Hikone Castle

Built between 1604 and 1622 on a strategic hilltop beside Lake Biwa, guarding the road connecting Edo with western Japan. The Ii family, assigned by shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu to hold this position, built a castle incorporating both medieval fortifications and administrative chambers suitable for a government center of the new era. Unlike many castles, it was never the site of armed conflict. In 1873, it was scheduled for demolition under the Meiji order to clear out Tokugawa-era remnants, but the emperor spared it during a visit after a councilor noted the beauty of the main keep. Several buildings are designated Important Cultural Properties.