Structures Within the Main Bailey

The honmaru of Hikone Castle is the fortified core at the top of Mt. Hikone. Its main keep, completed in 1606 and designated a National Treasure, is believed to have been built largely from materials transported by boat from the demolished Otsu Castle across Lake Biwa. The drum gate turret at the bailey entrance held an actual drum used for communications within the castle complex. Stone foundations throughout the area mark where other structures once stood before demolition during the Meiji era. The keep remains one of only a handful of original castle towers in Japan and offers broad views of the surrounding landscape.