Sakamoto, which prospered as a temple town of “Hieizan Enryakuji“, has about 50 “Satobou”. “Satobo” is a dormitory given to an old monk who has completed his training on the mountain. Each of the Satobo has a splendid garden with natural stones and magnificent scenery for a background, and Satsuki, autumn leaves, and moss are showing beautiful shades. This area was selected as a national important traditional buildings preservation area in 1997.

In addition, Sakamoto is the birthplace of a masonry group called Anoushu, who made the stone walls of the castles. The stone wall of Satobo is a solid one made by skillfully stacking natural stones, and has a calm atmosphere in harmony with the white-walled fence.

In Shimosakamoto on the lakeside, there used to be a Sakamoto Castle, the home of Akechi Mitsuhide. The missionary Frois introduced it as the second most breathtaking castle in Japan after Azuchi Castle during the Sengoku period, and its castle town prospered as well.

However, Hidemasa Hori, a vassal of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, set fire to the castle and killed Hidemitsu. Other than the stone monument of the castle, the remnants of the castle are only the place name and the townscape.