counter in the train station for the bus schedule.

By bicycle

Rental bicycles available at Kinomoto Station (tourist info counter).

Maps

Unless noted otherwise, all maps are in Japanese.

• Google Map of Kinomoto

Photos

https://photoguide.jp/pix/albums/shiga/kinomoto-cho/eki/thumb_010-IMG_2372.jpg	https://photoguide.jp/pix/albums/shiga/kinomoto-cho/jizoin/thumb_012-IMG_2453.jpg	https://photoguide.jp/pix/albums/shiga/kinomoto-cho/hokkokukaido/thumb_021-IMG_2652.jpg
Kinomoto Station	Kinomoto Jizo-in	Hokkoku Kaido Road

More photos at Kinomoto Photos. More Shiga photos here.

History

• Pre-Edo Period - Being on the road connecting the Hokuriku region with the Kinki region, Kinomoto flourished as a cultural and economic base.
• Edo Period - Kinomoto-juku served as a lodging town for travelers between the Hokuriku region and Edo and Kyoto.
• 1889 - Kinomoto becomes a village.
• 1918 - Kinomoto village becomes a town.
• 1954 - Kinomoto town merges with three neighboring villages.
• 2006 - The new Kinomoto Station is completed.
• 2010 - The town of Kinomoto is dissolved upon the merger with Nagahama on Jan. 1.

Miscellaneous

Trivia

• One of the kanji characters for "Kinomoto" for Kinomoto Station 木ノ本駅 is different from the kanji used for the town's name 木之本町.

Side Trips

Other sights in neighboring cities/towns within easy reach from Kinomoto.

• Lake Yogo - Scenic lake north of Lake Biwa. A hiking trail from Mt. Shizugatake goes to Lake Yogo. Or take the train to the next stop at Yogo Station.

Related Articles

• Shiga Prefecture
• Shiga Prefecture Sights
• Shiga Prefecture Transportation
• Shiga Prefecture Municipalities

External Links

• Kinomoto Town Hall
• Kinomoto Tourism
• shiga-ken.com - Comprehensive guide to Shiga Prefecture.