One Day Bike Tour around Yogo, an Old Home of Japan in Shiga

 

滋贺县余吴乡村自行车骑行一日游

滋贺县余吴乡村自行车骑行一日游

Lake Yogo, alias “Mirror Lake” is a northernmost attraction in Shiga pref. Literally, it looks like a natural mirror on a calm day, perfectly reflecting surrounding mountains. The one day tour takes you to representative spots associated with impressive folklores about the lake and its vicinity. We can also visit the stage of the fierce historical battle of Shizugatake of the Provincial Wars.

Around Lake Yogo

Kawanami Hamlet

Kinomoto, a Post Station & Temple Town

Shizugatake Battle Field

Niu Valley

Woody Pal Yogo

 

Overview

  • Shiga
  • 20,000 JPY
  • 8 Hours
  • 1 ~ 5 people
 

Itinerary

  • Meeting Point

    JR Yogo Station
  • The Willow Tree that the Angel Hung Her Plumage (From “Plumage Legend”)
  • Koyasu Temple Hall Enshrining the Deity of Mercy
  • The Stone of the Big Snake’s Eye (From Princess Kikuishi Legend)
  • Hydrangea Garden (From June to July)
  • The Monument of Haiku Poem by Rotsu, a Disciple of the Famous Haiku Poet Basho
  • Cherry Flowers around the Lake (From Late Mar. to Early Apr.)
  • Kinomoto Guardian Deity for the Folks (Big Jizo Budda)
  • Shizugatake Old Battlefield
  • Woody Pal Yogo
  • Niu Valley
  • Tojyuin Temple
  • Zencho-ji Temple (If Time Permitted)
  • Ending Point

    JR Yogo Station

What to Expect

The one day course around Yogo (approx., 8 hours) consists of the following 2 major courses;

1) Morning Course
We can enjoy representative landscapes around the Lake, some of which are associated with the folklore descended from more than 1,200 years ago, and others are historical stages, especially in the midst of the age of Provincial Wars (1583). We climb up to the summit of Mt. Shizugatake (an old battlefield) too by a lift, from where we can see the fantastic vista of both Lake Biwa and Lake Yogo.

2) Afternoon Course
We can reach to Woody Pal Yogo (Camping resorts), idyllic mountainous hamlets which are deeply covered with snow in winter, and Tojyuin temple (Famous Zen Temple) along the Niu Valley.

If the weather and time permits, we can go to Zencho-ji temple (one of the high-ranked Zen temples in KOHOKU area) and The Grave of loyal Menjyu Brothers as well.
The biking road has a steep pitch, so it may be a bit tough for old tourists or primary schoolers. The total distance is about 50km. We can take lunch at Woody Pal Yogo.
[Note] Both 1) and 2) are to be cancelled if it heavily rains.

Inclusions & Exclusions

[Inclusions]

Guide Fee

[Exclusions]

1) Lunch and/or Dinner (For Tourists): Less than 1,500 (One Thousand and Five Hundred) JPY Each at a Maximum.

2) Bicycle Rental and Any Unexpected Cost (For Tourists): Less than 1,000 (One Thousand) JPY Each at a Maximum.

   

Important Information

1. Basically 7 days a week

2. Bicycle Rental: At JR Yogo Sta. (500 JPY / 1 day・1 person)

3. One Day Course Schedule:

8:00 AM at JR Yogo Sta. Start
5:00 PM at JR Yogo Sta. Arrive (Tour end)

4. Lift service for the summit of Mt. Shizugatake is available as follows; From 23, Apr., to 30, Nov. (Round-trip: 900 JPY)
(Others: Out of service)

5. In a case of Rainy weather: Only a Half Day Course (Morning Course) is available.
A tourist has to prepare a rain apparel by him/herself.
Half Day Course Schedule
9:00 AM at JR Yogo Sta. Start
1:00 PM at JR Yogo Sta. Arrive (Tour end)

Remark

[Cancellation Policy]
1) Free cancellation – 10 days prior to meeting time
2) 50% Refund – 9 to 3 days prior to meeting time
3) No Refund – Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time

Book Now!  

Reviews

 by Subramaniam Sundar on KOHOKU Tour
Thank you, Yoshi!

Hello, Yoshi. Reached home safely.
Thank you for the lovely photographs. I was able to download them. You may want to use some of the photographs, if you wish to. Thanks again for your help. Subramanium

Re: Tour Guide around Kyoto and Nara for the 5 Wonderful Families from US - KOHOKU Tour

 by Haruka. N on KOHOKU Tour
"Massively Wonderful Research Tour around KOHOKU" with Yoshi, a Licensed Tour Guide

[In English]

"Massively Wonderful Research Tour around KOHOKU" with Yoshi, a Licensed Tour Guide

Hi, Yoshi
The "research tour" conducted by your guide was perfectly fruitful.
Since I have had an interest in Lake Yogo and its surrounding hamlets, I've been eager to make the on-the-spot research there. That's why I asked your help, since you were born and grown at a small village of Kawanami (the north-west of Lake Yogo) and have abundant knowledge about KOHOKU.
My "research tour" was 2days. On the 1st day, you kindly showed me every spot in your home-village of Kawanami and around the Lake, spending no less than 5 hours. I thought afresh Kawanami was wonderful, walking round the fantastic hamlet and seeing its beautiful landscape. And I felt happy enough to be able to have a good chance to exchange greetings with many village people there. And I was lucky to hear very interesting stories as well about their lives and scenes of olden days from a nice old man who has lived there all his life. On the 2nd day, you guided me around the nearby town of Kinomoto, which used to be a post-station town with a long history, didn't you? You brought me to that historically famous old battlefield, Shizugatake, the amazing view from which I'll never forget. And when we walked around the area along the Niu river, I was impressed a lot, imagining about the days of old hamlets that have already disappeared from a map, due to a dam construction schedule. All the spots that you guided were so colorful and informative. Thank you, Yoshi.
And you've been very kind to take actively a proper care of incorporating additional spots that I wanted to visit, even after the initial itinerary. If I had no help of your guide and did it myself, I definitely couldn't visit such wonderful places. I was fully satisfied with your nice guiding around KOHOKU. Thank you, again, Yoshi!

[In Japanese]

Yoshiさん、こんにちは。
今回は、とても充実した調査ツアーになりました。
私は余呉湖および余呉湖周辺の集落について興味があり、ぜひ現地調査をしたいと考えていました。
そこで、余呉湖の北西に位置する川並で生まれ育ち、湖北地方について十分な知識をお持ちであるYoshiさんにこの地域を案内していただくことになりました。
調査は2日間行いましたが、1日目は川並および余呉湖の湖周を一日かけてじっくりと案内していただきました。
川並はとても良い場所で、その美しい町並みと風景、歴史をめぐりながら、昔から村に住んでいらっしゃる人々と挨拶を交わし、とても興味深い昔の川並の風景や生活についてお話を聞くことができました。
2日目は川並から少し離れて、宿場町の歴史を持つ木之本、かつて激しい戦があった賤ヶ岳、ダム計画により地図から消えた村の跡地、など余呉湖周辺の歴史を巡る調査となりました。
どのポイントも非常に興味深く、とても勉強になるツアーでした。
また、最初にツアー日程の提案をいただいてからも、私の見学したい場所の希望を積極的に取り入れてくれました。
一人で調査していたら、行くことのできなかった場所、巡りあえなかった場所に訪れることができて大変満足しております。
Yoshiさん、誠にありがとうございました!

Haruka. N

https://kohokutour.com/2022/10/15/re-the-1st-guest-of-kohoku-tour-%e7%a7%81%e3%81%ae%e3%83%84%e3%82%a2%e3%83%bc%e3%81%ae%e7%ac%ac%ef%bc%91%e5%8f%b7%e9%a1%a7%e5%ae%a2%e3%80%80/

Haruka san, the "Research Tour" with you around KOHOKU was so pleasant and a good lesson for me, too. I was honored to be with a hard-working student like you. Thank you, From YoshiOct., 28 (Fri.), 2022

 by Julie Y on KOHOKU Tour
Excellent guide!

Yoshi is an excellent guide! He is a hard-working and wonderful ambassador for his country. Yoshi takes his work seriously and is scrupulously prepared. His care for his clients really shows. He went above and beyond for us. Yoshi is very well-informed about so much, including Japanese history, current Japanese affairs, and the flowers and trees of Japan. He is interesting, energetic, kind, and hospitable. Our only wish was that we had more time with Yoshi! We are grateful we met him.

Dear Julie san and Ron san. Thank you very much for your nice feedback. As our mission as a tour guide is, of course, to insure our customers' satisfaction, I've believed (as a former Quality Engineer) that we have to do our maximum effort, sacrificing our short lunch and rest time. I'm so glad to know that you kindly felt a touch of it. Again, I was extremely happy to be able to have an opportunity to go around the best spots with you and Ron san yesterday. Thank you, PS: I will try not to be a "Crybaby" any more. From Yoshi Apr., 19 (Fri.), 2019; 22:23

 by Sheila S. on KOHOKU Tour

Yoshi was very knowledgeable on all the places he took us for the two days we were in Osaka. He picked us up at our hotel. Planned the day according to what we wanted to see and the activities we were interested in. I have a bad knee and stairs were a problem, he made a lot of effort to accommodate this. For this I am very impressed. He definitely went over and beyond. Our family had a great time and will be beyond. Thank you Yoshi San! -- Sheila Cemer Houston Texas

Sheila san and your handsome family members: Thank you very much for your lavish word to this amateurish tour guide. I have to appreciate you, giving me the opportunity to go around here and there in the merchants' city under brisk winter sky. I'll never forget the fantastic memory with you and your family. PS: Have you successfully been able to open all the pictures that I took for your family?

 by Siti M. on KOHOKU Tour

Very lucky to have Yoshi san as our guide who took care of us from the time he picked us up from the hotel until he send us back to the hotel. I'm very impressed and appreciative when he accomodated to our slow movement. He planned well according to what we wanted even at the short notice of visiting Nara Women's University. Really love the Kimono experience and picnic under cherry blossoms at Osaka castle. Our family especially my daughter had a lovely and wonderful time. Thank you Yoshi san for understanding and being an amazing tour guide for us. - Siti, Malaysia

Siti san, Zainal san, alias sweet Sumo wrestler, and a promising No.1 journalist in Malaysia, Farah san, I thank you very much for selecting such an amateurish tour guide like me for your memorable tour tripping around Kansai district, Japan. I was relieved that the weather on the days during your trip was relatively good (not so cold and not so warm), and we could make it in time when the cherry blossoms that all of you must have eagerly anticipated started. You were able to dabble at OHANAMI (Cherry viewing) at Osaka Jyo park, eating Takoyaki, weren't we? The gift that charming Farah san surprisingly gave me must have become one of my most important treasuries. Thank you so much. PS : As I promised so, I'm going to send all the photos that I took for your wonderful family through e-mail in a few days. From Yoshi

Related Tours

  1. A Walking Tour along Old Hokkoku Street in Central Nagahama, Shiga Pref.

  2. Shizugatake Hiking & a Walking Tour along Old Hokkoku Street in Central Kinomoto, Shiga Pref.

  3. Two Days Bike Tour around Kohoku in Shiga

  4. Feel-good Walking Excursion around Lake Yogo in the Best Season

  5. A Half Day Bike Tour around Lake Yogo in Shiga

  6. Two Castles’ Tour in Hikone and Nagahama

  7. A Winter Tour around Lake Yogo in Shiga

  8. One Day Tour for Autumnal Leaves around Keisoku-ji Temple & Shizugatake Old Battlefield

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