Hikone Castle is a hilltop style Japanese Castle located in Hikone Shiga Prefecture near Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan. Hikone Castle is one of the oldest intact Japanese castles and is classified as an Important National Cultural Asset. Construction of Hikone Castle was ordered of Shogun Ii Naokatsu in 1603 and was completed in 1622. The three-story Tenshu (main keep) was built in 1575 as a part of Otsu Castle and moved to Hikone Castle when it was built. Other parts of the castle were moved from Nagahama Castle.
