Ryuo-cho, Shiga

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Ryuo, Shiga (竜王町; Ryuo-chō)
Namura Shrine. Namura Shrine Nishi Honden Hall. More Ryuo photos here.
Map of Shiga with Ryuo highlighted
Google Map of Ryuo here.
Location Shiga Prefecture, Kinki region, Honshu island, JAPAN  
Population 11,600 (?? foreigners) (2022-10-31)
Area 44.52 km²
Town Centers  
Major Sights Namura Shrine 
Major Gateways Omi-Hachiman Station 
Train Stations None 
Claim to Fame Namura Shrine (National Treasure), Mitsui Outlet Park
Products Wooden buckets, Omi beef
Neighbors Higashi-Omi, Omi-Hachiman, Koka, Yasu, Konan 
Old Name(s)
Keywords dragon
Historical Persons
Links Ryuo Articles | Ryuo Photos
Ryuo Tourist Information
Location Ryuo Town Hall
Phone (0748) 58-3715 
Tourist Links Tourist Assn.  
Int'l Association None  
Volunteer Guides Webpage  
Ryuo Town Hall 竜王町役場
Address 3 Oguchi, Ryuo-cho, Gamo-gun, Shiga JAPAN 〒520-2592滋賀県蒲生郡竜王町大字小口3番地
Phone/Fax (0748) 58-3701 
Official Site Japanese | English  
Symbols Flower:  Rhododendron
Tree:  Japanese pine (matsu)
Bird: 
Others:  Dragon
Logo:  [[Image:|50px|]]
Sister Towns Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

This page is 75% complete. Last updated: Nov. 11, 2022

by Philbert Ono

Dragon King's Town

Ryuo (also Ryuoh or Ryuou) (竜王町; Ryūō-chō) is a town in eastern Shiga Prefecture, Japan.

Famous for:

  • Kenketo Odori, one of the furyu odori folk performing arts in Japan designated as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
  • Namura Shrine, National Treasure.
  • Mitsui Outlet Park, Shiga Ryuo, a large shopping mall.
  • Daihatsu Ryuo auto factory.

Although it looks very rural with rice paddies, farming accounts for only a small percentage of the town's economy. The Daihatsu car factory and other heavy industries and service industries make up the lion's share. Sooner or later, you will see large factories amid the farm land.

Ryuo has been taking the tourist spotlight since Mitsui Outlet Park, Shiga Ryuo opened in July 2010. The mall's 165 shops have been attracting large numbers of shoppers.

Ryuo is one of Shiga's few small towns which has resisted merging with a neighboring municipality. Its large Daihatsu car factory and Mitsui Outlet Park afford a good revenue stream to sustain the town.

Operating since 1974, the Daihatsu Shiga-Ryuo car factory is one of Shiga's largest factories, employing over 5,000 and producing 1,000 cars a day. It produces the Daihatsu Tanto, Rocky, and Move Canbus cars (as of 2021). The factory is largely automated with 245 robots assembling the cars starting with a large roll of sheet steel pressed into shape. The sprawling factory (2 million sq. meters) also has a full-scale test track.

Although Ryuo is a separate municipality, for practical purposes it seems more like a suburb of Omi-Hachiman. From Ryuo, you can see Mt. Hachimanyama in central Omi-Hachiman. Ryuo means "dragon king."

Sights

Namura Shrine Sekku thumb_yu229-20100501_9829.jpg
Namura Shrine Sekku Matsuri Mitsui Outlet Mall
thumb_rk167-20090503_6841.jpg thumb_ry102-20090503_6586.jpg thumb_yu229-20100501_9829.jpg
Kenketo Matsuri Agri-Park Ryuo Yuge Fire Festival

  • Namura Shrine 苗村神社 - Facing a busy road in the center of Ryuo-cho, Namura Jinja Shrine is noted for its elegant-looking, thatched-roof main gate and Nishi Honden hall which is a National Treasure. The shrine's architecture is from the Kamakura Period. Map
  • Mt. Kagamiyama - Noted for hiking trails and old kilns. Map
  • Mt. Yukinoyama 雪野山 - On the east side of Ryuo, this ancient mountain is home to over 200 tumuli built during the 5th to 7th centuries. It also has a few hiking trails. It takes about 90-120 min. to go up and down the mountain. There are some fine views from the trails. At the foot is Ryuoji Temple (龍王寺) and Tenjin Shrine. Map
  • Mitsui Outlet Park, Shiga Ryuo - Opened on July 8, 2010, the mall is near the Ryuo Interchange on the Meishin Expressway, making it readily accessible by car for shoppers coming from Kyoto, Nara, Mie, and Gifu. It also targets Chinese tourists traveling from the Kansai area to Mt. Fuji and further. Merchants do accept Chinese credit/debit cards. It is the first outlet mall in the Kyoto-Shiga area. The two-level mall has 165 stores, 145 of which are outlet shops. Most are clothing shops and some are first-time outlet shops. There are many big names including Burberry, Gap Outlet, Barney’s New York Outlet, Armani, Paul Smith, Coach, Beams, Ralph Lauren, Nike, Bebe, Edwin, Vans, Levi’s, Puma, and Adidas. The shops open from 10 am to 8 pm. Buses run from Omi-Hachiman and Yasu Stations. Map
  • Agri-Park Ryuo - A local farmer's market where they sell local produce. There's also a pond with swan boats, farm museum, and petting zoo. Great for the kids. Map

Event Calendar

  • April 20 - Namura Matsuri Festival 苗村祭 - A Shinto ceremony and procession of horses and portable shrines starting at 4 pm at Namura Shrine. Map
  • May 1 - Yuge Fire Festival 弓削の火祭り (Yuge no Hi Matsuri) is held by a small shrine called Kobiyoshi Jinja on the evening of May 1. After small torches, tossing flares, lots of firecrackers, and fireworks, two giant torches made of straw are set afire as well as other fireworks on the ground. From Omi-Hachiman Station No. 4 bus stop, board the bus for Okaya Minami and get off at Nishikawa Higashi-guchi bus stop. The ride is about 13 min. From the bus stop, the shrine is a 10-min. walk. You can also take a taxi from Omi-Hachiman Station. Taxi would be required on the way back to Omi-Hachiman since the buses will not be running after the festival is over. Map
  • May 3 - Kenketo Matsuri ケンケト祭り is held annually by a few Shinto shrines in Ryuo and neighboring Higashi-Omi. The festival is mainly a naginata (pole sword) dance and procession by boys dressed in costume. The main venue is Suginoki Shrine in Yamanoue, Ryuo. One of the furyu odori folk performing arts in Japan designated as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2022. A short walk from Yamanoue 山之上 bus stop from JR Omi-Hachiman Station. Map
  • May 5 - Sekku Matsuri Festival 節句まつり - Held annually on Children's Day on May 5 at Namura Shrine. The highlight is the yabusame horseback archery along a path in front of the Romon Gate. The festival prays for the healthy growth of children. Map

Travel Tips

Getting There

By Train

Although Ryuo has no train station, buses from Omi-Hachiman Station run to Ryuo often enough, especially if you want to go to the outlet mall.

Train Lines & Stations

  • None

Travel Time

By Bus

  • From Omi-Hachiman Station: 20 min. At JR Omi-Hachiman Station, go to the North exit bus stop. 近江八幡駅 北口バスターミナル. Catch a bus at stop 4 going to Okaya Minami 岡屋南. Or catch the bus going to Ryuo Daihatsu-mae.

Nearest Airports

Getting Around

By train

No trains in Ryuo.

By bus

Buses from Omi-Hachiman Station run within Ryuo. If the bus schedule does not match your schedule, take a taxi.

By bicycle

No rental bicycles in Ryuo.

Maps

Google Map placemarks have English text. Click on upper right icon to enlarge.

Photos

yu237-20100501_9858.jpg ry101-20090503_6588.jpg
Yuge Fire Festival Dragon at Agri-Park

More photos at Ryuo Photos. More Shiga photos here.

Videos

Click on the video image to start playing the video.

More Shiga videos here.

History

  • 2010 - Mitsui Outlet Park, Shiga Ryuo opens in July.

Additional Reading

Miscellaneous

Trivia

Famous People

Lastname firstname (1800-1900)
Description

Side Trips

Other sights in neighboring cities/towns within easy reach from Ryuo.

  • Omi-Hachiman

Related Articles

External Links

Municipalities of Shiga Prefecture 滋賀県
Cities & Towns: Aisho-cho | Higashi-Omi | Hikone | Hino-cho | Koka | Konan | Kora-cho | Kusatsu | Maibara | Moriyama | Nagahama | Omi-Hachiman | Otsu | Ritto | Ryuo-cho | Taga-cho | Takashima | Toyosato-cho | Yasu
愛荘町 | 東近江市 | 彦根市 | 日野町 | 甲賀市 | 湖南市 | 甲良町 | 草津市 | 米原市 | 守山市 | 長浜市 | 近江八幡市 | 大津市 | 栗東市 | 竜王町 | 多賀町 | 高島市 | 豊郷町 | 野洲市
Prefectures of Japan
Aichi | Akita | Aomori | Chiba | Ehime | Fukui | Fukuoka | Fukushima | Gifu | Gunma | Hiroshima | Hokkaido | Hyogo | Ibaraki | Ishikawa | Iwate | Kagawa | Kagoshima | Kanagawa | Kochi | Kumamoto | Kyoto | Mie | Miyagi | Miyazaki | Nagano | Nagasaki | Nara | Niigata | Oita | Okayama | Okinawa | Osaka | Saga | Saitama | Shiga | Shimane | Shizuoka | Tochigi | Tokushima | Tokyo | Tottori | Toyama | Wakayama | Yamagata | Yamaguchi | Yamanashi