Shiga

The itinerary was well-planned, the scenery was beautiful, and the driver was very professional. Highly recommended.

I went on a beautiful sunny day, Sunday, October 3rd. I arrived right at the 9 AM opening time, hoping to see the 8,000 kochia plants. From the parking lot, you first take a gondola. It's quite a high-altitude ride, but you arrive in no time while enjoying the view of Lake Biwa (apparently it takes about 8 minutes). The temperature was just right, so it would be good to have a long-sleeved jacket or cardigan. The kochia plants were just starting to change color, which was very satisfying. There were also many other flowerbeds, and the dahlias were in full bloom. The views from the observation points overlooking Lake Biwa, located throughout the park, were absolutely amazing!!

I participated in this tour yesterday (October 2nd), and I felt lucky because everyone in the group was punctual, and our guide, Lai, was gentle, attentive, and humorous 👍. Regarding the trip itself, I think it was very worthwhile: First, I wouldn't normally go to Shirahige Shrine because of its inconvenient location; second, the Biwako Valley is breathtakingly beautiful, my favorite viewpoint ever; the ticket normally costs 5000 yen, but the group ticket was slightly cheaper (4300 yen); third, because the day's itinerary mainly focused on taking photos and riding the cable car, there was plenty of time (Biwako Valley actually has a suspension bridge and zipline, but I'm afraid of heights, so I didn't do them). Finally, remember to bring a jacket, as Biwako Valley is at a high altitude and quite windy, so it can be quite cold. Also, although I'm a little afraid of heights, the chairlifts in Biwako Valley aren't very high off the ground, and I thoroughly enjoyed riding them 👍

The driver provided excellent service and was a very skilled driver; we arrived at the airport smoothly.

Biwako Valley is heavily dependent on the weather, so I was grateful that they allowed me to reconfirm the weather forecast the day before before purchasing tickets. Thanks to that, I was able to enjoy the wonderful views, pleasant breeze, and delicious food. It's expensive in many ways, but considering that it's used for safety management, the price is justifiable, and I thought the food and drinks on the premises were of high quality and reasonable for the price. There are two things to note: the Sky Bridge is one-way and can only be accessed from the intermediate station of the Uchimi Lift. The other is the Horai Lift; those with a fear of heights should be prepared. The Sky Bridge isn't scary if you look straight ahead while walking, but the Horai Lift is scary even if you look straight ahead because you feel the height.

First time taking the round-trip ticket to Himeji Castle. Electronic tickets saved me the trouble of picking up tickets. I really liked this way of traveling. It's also cheaper and more welcoming to foreign travelers. I recommend Himeji Castle; it's beautiful. It's not far from the station on foot.