Samegai Trout Farm was established in 1878 for breeding Biwamasu(Biwa salmon), which is endemic to Lake Biwa. This breeding project is Japan's oldest trout farm that has operated continuously.
In our ponds with plentiful clear spring water from the foot of Mount Ryozen, there are small to large swarming Biwamasu(Biwa salmon), Nijimasu(Rainbow trout), Amago(Amago trout), and Iwana(White-spotted charr).
Apart from that, the nearly extinct fish “Ito(Sakhalin taimen)”, the ancient fish “Chouzame(Sturgeon)”, and the symbol of fresh stream “Hariyo(Three-spined Sticleback)” are cultured and displayed.
On the farm:
【ENJOY】
You can experience fishing (Bait/Lure fishing), fish-scooping and feeding! There are also fishing contests!
【LEARN】
You can observe fish swimming in front of you at the display area! You may also be able to watch egg-collection depending on the season.
【FOOD】
You can eat salt-grilled fish you caught by bait-fishing! There are restaurants where you can eat Biwamasu(Biwa salmon) on the farm as well as nearby.
Biwamasu(Biwa salmon) are Salmonidae fish endemic to Lake Biwa. The size becomes 60 to 70 cm. They grow up in Lake Biwa for 3 to 5 years, lay eggs in October to November in a river where they were born and finish their life.
The hatched fry grow up in a river until May to June, but most of them go down to Lake Biwa by flooding of the rainy season and further grow up there.
In this way, Biwamasu have been in harmony with Lake Biwa and the abundant nature. Our trout farm cultivates hatched fry of Biwamasu to be released to Lake Biwa and the improved Biwamasu (BIWA SALMON) for culture so they taste always at their best.
You can enjoy Nijimasu(Rainbow trout) fishing.
Even beginners and children can easily enjoy fishing.
Also, you can take home and/or eat salt-grilled fish that you catch at the trout farm.
The Lure-fishing area is the historic big pond of the trout farm with spring water that flows from Mt. Ryozen!
The temperature of the water in the farm is 12℃, which is most suitable for trout throughout the year, so you can enjoy fishing all year round.
This is the best lure-fishing spot, especially for fishing in summer, with a water temperature of 12℃, which is very rare in the Kansai and Tokai areas.
Children can touch the fish directly. This is a very popular spot for children.
The water temperature is 12 degrees Celsius throughout the year, which feels warm in Spring and Autumn, and cold in Summer.
Please don't forget to bring a change of clothes for your child!
Since the water is shallow (below adult's knee), small children can also enjoy.
You can enjoy feeding while taking a walk in the farm. Children and adults are impressed by the trout's energy. Besides the usual feeding, the dynamic and exciting “bucket-feeding” is available!
Several hundreds of fish swarming around the food is a spectacular experience! We absolutely recommend trying this when you visit our trout farm.
Fish scooping using a spoon net which infants and primary school children can enjoy. The fish can be grilled with salt and eaten on the spot.
Fry-trout scooping, which is very rare in anywhere in Japan. They move very fast and are fun to watch. You use a spoon net, so you're sure to catch some.
Children will be very satisfied. Of course grown-ups can try this as well.
Even children who don’t usually like fish seem to enjoy eating the fish they catch themselves.
You can catch trout easily, even if you are a beginner. A river is chartered exclusively. You can salt-grill and eat the fish you caught.
There is bait-fishing area and a lure-fishing area at the Samegai Trout Farm.
The lure-fishing is authentic sport-fishing, and at the bait-fishing area, children as well as small children can easily enjoy fishing!
⚫Weekdays, Sat, Sun and Holidays (common)
9:30-16:00 (March-November)
9:30-15:00 (December-February)
⚫Weekdays
9:30-17:00 (March-June, October-November)
9:30-17:30 (July-September)
9:30-16:00 (December-February)
⚫Sat, Sun and Holidays
8:30-17:00 (March-June, October-November)
8:30-17:30 (July-September)
8:30-16:00 (December-February)
■Fishing style
You can enjoy Nijimasu(Rainbow trout) fishing. Even beginners and children can easily enjoy fishing.
This area is for primary school children and younger children.
*Note
You are required to buy all the fish you catch and take home.
Please enjoy eating your fish at home by grilling with salt or frying them.
For the charges, please see the following.
Fureai Kasen fishing area (We offer a chartered fishing area)
[Trout fishing by groups]
(1) A group of 10 people or more; reservations necessary
(2) You can fish as much as you can within the time limit with a complete catch & release system.
(3) The charge is 15,000 yen for a group of 10 people, with rods and bait are included; for a group of 11 people or more, an additional 750 yen per person.
(4) Fishing time ? 45 minutes (the same amount as the first charge is required for an extension)
(5) You can eat one free salt-grilled fish per person. (Please follow the staff's instruction.)
■Fishing style
You can enjoy lure-fishing for Nijimasu(Rainbow trout).
Lure-fishing with a complete catch & release system (Fly-fishing is entirely banned.)
■Released fish species
Nijimasu(Rainbow trout)
(Carp are also released for the environmental maintenance of the pond.)
■Capacity
About 60 persons
*Please understand that we may decline admission to the fishing area when it reaches the capacity.
■Information and rules on lure-fishing (Please read carefully beforehand)
[About fishing equipment rentals]
- Fishing equipment rentals are not available.
[The rules of lure-fishing]
(1) A list of requests
- Please refrain from entering the farm if you don't have a ticket.
- Please wear a hat, sunglasses, etc., for safety when fishing. Please make sure your child wears a life jacket.
- We may ask you to leave if you don’t obey the staff's advice on behaviors such as nuisances to other people, or fishing in a way that deviates from common sense.
(2) About releasing fish
- Release the fish gently using the release-net.
- Please try not to touch the fish when you release.
- Release the fish without bringing it on the pier, but unhook it using radio pliers or forceps.
- Do not release the fish when it has swallowed the hook or the hook is stuck in the body.
(3) prohibited actions (Please cooperate to keep a good environment for fishing.)
- Fishing outside the designated area is prohibited.
- Bait-fishing or sprinkling the bait is prohibited. (Use the bait-fishing area.)
- The use of creels, basket nets or stringers is prohibited.
- The use of plastic worms, rubber jigs, floats, sticks made of paste, bio-worms, power-bait, etc., is prohibited.
- Use only single & barbless hooks. Triple hooks are strictly prohibited.
- The use of lures that are less than 18 mm or made of fly materials is prohibited.
- The use of front hooks is prohibited.
- The use of metal vibration or something similar is prohibited.
- The use of fishing rods that are 2.2 m or longer is prohibited.
The items listed above may change without notice.
Held during summer break as “See, Touch and Learn”, a hands-on learning, in order to help gain understanding and becoming familiar with fish in abundant nature.
Recommended for having a fun summer break, or for a homework theme.
・Egg candling
Screening eyed eggs and dead eggs of trout. You can observe it through glass.
・Egg collection (1 or 2 times/week)
You can observe the Nijimasu(Rainbow trout)'s egg collection and fertilization process through the glass.
Summer : Late June - Late July
Autumn : October - December
You can watch videos (about 15 minutes) explaining the role and works of Samegai Trout Farm at the learning center in the main building.
*Prior reservation is necessary.
You can learn a lot about Biwamasu(Biwa salmon), Nijimasu(Rainbow trout), Iwana(White-spotted charr), and gain bits of other knowledge.
Please come watch as a family (not only children, but parents as well!) or a group (children's associations, hands-on learning, groups of seniors, etc.).
At the migration tank, you can watch Biwamasu(Biwa salmon) and Chouzame(Sturgeon) closely.
At the video corner, the work at the trout farm and the ecology of fish are televised regularly.
For the use of a group, it can be watched at the big screen at the learning center in the main building.
You can eat the fish you catch by grilling with salt at the trout farm. One of the best parts of the Samegai Trout Park is that you can eat the fresh trout you just caught. Freshly-caught fish is delicious!
Appreciating the delicacy of Biwamasu(Biwa salmon), Nijimasu(Rainbow trout) and Iwana(White-spotted charr) which grew up in a clear stream.
At the restaurants around the Samegai Trout Farm, you can eat BIWA SALMON, endemic to Lake Biwa, throughout the year. It is definitely farm-fresh!
Taking your time in the quiet nature to eat Biwamasu Kaiseki cuisine, brought in a traditional course, is an exquisite experience.
Please see the “Restaurants and Shops Information Page
” on the Samegai Trout Farm website, for information on restaurants which serve delicious dish.
Address/Contact
⚫Shiga Prefecture Samegai Trout Farm
Kaminyu, Maibara-shi, Shiga 521-0033, Japan
⚫Administration office・Sightseeing Information
tel 0749-54-0301 (weekdays) fax 0749-54-0302
Parking [Private]
Large-size bus 1,500 yen (20 spaces)
Minibus 1,000 yen (30 spaces)
Regular car 400 yen (200 spaces)
Hours
March-June, October-November 8:30 - 17:00
Summer : July-September 8:30 - 18:00
Winter : December-February 8:30 - 16:00
Admission [General]
Adult 500 yen
High School/University student 300 yen
Elementary/Junior High School student Free
Those 65 years of age or older residing in Shiga Prefecture are free of charge.
Persons with a disability are free of charge.
*Please present the proof of identification.
General admission : Groups of 30 people to 299 people receive a 20% discount
General admission : Groups of 300 people and more receive a 30% discount
Closed
Year-end and New Year holidays (December 28 - January 4)
*We may close temporarily due to weather conditions.
(in cases when a warning is announced)
Admission (groups)
⚫Schools in Shiga Prefecture
For school events of Primary, Jr. High and High schools lead by teachers; both students and teachers are free of charge.
⚫Primary and Jr. High schools outside of Shiga Prefecture
For school events lead by teachers; students are free of charge; teachers are charged.
⚫High schools outside of Shiga Prefecture
For school events of Primary, Jr. High and High schools lead by teachers; both students and teachers are charged.
For groups of 30 people and more; 30% discount from the total admission.
Please contact us for the details for school groups. We will answer your questions.
You can bring your pet with you.
However, please make sure your pet behaves appropriately.
We'd like to show you how wonderful the water and the life are. The fish welcome you.
The Samegai Trout Farm, established in 1878, is one of the most historical trout cultivation facilities in Japan.
The environment surrounding the Samegai Trout Farm is a deep mountain valley, superior in natural scenery. Iwana(White-spotted charr), Amago(Amago trout), Nijimasu(Rainbow trout) and Biwamasu(Biwa salmon) are raised using the fresh spring water from the limestone cave at the foot of Mt. Ryozen (1,094 meters), and called “the home of Japanese mountain stream fish”.
Please see the following brochure (PDF) for the area inside the Samegai Trout Farm.
FAQs - Please check here first -
About Biwamasu(Biwa salmon)
About restaurants
About transportation
How to get to Samegai
⚫By Shinkansen (to Maibara Station)
About 40 minutes from Shin-Osaka Station
⚫By train
About 4 minutes from Maibara Station to Samegai Station (1 stop)
⚫By car
About 10 minutes from Hokuriku Expressway Maibara IC
About 20 minutes from Meishin Expressway Sekigahara IC
Please use the following transportation from Samegai Station to the Samegai Trout Farm.
⚫Taxi
There are no taxis waiting at Samegai Station, so we recommend you to arrange it with the taxi company beforehand.
⚫On foot
It takes about one hour on foot from Samegai Station. It is a great walk along the river.
⚫Other
There is no shuttle bus.
