photogenic
Shirahige Shrine
A vermilion torii standing in the shallows of Lake Biwa, some 40 metres offshore from the shrine buildings. The gate is best photographed at sunrise; the shore is reached from Route 161.
21 km · about 25 min drive
AsiaJapanShiga
Echigawa
Shiga, Japan · Asia
About Echigawa
Echigawa is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Toyosato, 40km from Philosopher's Path.
Echigawa is in Shiga, Japan, with about 21,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Toyosato, about 5 km away.
Echigawa-juku (愛知川宿) was the sixty-fifth of the sixty-nine stations of the Nakasendō highway connecting Edo with Kyoto in Edo period Japan. It was located in the present-day town of Aishō, Echi District, Shiga Prefecture, Japan, on the east side of the Echi River.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Echigawa?
Within an hour or so of Echigawa: Shirahige Shrine (21 km), Philosopher's Path (40 km), Kiyomizu-dera (42 km), Gion District (43 km).
Are there any good drives near Echigawa?
The nearest famous roads are Philosopher's Path.
Where is Echigawa?
Echigawa is in Shiga, Japan, about 5 km from Toyosato.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 20,893
- Continent
- Asia
- Country
- Japan
- Region
- Shiga
- Timezone
- Asia/Tokyo
- Coordinates
- 35.1667, 136.2000
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Japan
Japan Helpline (24h English assistance): 0570-000-911. An International Driving Permit (1949 convention) is required to drive.
Full driving guide for JapanTags
Worth the detour from Echigawa
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
famous road
Philosopher's Path
A peaceful stone-paved canal path lined with hundreds of cherry trees, connecting major temples in Kyoto's eastern hills.
40 km · about 45 min drive
landmark
Kiyomizu-dera
A historic Buddhist temple perched on a hillside with a massive wooden stage offering sweeping views over Kyoto.
42 km · about 50 min drive
landmark
Gion District
Kyoto's most famous geisha district with preserved wooden machiya townhouses, traditional teahouses, and cobblestone streets.
43 km · about 50 min drive
cafe
Inoda Coffee Honten
A Kyoto kissaten founded in 1940, serving its Arabian Pearl blend pre-mixed with sugar and milk by default. The wood-panelled original room off Sakaimachi street is a working institution, not a revival.
43 km · about 50 min drive
cafe
Kissa Soirée
A 1948 Kyoto tearoom lit entirely in blue, its walls hung with paintings by Seiho Takehisa. Famous for jelly punch, a glass of coloured gelatin cubes that glows under the blue light.
43 km · about 50 min drive
castle
Nijō Castle
A flatland castle in Kyoto built by the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, famous for its nightingale floors and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
44 km · about 50 min drive
cathedral
Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
A Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf.
45 km · about 50 min drive
Driving roads near Echigawa
- 40 kmPhilosopher's PathA peaceful stone-paved canal path lined with hundreds of cherry trees, connecting major temples in Kyoto's eastern hills.
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