Maibara

Rail junction below Shiga's highest peak

Maibara is a small city on the northeastern side of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture and a major rail junction. Its station is where the Tokaido Shinkansen, the Biwako Line, the Hokuriku Line and the Ohmi Railway meet. Many travellers only change trains here but the area has real reasons to stop. Mount Ibuki, the highest peak in Shiga at about 1,377 m, is behind the city. Samegai and Kashiwabara are old Nakasendo post towns. The Jizo River in Samegai has cold spring water. The centre is quiet and fits into half a day, so it works as a base for the rest of northern Lake Biwa.

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Town in Japan

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$	Cheap
$$	Medium
$$$	Expensive, upscale
$$$+	Very expensive, luxury

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Safety: 8.4

General Safety:	9
Health & medical:	7
Accessibility:	7
Tap water:	10

Read details

2/5

English is spoken at major hotels and the station, but less so in rural shops and restaurants. Signage is limited outside main areas, so a translation app is helpful. Locals are friendly and try to assist.

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Last update: 20 Oct 2026

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Maibara Summary

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Good for nature outings and Lake Biwa access. Cycle lakeside paths, explore nearby mountains, visit historic shrines and enjoy peaceful countryside scenery.

Place score

7.1

Best at:

Spotless

Less touristy

Mountains

Flowers

Cycling

Personal score

Suited for

👶 6

Families

🧓 7

Seniors

🛡️ 7

Travel Beginners

👩 7

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Japan – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	100 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type A Type A: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Japanese Yen (JPY) £1 ≈ JP¥210
Cashless info:	Rating 4/5 Cashless payments are becoming more common, especially in cities, with some shops still preferring cash. Be prepared for occasional cash-only situations in rural areas. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is not customary in Japan and can be considered rude. Excellent service is the norm, and tipping is unnecessary in most places.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is legal and commonly accepted, particularly during festivals and events.
Public smoking:	Smoking is prohibited in indoor public places but allowed in designated outdoor areas. Some restaurants may have smoking sections.

New Year (January)	One of the most important holidays, expect crowded temples and high prices. Plan ahead.
Golden Week (April-May)	The busiest travel time, expect high demand for accommodation and transport.
Obon (August)	A time to honour ancestors, many businesses close, and transport can be crowded.

Emergency contact:	Emergency Number: 110 (Police), 119 (Fire & Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, JapanTaxi, DiDi
Other:	Japan is a country of respect, so understanding local customs and etiquette is important. Public transport is efficient, but can be crowded during peak hours.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Maibara, Japan

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Jan

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Feb

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Mar

🌦️

Apr

🌤️

May

🌦️

Jun

⛈️

Jul

🌦️

Aug

🌦️

Sep

🌦️

Oct

🌤️

Nov

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Dec

High season:	Nov.
Shoulder season:	April - May, July, Oct.
Crowdedness:	2 (Few tourists)

Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info

Climate details

Heavy snow from January to February in the Maibara and Sekigahara area can delay Shinkansen trains

Mt. Ibuki wildflowers bloom June to August, higher trails and the Ibuki driveway are closed in winter

Don't miss

🏯 Visit Hikone Castle, one of Japan’s few original castles
🚆 Take a scenic train ride along Lake Biwa
🥾 Explore Mount Ibuki’s hiking trails for panoramic views
🍖 Taste Maibara’s local Ōmi beef dishes
🌸 Admire baikamo flowers blooming in Samegai's Jizo River

You've been here?

Why travel to Maibara?

Mount Ibuki is the biggest draw beyond the station. At about 1,377 m it's the highest peak in Shiga. The alpine flower field near the summit is a national natural monument. From the top you can see Lake Biwa and on clear days the Japan Alps and Ise Bay. The Ibuki Driveway goes most of the way up from spring to late autumn. Short loop trails start from the summit car park. Hiking up from the foot of the mountain is closed after slope damage with no set reopening date, so check access before building a day around it. Samegai is the other highlight. This former post town on the Nakasendo, the old road between Kyoto and Edo, has a stream beside its main street, fed by spring water that stays at about 14°C all year. From mid-May to late August the water carries white water crowfoot flowers. The free Samegai-juku Museum is a few minutes on foot from JR Samegai Station. Kashiwabara, further along the old road at the foot of Ibuki, was another post town. In Maibara itself, Seiganji Temple is a short walk from the station and known for a zen garden where moss stands in for water. The station also has a hire cycle shop with set routes along the lake's northern shore, including a ride to Kinomoto of about 32 km. Maibara suits a half day or one night. It combines well with Hikone, one station south by train, which has an original castle.

🎡Places for activities

1 Gransnow Okuibuki

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Lake Biwa
2 Mt. Ibuki
3 Green Park

🍽️Eat & Drink

1 Izutsuya Maibara Station
Station lunch boxes, including an Omi beef steak bento and a seasonal makunouchi, from a maker that has operated at Maibara Station for more than 100 years. A dining space inside lets travellers eat there.
2 Sushi Fumoto
Sushi and single dishes made with ingredients chosen from around Japan, a few minutes' walk from the west exit of Maibara Station. It also serves kaiseki courses, and dinner mostly costs up to 5,000 yen.
3 Ryori Ryokan Hyotanya
A ryokan with a history of 300 years in Maibara, home to Restaurant Berceau, a restaurant in one of its rooms. Its cooking has been catered as far away as Nagoya.
4 Taifu Maibara
Ramen and tsukemen at a shop four minutes on foot from Maibara Station. It is one of the more reviewed places near the station, with 15 reviews on Tripadvisor and a 3.5 rating.
5 Stendhal
Coffee, pasta and curry at a coffee shop two minutes on foot from Maibara Station. A local guide says residents love it as a place to relax, with pasta and curry as favourites.
6 Wakaibuki
Herb cooking made with medicinal plants from Mount Ibuki, at a restaurant that has run for more than 50 years. It is about 25 minutes by car from Maibara Station, up on the mountain.
7 Masukiya
Trout dishes in Samegai, near Samegai Station. A Tripadvisor reviewer recommends it for trout cooking in the area. It scores 4.0 from one review there.
8 Bussan Koryukan Sazanami
Ramen and soy milk doughnuts at a restaurant attached to a roadside station, with local speciality products on the menu. It is a convenient stop for a break while driving.

🎈Events

Maihara Hikiyama Matsuri (October, child kabuki festival)
Nabe Kanmuri Festival (Lake Biwa, spring)
Mt. Ibuki Flower Festival (summer)
Cherry blossom viewing at Mishima Pond (April)
Harvest festivals (autumn)
Ski season at Gransnow Okuibuki (winter)

Explore on map

Open map view

Knowledge before you go

Nozomi trains skip Maibara, so board a Hikari or Kodama.
Hiking up Mount Ibuki from the base is closed, so plan on the driveway or the seasonal bus.
Samegai's water crowfoot blooms from mid-May to late August, so time your visit for those weeks.
Reserve a hire bicycle at the station ahead of time, since the shop closes from mid-December to mid-February.

How to travel to Maibara

Trains are the way most people arrive. Maibara is on the Tokaido Shinkansen between Kyoto and Nagoya, but only Hikari and Kodama trains stop here. Nozomi trains don't. From Tokyo the trip takes about two hours. From Nagoya a Hikari or Kodama takes about 25 minutes while the JR Tokaido Line special rapid takes about 1 hour 10 minutes. From Kyoto the JR Biwako Line runs along the lake and reaches Maibara in around an hour by rapid train. The limited express Shirasagi connects Maibara with Fukui and Kanazawa. Local trains on the Hokuriku Line continue north to Nagahama. The nearest major airports are Chubu Centrair (NGO) near Nagoya and Kansai (KIX) near Osaka. From either you ride a train to Nagoya or Kyoto and change there for Maibara. By road the Meishin and Hokuriku expressways meet near Maibara. The Ibuki Driveway starts about 5 minutes from Sekigahara IC on the Meishin Expressway.

Access summary

From Kansai Airport (KIX): Haruka to Osaka, Shinkansen to Maibara, ~2 hours.
From Kyoto: Direct JR Tokaido Line or Shinkansen to Maibara, about 25–40 minutes.
From Nagoya: JR Tokaido Line or Shinkansen to Maibara, typically 30–50 minutes.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Maibara

Most visitors stay in the business hotels around Maibara Station, which are within walking distance of the platforms and suit early or late trains. The choice is small and practical. Staying here makes sense if you want to catch an early train or head to Samegai or Ibuki the next morning. Hikone and Nagahama, each a short train ride away, have more hotels and are close to their own castles and old streets, so they work better as a base if you want an evening stroll. Near Mount Ibuki a few pensions and small inns mostly cater to hikers and drivers. Rooms tighten in Golden Week and at summer and autumn weekends, so book ahead for those dates.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

Grand Mercure Lake Biwa Resort & Spa

8.2

Comfort Hotel Hikone

8.6

Hotel Sunroute Hikone

8.3

Grand Mercure Lake Biwa Resort & Spa

7.9

Toyoko Inn Maibara-eki Shinkansen Nishi-guchi

8.4

KAMENOI HOTEL HIKONE

8.4

Toyoko Inn Hikone-eki Higashi-guchi

8.3

Hotel Route Inn Nagahama Inter

8.3

Kitabiwako Hotel Grazie

8.6

HOTEL R9 The Yard Nagahama

8.5

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Maibara

Maibara Station is the hub for everything and the area around it is small enough to walk. Seiganji Temple is about a 10-minute walk away.

Post towns:
For the old post towns, take the JR Tokaido Line a short way east toward Ogaki. The museum and spring river in Samegai are about a 5-minute walk from JR Samegai Station. Kashiwabara is further along the same line. Trains on this stretch run less often than on the main line so check the timetable before you go.

Cycling:
Cycling suits the flat land beside the lake. The hire cycle shop at the station's east exit needs a reservation and is closed from mid-December to mid-February.

Mount Ibuki:
Mount Ibuki isn't served by regular public transport. In summer and early autumn a seasonal hiking bus runs on set days from the station's east exit to the 9th station. Outside those dates you need a car or taxi for the Ibuki Driveway, which also helps if you want Ibuki and the post towns on one day.

Food in Maibara

Food in Maibara follows Shiga and Lake Biwa. Day to day eating here means simple Japanese meals and cafes near the station, with the local specialities found mostly at restaurants in the wider region.

Omi beef:
Omi beef is the headline local product, one of Japan's oldest wagyu brands and known for heavy marbling. It's served as steak and at grilled meat restaurants.

Funa-zushi:
Funa-zushi is carp from the lake, salted and then fermented in rice for a year or more. It has a strong flavour that not everyone likes, so it's usually tried in small portions.

Options are limited in the small town centres and evening choices tend to thin out away from the station. Convenience stores near the station cover quick meals and picnic food for Ibuki or a bike ride. Hikone and Nagahama are a short train ride away and have more restaurants if you want a proper dinner. Funa-zushi and many other lake dishes are fish based, so vegetarians should ask before ordering.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

We calculate the average costs when travelling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.

To customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

-45 %

Daily expenses in Maibara are around 45% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend a lot less on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

-20 %

Your exchange rate (GBP to JPY) is 20% better than in recent years. That means travelling now is considerably cheaper compared to the past.

Travel costs

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	£44	£93	£240
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	£23	£53	£105
🍝 Food per day	£17	£33	£100
🚕 Transportation per day	£5	£7	£34

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	£12.50
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	£5
🍟 Fast food combo	£3.60
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	£6.50
☕ Cappuccino	£2.20
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l	£2.30

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	£1.20
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	£21
⛽ Petrol, 1 l	£0.85

Other

🎞️ Cinema ticket	£9
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	£21
🤧 Cold medication	£7.50
💇 Basic haircut	£11

Safety information overview

General safety

Maibara is very safe for travellers, with low crime and quiet streets around the station and the old post towns. The main risks are in the mountains. Weather on Mount Ibuki changes quickly and winds near the summit can be cold, so dress in layers.

Health & Medical

Health risks are low. The city is small, so larger hospitals and specialist care are in nearby Nagahama and Hikone. Pharmacies are around the station. Summers can be hot in the lowlands while the Ibuki summit is noticeably cooler, so carry water if you climb.

Accessibility

The area around Maibara Station and Samegai is flat and suits walking. The paths along the Jizo River are narrow. Mount Ibuki's summit trails are steep and uneven but the driveway reaches a car park near the top, so the views don't require hiking.

Tap water

Tap water is safe to drink in Maibara and across Shiga. The area is known for clean spring water, with Samegai's river fed by a spring that stays near 14°C all year. Vending machines and convenience stores sell bottled drinks near the station.