Chikubushima: An Island of Prayer on Lake Biwa

【Just 1 hour 20 minutes from Kyoto Station by train and boat】

Off the northern shore of Lake Biwa, a small island rises from the water.
No one lives there. There is only an ancient temple, a shrine, and the silence they keep.
For centuries, people have set out by boat toward this island — to pray, to seek, to be still.
This is Chikubushima.

An Island Born from Granite and Myth

The entire island is formed from a single mass of granite. Sheer rock walls rise from the surface of the lake, draped in ancient trees. As your boat draws closer, you understand — before words can explain it — why this place has long been called the dwelling of the gods.

Even the name “Lake Biwa” is said to trace its origins here. The biwa, a traditional lute held by the deity Benzaiten enshrined on this island, is said to have inspired the lake’s name. It was not the lake that named the island — it was the island that named the lake.

Warriors Who Sought the Island’s Blessing

In the 16th century, even those who sought to unite Japan — Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi — came to this island to pray.

Hideyoshi held a particular devotion to Chikubushima, and had parts of his own castles dismantled and rebuilt here. At the bottom of the stone steps, the Karamon gate stands in lacquered black and gold — a National Treasure, and once a part of his castle walls.

Beyond the gate, the Funa-roka — a corridor once built from the timbers of Hideyoshi’s own warship — and other remnants of the Toyotomi era remain quietly on this island, as they have for four centuries.

A Wish Cast Over the Water: Kawarake-nage

Facing a torii gate that stretches out over the lake, you throw a small unglazed clay dish toward it.Facing a torii gate that stretches out over the lake, you throw a small unglazed clay dish toward it. If it passes through the gate, your wish is said to come true.
A quiet ritual, befitting an island of prayer.

Plan Your Visit

Boats to Chikubushima depart from Nagahama, Imazu, and Hikone ports. From Kyoto Station, take the JR line to Nagahama Station (approx. 50 min), then walk 10 minutes to Nagahama Port.
For timetables and fares, check the official websites:

Biwako Kisen: https://www.biwakokisen.co.jp/cruise/chikubu/
Ohmi Marine: https://www.ohmitetudo.co.jp/marine/lp/chikubushima/