Article summary
・ A temple is floating on Lake Biwa
・ Matsuo Basho also visited and wrote haiku.
・ A little far from the nearest station
What is Ukimido?
Ukimido is a temple that floats on Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture.
The scenery on a sunny day is beautiful, and there are not many customers, so you can spend your time quietly.
However, since the scale is small, it is a little weak to bother to make it a destination.
However, I would like to introduce Ukimido, which is a waste to pass by even though it is near.
History of Ukimido
Ukimido was built by a monk named Genshin during the Heian period.
In Jodo Shinshu, he is one of the seven high priests, and is said to have become a model for Yokawa no Sozu, who appears in the story of Genji.
The current building will be rebuilt in 1937.
Highlights of Ukimido
Then you will enter Ukimido, but it will take less than 5 minutes to walk around.
Think of it as a temple that floats almost in the sea.
As soon as you pay the entrance fee and proceed, you will see the hall.
There is a pine tree in a great position, but I will cross without worrying about it.
The root of the pine tree has also destroyed the concrete, and it is supposed to be amazing.
The age of the tree seems to be about 400 years.
You can go up to the hall, so take off your shoes and change to slippers.
The temple is designed so that you can go around it all around.
If you look toward Lake Biwa, you will see a magnificent view.
Since the opposite bank is continuous with land, you can see it as a lake, but it feels like you are normally on the sea.
It seems that my feet have been repaired several times.
I was surprised that there were more wooden parts than I expected.
A mysterious stick stands nearby, but it is a monument to a poet named Kyoshi Takahama.
He is the person who made the haiku magazine "Hototogisu" a breakthrough in the national district.
I didn't know that there was a haiku magazine, but it seems that it continues even today and the 2021 issue was published in 125 in the 1500th year of its first publication.
Required Time
It wasn't that big, so it took about 20 minutes to take a picture.
There was only one other group of customers on Saturday morning when I visited, so I think it will be less crowded.
Business hours and admission fee
| Opening hours | 8:00 - 17:00 | |
| Closing days | Year-end and New Year holidays (usually 12/31 to 1/1) | |
| Admission fee | 300 Yen | |
| Official website | None | |
Business hours are from 8:00.
I don't know the exact holidays because there is no official homepage, but it seems to be vacant except for the year-end and New Year holidays.
Access
| Address | 520-0242-1 Honkatata, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture 16-18 | |
| Phone | 077-572-0455 | |
| Electric train | About 20 minutes on foot from Katata Station | |
| Number of parking spaces | About 30 units | |
| Parking Fee | Free | |
It's far from the station, so basically I usually go by car.
The parking lot is a little far away, with 6 to 7 cars in the immediate vicinity.
Only on weekends and holidays, the bus seems to leave Katata Station.
Bus time zoneEwaka Transportation HomepageLet's check the route "Katata Town Circulation (Hamaotsu Line)".
Map
Finally
Ukimido is
Be sure to visit when you drive around Lake Biwa.