Mt. Hachimanyama

Mt. Hachimanyama, at 272 meters just north of Omihachiman, holds the ruins of a castle built in 1585 on the orders of the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi for his nephew Hidetsugu. When Hidetsugu was later disgraced and forced to die in 1595, the castle was abandoned. The town below, however, kept growing into a prosperous merchant center. Today, remnants of the old stone ramparts are visible on the hill, which can be reached by ropeway. From the summit, trails lead to Zuiryuji Temple, founded by Hidetsugu's mother in his memory, and to observation points with wide views over Lake Biwa and the surrounding countryside.