Nagahama

Nagahama is a lakeside castle town on the northeastern shore of Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, in Shiga Prefecture. Toyotomi Hideyoshi built his first castle here on his way to ruling the country, and the town has traded on the lake and its history ever since.

The rebuilt keep looks over the water from a lakeside park, and the black-walled merchant buildings of Kurokabe Square house glass studios where you can watch artisans at work. Each April the Hikiyama Festival rolls out ornate floats that double as stages for costumed children performing kabuki.

Ferries cross from the port to sacred Chikubu Island, crowded with shrine and temple halls, and winter brings the town's famous plum bonsai exhibition. Nagahama sits on the Hokuriku line north of Maibara's shinkansen stop, an easy half-day from Kyoto. Lake sunsets close the day properly.