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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Kōka
甲賀市
Spend a day: morning ninja village, midday Shigaraki pottery, afternoon Miho Museum; add a night if you want onsen relaxation.
Kōka is a small city in Shiga known for ninja heritage, Shigaraki-yaki ceramics and the Miho Museum. A single day covers the main attractions; an extra night lets you enjoy local onsen inns.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 甲賀市
- Best months
- Apr–May (cherry blossom), Oct–Nov (autumn foliage)
- Avoid
- Jun–Jul (rainy season)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥6,000–9,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥9,000–15,000 excl. bed · High ¥15,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | ¥400–¥600 |
| Shigaraki pottery (small cup) | ¥300–¥1,200 |
| Local tea (bottled) | ¥200–¥400 |
| Bus ride within Kōka | ¥200–¥300 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- KIX · Kansai International Airport
- JR limited express to Osaka, then about 1 h to Kibukawa via Shinkansen and local trains
Typical fares
- Kyoto → Kibukawa (JR)
- about ¥1,200, 45 min (check)
- Ninja Village shuttle (free from station)
- no charge, 10 min
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
JR Kusatsu Line (Kibukawa hub), Omi Railway (4 stops), Shigaraki Kogen Railway (5 stops) and city buses from Kibukawa. Walk or bike in town centres.
See and do
Known for
- Kōga ninja clan history
- Shigaraki-yaki ceramics
- Miho Museum
- Tōkaidō Road sites
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Iga | JR Kusatsu Line to Iga-Ueno (≈45 min), then local bus | ≈1 h 15 min |
| Minakuchi Castle | Omi Railway to Minakuchi Jonan (≈10 min walk) | ≈30 min from Kibukawa |
Sleep
- Diamond Shiga
- Large hotel in Tsuchiyama with hot spring and golf
- Hotel Lake Villa
- Ryokan style in Shigaraki with indoor baths
- Kamoshika Villa
- Inexpensive municipal lodging with rotenburo
- Shiono Onsen
- Traditional Japanese ryokan in Konan with special rotenburo
- Miyano Onsen
- Traditional Japanese ryokan in Konan with special rotenburo
- Ogawatei
- Japanese style ryokan in Shigaraki with special rotenburo
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Where is the ninja village? | 忍術村はどこですか？ninjutsu mura wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- Limited English signage; basic Japanese helps.
- Ninja Village closed Mondays and Dec 27–Jan 1; check schedule.
- Miho Museum closed Mondays and mid‑Dec to mid‑Mar; verify calendar.
Kōka is low‑risk; main concerns are language barriers and seasonal closures of attractions.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kōka yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Kōga ninja clan history
- Shigaraki-yaki ceramics
- Miho Museum
- Tōkaidō Road sites
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Kōka tourist association (Japanese): koka-kanko.org/
- Wikivoyage: Koka, revision 4982579 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4982579
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/koka). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.