[🍩 Outing Log] La Collina Omihachiman: A recommended sightseeing spot in Shiga where you can enjoy both sweets and architecture!

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Taneya Club Harie's flagship store, "La Collina Omihachiman" (hereinafter, La Collina). I visited for the first time (August 2025). I will write my impressions and reviews (including thoughts on Hikone Castle, etc.).

▶︎ Conclusion

La Collina is a must-visit in Shiga, and it was also recommended for people who love art and architecture! This is mainly because 1) you can enjoy a one-of-a-kind world full of nature by Terunobu Fujimori, and 2) the food is delicious (though it is expensive). It was a space that truly made me think, "How on earth did they design this?" I think it can be enjoyed in any season, but please, try to go in summer when the lush green rice fields are beautiful😀

▶︎ Reason for visiting

Osaka ExpoBefore going to the, I thought, "Since I'm going, I might as well get off along the way and do some sightseeing." So I chose Shiga Prefecture, which is relatively close to Osaka.

▼ Impressions of the Osaka Expo

For people in the Kansai region, "La Collina" is a familiar outing spot. It's the kind of place where Kansai university students might say, "Let's go to La Collina in so-and-so's car next time!" In fact, there were many groups of university students there.

I had also wanted to go someday, so I'm glad I could go at this time. Besides that, I was also satisfied that I could visit art museums in Shiga Prefecture.

▼ Impressions of the Shiga Prefectural Museum of Art

▶︎ Access

To get to La Collina, it takes about 10 minutes by bus from Omihachiman Station. At the North Exit Bus Stop 6, take the Ohmi Railway Bus bound for "Chomeiji / Kyukamura via Chomeiji" and get off at "Kitanosho La Collina-mae."

▶︎ What is La Collina Omihachiman?

La Collina is the facility with the highest number of visiting tourists in Shiga Prefecture. It even surpassed Hikone Castle to take 1st place!

The history behind the creation of La Collina and its current initiatives are shared in detail in the "La Collina Journal".

✔️ The relationship between "Taneya" and "Club Harie"

La Collina is primarily operated by two companies.

Taneya Co., Ltd. = Founded in 1972. During the Edo period, it was a "Taneya (Seed Shop)" that traded in seeds for grains and root vegetables. Later, in the Meiji era, it switched to a "Japanese confectionery shop" that manufactured and sold chestnut manju and monaka. Its current signature products are monaka and dorayaki.

Club Harie Co., Ltd. = In 1951, "Taneya" began manufacturing and selling Western-style confectionery. It was incorporated in 1955. Everyone's favorite, "Baumkuchen", is its signature product. I always get the impression that there is a line at the Daimaru Tokyo store.

✔️ La Collina = Hill

La Collina means "hill" in Italian.

Originally, Tokuji Yamamoto (Group Honorary Chairman, passed away in 2025) had a vision for a theme park called "House of Sweets", while simultaneously aiming to restore the original landscape of Omihachiman.

While traveling domestically and abroad to hear opinions on this, he met the Italian architect and designer, Michele De Lucchi. When they visited this place together, they named it "La Collina" after looking out from the small hill.

The site area is approximately 37,000 tsubo, which is about 2.5 times the size of the Tokyo Dome.

✔️ A must-see for architecture and art lovers!

The defining feature of La Collina is its architecture! The building with a roof covered entirely in grass was designed by Terunobu Fujimori. To see this impressive building, people interested in architecture and art are visiting one after another (received the Japan Art Academy Prize in 2020).

Among Terunobu Fujimori's designs, a famous one is the Jinchokan Moriya Historical Museum (Nagano Prefecture). I have also seen many people's impressions of it on note.

In addition, among Terunobu Fujimori's architecture, the Tajimi Mosaic Tile Museum is famous. In 2017, it seems that the "Terunobu Fujimori Exhibition" was held at the Art Tower Mito Contemporary Art Gallery and the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art.

La Collina was also mentioned in the architecture that influenced Sou Fujimoto exhibit at the Mori Art Museum. The temporary shrine at Dazaifu Tenmangu designed by Sou Fujimoto also shares a similar atmosphere to La Collina.

▼ My thoughts on visiting the Sou Fujimoto exhibition

✔️ Overall Map

There are about 10 cafes and shops scattered throughout the facility. I thought it was just a Baumkuchen company, but they have a wide range of offerings.

✔️ Grass Roof

A distinctive feature of La Collina is the slope leading to the entrance. Visitors must walk through a field from the bus stop or parking lot. Walking through this area is a mechanism to gradually draw you into the world of La Collina. It felt just like moving from the real world into another world, as in 'Spirited Away'.

✔️ Rice Field

Once you pass the grass roof, there it was...

A rice field was spread out before me. Nature itself is 'Instagrammable'! Cafes, shops, factories, and offices are arranged around it.

The greenery all around, the shapes of the plants, the colors, the scents, the sound of flowing water, the breeze passing through, the sound of insects. It was a calming space where you could take a deep breath and want to spend a long time. I felt that an affinity for nature is hardwired into human DNA.

✔️ Seven Stones

In the middle of the rice fields, there are seven large stones. They are placed as if heading toward Mt. Hachiman, which has been worshipped alongside Himure Hachimangu Shrine.

Every stone has a name (reference). Supervised by Terunobu Fujimori and landscape designer Kunihiko Shigeno. The planted pine trees and such were chosen by Terunobu Fujimori.

✔️ Earth Mound

The earth mound doesn't have a deep meaning; it seems to be a monument for taking photos. The attached door can be opened and closed.

✔️ Gift Shop, Food Court

If you proceed through the left corridor, there is a gift shop and a food court. Because the interior decoration is so elaborate, you can have a very enjoyable time.

A food court is attached next to the gift shop. You purchase the food you want from a ticket machine. After that, you go to the assigned area and exchange your ticket for food.

On the day I went, there was no line to buy tickets. When going to the cafes and restaurants inside La Collina, the morning is the best time to go.

✔️ Baum Factory

On the first floor of the Baum Factory, there is a shop offering freshly baked Baumkuchen and limited-edition products, and on the second floor, there is a Baumkuchen specialty store.

I visited during the Osaka Expo, but inside the park,there were few foreigners there. As expected, this place still seems to be a hidden gem.

After eating Baumkuchen at the cafe and shopping at the store, I left La Collina. Before I knew it,I had spent about 3 hours there.

▶︎ Summary

How was it?The reputation as Shiga Prefecture's No. 1 outing spot was real. It is amazing to create this worldview from a "Baumkuchen." I felt once againthe greatness of the design by Terunobu Fujimori. There is no admission fee, but the prices at the cafes and shops inside the facility are relatively high. Also, even during busy seasons,it is less crowded in the morning, so it is recommended.

▶︎ Bonus (Hikone Castle)

I also went to Hikone Castle, a classic travel destination.

Near Hikone Castle, there isKinki Park, which is full of playground equipment. If you are with children, you can boost their mood here.

However, the path to the castle keep we visited afterwards was steep, soit seemed quite tough for the kids. The kids' mood plummeted.

Hikone Castle wascompleted in 1622. It is a castle built by Ii Naomasa and Naotaka after the Battle of Sekigahara. The main attraction is the rare castle keep (the highest watchtower at the heart of the castle), where major structures such as the keep, turrets, and gatesstill exist as they were at the time.

In 1952, the castle keep was designated as a National Treasure, and in 2015, the Hikone Castle ruins were designated as a Special Historic Site. Besides Hikone Castle, there are four other castles in Japan with National Treasure-designated keeps: Himeji Castle (Hyogo Prefecture), Matsumoto Castle (Nagano Prefecture), Inuyama Castle (Aichi Prefecture), and Matsue Castle (Shimane Prefecture).

The castle keep was surprisingly small (I had an image like Osaka Castle). My overall impression of Hikone Castle was, "I'm glad I came because it's a National Treasure, but... well, it's a good memory, I suppose...".

Hikonyan is still very popular. Because it is hot in the summer, the time for his "walks" is shortened (details). Hikonyan was created in 2006 as the mascot character for the 2007 "400th Anniversary of the Founding of Hikone Castle." Hikonyan is known as the original yuru-chara (mascot character).

Actually, behind the scenes of the cute Hikonyan's success, there was a messy legal drama. In particular, the right to integrity of moral rights of authors became a point of contention. It is an example that makes you keenly realize that prior agreements with copyright holders are important.

▶︎ Bonus (XIV Biwako)

On the day, I stayed one night at XIV Biwako. There is a free bus that runs 6 times a day from Maibara Station. I was able to relax with a view of Lake Biwa♨️