2026 Kora Travel Guide: must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transport & travel experiences (updated in August)

Dear friends!!! You absolutely cannot miss Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture during Kyoto’s autumn leaves season~ As someone who’s been there, this off-the-beaten-path route has been asked about nonstop! 👏 🍁【Autumn Leaves Secret Spot: Saimei-ji Temple】 📍Address: 393 Ishihata, Toyosato-cho, Inukami-gun, Shiga Prefecture 🕐Opening Hours: 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM 🎫Admission: 500 yen ✨Must-visit: The hundreds-of-meters-long tunnel of autumn leaves! More spectacular than many popular spots in Kyoto! Perfect for photos 📸 🏯【Hikone Castle and Genkyu-en Garden】 📍Address: 1-1 Kinkame-cho, Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture 🕐Hours: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM (Night maple illumination 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM) 🎫Admission: Hikone Castle 600 yen + Genkyu-en Garden 200 yen 💡Tip: The garden with Lake Biwa as a backdrop is stunning at sunset! Don’t miss the night maple illumination! It’s dreamlike and will move you to tears 😍 ♨️【Recommended Hotel: Aonoko-tei】 📍Address: 2-31-18 Hieitsuji, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture 💎Features: ✔️All rooms face Lake Biwa ✔️Spacious rooms starting from 50 square meters ✔️Amazing sunset view from the hot spring 🍽️Dinner: Omi beef cuisine is legendary! Melts in your mouth, no exaggeration! ✨Recommended One-Day Surrounding Tours: 1️⃣ Shirahige Shrine ⛩️ 🚗1 hour from the hotel 📸Best time to shoot: Sunset Vermilion torii gate + Lake Biwa sunset = a must-see in your lifetime! 2️⃣ Ukimido Hall 🚗30 minutes from the hotel 🏯Floating ancient temple + wooden corridor, every shot looks like a masterpiece 3️⃣ Kyorinbo 🚗40 minutes from the hotel 🍁300 ancient maple trees + thatched-roof study, full of artistic atmosphere 🔥【Kansai 6 Days 5 Nights Premium Itinerary】 💰Starting from 19,800 yen per person, great value! D1️⃣ Shanghai → Nagoya → Inuyama D2️⃣ Inuyama → Saimei-ji Autumn Leaves Tunnel → Hikone Lake Biwa D3️⃣ Hikone → MIHO Museum → Kyoto Eikando Temple D4️⃣ Kyoto Tofuku-ji Temple → Kyoto Station D5️⃣ Free day in Osaka D6️⃣ Osaka → Kansai Airport → Shanghai 💯Highlights: ✅Avoid crowds, privately enjoy off-the-beaten-path autumn leaves spots ✅Luxurious accommodation + top-grade Omi beef cuisine ✅Art sanctuaries + deep cultural tours ✅Exclusive Chinese-speaking guide, very flexible itinerary What are you waiting for?! This autumn, come to Shiga and unlock a different Kansai experience~💕

I visited Saimyo-ji Temple 😊 Known as one of the three great Koto Sanzan temples, this historic site is a popular spot to enjoy the beauty of nature across all four seasons. In May, the temple grounds were enveloped in vibrant green maples, offering a refreshing view of lush fresh foliage. The historic main hall and three-storied pagoda blended beautifully with the greenery, making for a relaxing stroll in a serene atmosphere. ✨ Depending on how the sunlight filtered through, I was able to enjoy a variety of landscapes, which was absolutely wonderful! Walking anywhere within the nature-filled grounds feels amazing, making it highly recommended for anyone looking to spend a quiet, peaceful time. 📸 It's a wonderful healing spot you should definitely visit when touring the Koto Sanzan or sightseeing around Shiga. 📍 Access 🚗 About a 10-minute drive from the Koto Sanzan Smart IC on the Meishin Expressway.

Shiga near Kyoto, JR one hour Koto Sanzan: P2-6 Saikyo-ji Temple P7-12 Kongorin-ji Temple P1, 13-18 Hyakusaiji Temple Just entered the best time. Saikyo-ji Temple is amazing, red leaves + two national treasure buildings + moss, so beautifully comprehensive, high energy throughout. Kongorin-ji Temple and Hyakusaiji Temple still have many maple leaves not yet red, but already beautiful enough. Few people, mostly Japanese elderly, almost no Westerners seen. 🚌 For public transportation, see the 2025 Koto Sanzan Autumn Leaves Bus Guide, very detailed, no need to repeat here. Note it is limited period only. ⚠️ Tips 1️⃣ You can stay in Hikone the night before for convenience to catch the earliest bus the next day. 2️⃣ There are four buses each way daily, one hour apart. The most relaxed sightseeing schedule is: · Take the first bus going to get off at Saikyo-ji Temple, after touring · Take the third bus going directly to the last stop Hyakusaiji Temple, after touring · Take the second bus returning to get off at Kongorin-ji Temple, after touring · Take the fourth bus returning to Hikone This way, each temple has two hours to explore. 3️⃣ If time is tight, it’s recommended to spend enough time at Saikyo-ji Temple and Hyakusaiji Temple, and one hour hurriedly at Kongorin-ji Temple is barely okay. 4️⃣ Near Hikone Station, “Hikone Sakaba Hansan” and “Horumo Yakiniku Ikkyutei Moto Hikone Ekimae” are excellent, just solved the first night’s late-night snack and the dinner before returning to Kyoto the next day! Their Omi beef sushi is so delicious it made me cry. 📢 During this period, I will try to update every morning with the scenery of the places visited the day before, for reference for fellow “autumn leaf hunters”~