Shiga Prefecture: Difference between revisions

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  Name        = Shiga |
  Name        = Shiga |
  JapaneseName = 滋賀県; ''Shiga-ken'' |
  JapaneseName = 滋賀県; ''Shiga-ken'' |
  Photo          = <HTML><a href="http://photoguide.jp/pix/index.php?cat=3" target="window"><img src="http://photoguide.jp/pix/albums/shiga/nagahama/shizugatake/sg123-8139-09.jpg" alt="Shirahige" width="320" align="middle"></a></HTML> |
  Photo          = <HTML><a href="https://photoguide.jp/pix/index.php?cat=3" target="window"><img src="https://photoguide.jp/pix/albums/shiga/biwako/others/bi205-19810501-008.jpg" alt="Shizugatake" width="320" align="middle"></a></HTML> |
  Photocaption = Lake Biwa from Mt. Shizugatake.|
  Photocaption = Lake Biwa from Mt. Shizugatake.|
  Map          = mapshiga.png |
  Map          = mapshiga.png |
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  Logo      = Shigalogo.png |
  Logo      = Shigalogo.png |
  Logocaption = Created in May 1957. Based on the katakana characters for "Shiga" and the circle in the middle symbolizing Lake Biwa. |
  Logocaption = Created in May 1957. Based on the katakana characters for "Shiga" and the circle in the middle symbolizing Lake Biwa. |
  pixLink      = http://photoguide.jp/pix/index.php?cat=3 |
  pixLink      = https://photoguide.jp/pix/index.php?cat=3 |
  Island      = [[Honshu]] |
  Island      = [[Honshu]] |
  Region      = [[Kinki]] |
  Region      = [[Kinki]] |
  Neighbors    = [[Fukui Prefecture]], [[Gifu Prefecture]], [[Mie Prefecture]], [[Kyoto Prefecture]] |
  Neighbors    = [[Fukui Prefecture]], [[Gifu Prefecture]], [[Mie Prefecture]], [[Kyoto Prefecture]] |
  Majorcities  = [[Otsu, Shiga|Otsu]] (capital), [[Hikone, Shiga|Hikone]], [[Nagahama, Shiga|Nagahama]], [[Higashiomi, Shiga|HigashiOmi]], [[Omihachiman, Shiga|Omi-Hachiman]], [[Koka, Shiga|Koka]], [[Maibara, Shiga|Maibara]] |
  Majorcities  = [[Otsu, Shiga|Otsu]] (capital), [[Hikone, Shiga|Hikone]], [[Nagahama, Shiga|Nagahama]], [[Higashi-Omi, Shiga|Higashi-Omi]], [[Omi-Hachiman, Shiga|Omi-Hachiman]], [[Koka, Shiga|Koka]], [[Maibara, Shiga|Maibara]] |
  Sights  = [[Lake Biwa]], Hikone Castle, Chikubushima, Mt. Hiei, Enryakuji Temple, Ukimido Floating Temple, Ishiyama and Miidera Temples, Koto Sanzan Temple Trio, Mt. Shizugatake, Lake Yogo, Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Nagahama Kurokabe Square, Yokaichi Giant Kite Museum/Festival |
  Sights  = [[Lake Biwa]], Hikone Castle, Chikubushima, Mt. Hiei, Enryakuji Temple, Ukimido Floating Temple, Ishiyama and Miidera Temples, Koto Sanzan Temple Trio, Mt. Shizugatake, Lake Yogo, Shigaraki |
  Gateways    = JR [[Maibara Station]], [[Otsu Station]], [[Kyoto Station]] and [[Yamashina Station]] (Kyoto Pref.) |
  Gateways    = JR [[Maibara Station]], [[Otsu Station]], [[Kyoto Station]] and [[Yamashina Station]] (Kyoto Pref.) |
  Trains    = JR [[Tokaido Main Line]], [[Tokaido Shinkansen]], [[Kosei Line]], [[Hokuriku Main Line]], [[Kusatsu Line]], [[Ohmi Railways]] |
  Trains    = JR [[Tokaido Main Line]], [[Tokaido Shinkansen]], [[Kosei Line]], [[Hokuriku Main Line]], [[Kusatsu Line]], [[Ohmi Railways]] |
  Time    = 2.5 hours from Tokyo to [[Maibara Station]] via Hikari shinkansen; 2.25 hours from Tokyo to Kyoto via Nozomi shinkansen, then 10 min. to Otsu via Tokaido Line; 10 min. from [[Kyoto Station]] to [[Otsu Station]] via JR; 25 min. from Sanjo-Keihan (Kyoto) to Keihan [[Hama-Otsu Station]] |
  Time    = 2.5 hours from Tokyo to [[Maibara Station]] via Hikari shinkansen; 2.25 hours from Tokyo to Kyoto via Nozomi shinkansen, then 10 min. to Otsu via Tokaido Line; 10 min. from [[Kyoto Station]] to [[Otsu Station]] via JR; 25 min. from Sanjo-Keihan (Kyoto) to Keihan [[Biwako Hama-Otsu Station]] |
  TotalArea    = 4,017.36 |
  TotalArea    = 4,017.36 |
  AreaRank    = 38<sup>th</sup> |
  AreaRank    = 38<sup>th</sup> |
  PCWater      = 14.0 |
  PCWater      = 14.0 |
  PopDate      = Oct. 1, 2015 |
  PopDate      = Feb. 1, 2022 |
  Population  = 1,413,184 |
  Population  = 1,407,891 (36,158 foreigners as of Dec. 31, 2022) |
  PopRank      = 31<sup>st</sup> |
  PopRank      = 31<sup>st</sup> |
  Density      = 332 |
  Density      = 332 |
  Sister      = Michigan, USA; Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Hunan, China. [http://www.clair.or.jp/cgi-bin/simai/e/03.cgi?p=25&n=Shiga%20Prefecture Sister cities here (CLAIR)] |
  Sister      = Michigan, USA; Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Hunan, China. [http://www.clair.or.jp/e/exchange/shimai/prefectures/detail/25 Sister cities here (CLAIR)] |
  Flower      = Rhododendron (''shakunage'') |
  Flower      = Rhododendron (''shakunage'') |
  Tree        = Japanese maple (''momiji'') |
  Tree        = Japanese maple (''momiji'') |
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  OtherSymbols        = Lake Biwa |
  OtherSymbols        = Lake Biwa |
  OldName      = Omi (Ohmi) 近江 |
  OldName      = Omi (Ohmi) 近江 |
  Products    =  funazushi, Omi-gyu (beef), Shigaraki pottery |
  Products    =  funazushi, Omi-gyu (beef), Shigaraki pottery, Lake Biwa pearls |
  Fame        =  Lake Biwa is Japan's largest lake |
  Fame        =  Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake |
  Keywords    = Biwako (Lake Biwa), Omi (Ohmi), Omi Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi), Hikone-jo, Omi shonin merchants, Heiwado |
  Keywords    = Biwako (Lake Biwa), Omi (Ohmi), Omi shonin merchants, Heiwado |
  Persons    = Emperor Tenji, Saicho, Lady Murasaki Shikibu, Oda Nobunaga, Azai Nagamasa, Ii Naosuke, [[Oguchi Taro]], William Merrell Vories |
  Persons    = Emperor Tenji, Saicho, Lady Murasaki Shikibu, Oda Nobunaga, Azai Nagamasa, Ii Naosuke, William Merrell Vories |
  Address      = 520-8577大津市京町4-1-1<br>4-1-1 Kyomachi, Otsu-shi, Shiga-ken 520-8577 JAPAN|
  Address      = 520-8577大津市京町4-1-1<br>4-1-1 Kyomachi, Otsu-shi, Shiga-ken 520-8577 JAPAN|
  Phone        = (077) 524-1121 |
  Phone        = (077) 524-1121 |
  Website      = [http://www.pref.shiga.jp/english/index.html  English site] |
  Website      = [http://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/ Japanese site] |
  TouristLink  = [http://shiga-ken.com/ shiga-ken.com] | JNTOLink  = [http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/regional/shiga/ JNTO] |
  TouristLink  = [https://shiga-ken.com/ shiga-ken.com] | JNTOLink  = [https://www.japan.travel/en/destinations/kansai/shiga/ JNTO] |
}}
}}
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''This page is 95% complete. Last modified: Aug. 12, 2016''
by [[Philbert Ono]], ''Last updated: Apr. 3, 2023''


by [[Philbert Ono]]
'''Shiga Prefecture''' (滋賀県; ''Shiga-ken'') is one of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prefectures_of_Japan 47 prefectures] of Japan, located next to [[Kyoto Prefecture]] in the [[Kinki]] (Kansai) Region on Japan's largest island of [[Honshu]].


'''Shiga Prefecture''' (滋賀県; ''Shiga-ken'') is one of  the 47 [[prefectures of Japan]] located next to [[Kyoto Prefecture]] in the [[Kinki]] region on Japan's largest island of [[Honshu]]. Shiga can be easily spotted on a map of Japan with [[Lake Biwa]] (Japan's largest lake) looking like a belly button near the center of Honshu. Shiga's other neighbors are [[Fukui Prefecture]] in the north, [[Gifu Prefecture]] in the east, and [[Mie Prefecture]] in the southeast. [[Kyoto Prefecture]] is in the west. The capital city is [[Otsu, Shiga|Otsu]] in the southern Shiga adjacent to the city of Kyoto. Most people traveling to Kyoto or Osaka from the east (Tokyo, etc.) will usually have to pass through Shiga either by train (including the [[Tokaido Shinkansen]] bullet train) or expressway.
'''Famous for:'''
*Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake with numerous endemic species.
*Koka (Koga) ninja in the city of Koka.
*Mt. Hiei and Enryakuji Temple where many founders of Japanese Buddhist sects trained.
*Hikone Castle (National Treasure), one of the few original castles remaining.
*Third highest number of National Treasure buildings in Japan: Miidera, Ishiyama-dera, Hiyoshi Taisha, etc.
*Azuchi Castle (now in ruins) built by Nobunaga in the 16th century. Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573-1603) is partially named after this castle.
*Shigaraki pottery, one of Japan's ancient, renown kilns.
*''Funazushi'' fermented lake fish, the origin of modern sushi.
*Omi beef.


Shiga has always been overshadowed by its much more famous neighbor Kyoto. Typical tourists have too many things to see in Kyoto and Nara and not have enough time to consider visiting Shiga. This is unfortunate since Shiga has so many sights to see only a stone's throw away (10 min. by train) from Kyoto.
A prefecture is like a U.S. state with its own locally-elected governor and legislature. Each prefecture consists of municipalities that are designated as cities, towns, or villages depending on the population level. Shiga has currently has 13 cities, 6 towns, and no villages. The capital city is [[Otsu, Shiga|Otsu]] in southern Shiga adjacent to the city of Kyoto in neighboring Kyoto Prefecture. Shiga's population is about 1.42 million (as of Jan. 1, 2019, including 29,274 foreigners) in an area larger than Tokyo.  


Shiga's most prominent natural feature is '''[[Lake Biwa]]''', Japan's largest lake and one of the world's oldest lakes dating back 4 million years. It occupies one-sixth of the prefecture's total area. Looking like a belly button near the center of Honshu island, it is easy to spot on a map of Japan in Shiga Prefecture. The lake's long history and diverse habitats such as rocky and sandy shores, cold and pelagic waters, and reed beds gave rise to over 70 endemic fish and mollusk species and subspecies found nowhere else. Bird-watching, fishing, boating, swimming in summer, and bicycling are popular activities. Although Shiga is a landlocked prefecture, Lake Biwa endows it with good swimming beaches. The western and northern shores of the lake along the [[Kosei Line]] are generally more scenic with sandy white beaches.
'''Like a belly button on a map of Japan'''


Shiga is enclosed by mountain ranges with the Hira mountains in the west, the Ibuki range in the northeast, and Suzuka mountain range in the east. Shiga is like a giant bowl with Lake Biwa collecting water in the middle from over 110 inflowing rivers. There is only one outflowing river, [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=451 Seta River] and two outflowing canals in Otsu. The lake supplies water to 14.5 million people in Kyoto and Osaka via man-made canals. Shiga is therefore very wary of the nuclear power plants in neighboring [[Fukui Prefecture]]. In winter, northern Shiga (Nagahama and Maibara) is substantially colder with higher snowfall than in southern Shiga.
You can easily find Shiga on a map of Japan with [[Lake Biwa]] looking like a belly button near the center of Honshu. Shiga's other neighbors are [[Fukui Prefecture]] in the north, [[Gifu Prefecture]] in the east, and [[Mie Prefecture]] in the southeast. [[Kyoto Prefecture]] is in the west. Most people traveling to Kyoto or Osaka from the east (Tokyo, etc.) will usually have to pass through Shiga either by train (including the [[Tokaido Shinkansen]] bullet train) or expressway.


Most of the population is concentrated along the eastern and southern (dominated by Otsu) areas of the prefecture along the [[Biwako Line|Tokaido Main Line]] (also called Biwako Line between Kyoto and Nagahama). Since the southern and southeastern cities are within easy commuting distance to neighboring Kyoto and Osaka, the population in these areas has been increasing as bedtown communities. The areas along the northwestern and northern shores of Lake Biwa are more rural and the trains are less frequent.
'''Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake'''


Shiga is easy to get to, especially from [[Kyoto Station]]. A 10-min. train ride can get you to Otsu. Up north, [[Maibara Station]] is Shiga's shinkansen bullet train station (about 2.5 hours from Tokyo). [[Maibara Station]] also has direct train connections to and from Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture and the Hokuriku region (Fukui, Ishikawa, and Toyama Prefectures). For details, see Getting There & Around below.
Shiga's most prominent natural feature is '''[[Lake Biwa]]''', Japan's largest lake and one of the world's oldest lakes dating back 4 million years. It occupies one-sixth of the prefecture's total area. In area, it is slightly larger than the 23 wards in central Tokyo. The shore length is about 241 km (149 mi). The lake's long history and diverse habitats such as rocky and sandy shores, cold and pelagic waters, and reed beds gave rise to over 70 endemic fish and mollusk species and subspecies found nowhere else.
 
The lake supplies water to 14.5 million people in Kyoto and Osaka via man-made canals. Shiga is therefore very sensitive to and wary of nuclear power plants operating in neighboring [[Fukui Prefecture]]. Popular lake activities include bicycling, bird-watching (especially for migratory birds in winter), rowing, swimming in summer, and sightseeing boat cruises. Although Shiga is a landlocked prefecture, Lake Biwa endows it with good swimming beaches. The western and northern shores of the lake along the [[Kosei Line]] are generally more scenic with sandy white beaches.
 
'''Mountains form a giant bowl'''
 
Shiga is fringed by mountain ranges such as the Ibuki, Hira, and Suzuka almost all around. They make Shiga like a giant bowl with Lake Biwa collecting water from the mountains via 110 inflowing rivers. There is only one outflowing river, [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=451 Seta River] and two outflowing canals (Lake Biwa Canal) in Otsu. The lake's water level is controlled by a sluice on Seta River. In winter, northern Shiga (Yogo, Nagahama, Maibara, Imazu) is colder with higher snowfall than in southern Shiga.
 
'''Formerly named "Omi"'''
 
During the feudal period, Shiga was a samurai domain named "Omi" (also spelled "Ohmi" 近江). Since it was the doorstep to Kyoto, the Imperial Capital where the emperor resided, being in control of Omi was critical to the samurai government. Omi was also a critical transportation link to and from Kyoto. The two major major roads connecting Kyoto and Tokyo, the Tokaido and Nakansendo, passed through Omi. Also, cargo ships on Lake Biwa linked Kyoto to northern Japan via Fukui Prefecture. After the feudal system was abolished in 1868, Omi was finally renamed "Shiga Prefecture" in 1872.
 
'''Rural prefecture, rural economy'''
 
With a population of about 1.4 million, Shiga is a rural prefecture with no large cities. Most of the population is concentrated in southern and eastern Shiga along the JR Tokaido/Biwako Line. The northern and western areas are rural with less frequent train service (JR [[Kosei Line]]). Shiga's population, especially in southern Shiga, has been increasing since it is within commuting distance to Kyoto and Osaka. Housing is more affordable in Shiga. People in Shiga speak a dialect similar to the Kyoto and Kansai dialects. Shiga people are generally quite conservative, especially the older generation.
 
Agriculture is Shiga's major industry, mainly rice named "Omi-mai" (近江米). Fine tea called "Omi-cha" is also grown, mainly in Tsuchiyama, Koka. Omi wagyu beef is another famous product of Shiga. For years, the Lake Biwa fisheries industry has been seriously declining due to declining fish stock caused by invasive species and cormorants.
 
With over 2,600 factories large and small, Shiga also has one of the highest number of manufacturing factories in Japan, attracting many Brazilian workers since the 1990s especially in eastern Shiga. Vast majority of the factories employ less than 300 employees. The majority employ less than 30 workers.
 
Other than Otsu and Hikone, most places in Shiga are not really geared for foreign tourists. There is a lack of tourist information in foreign languages and multilingual tourist information staff in most places.
 
'''Many National Treasures, architecture'''
 
Being next to Kyoto, Shiga has many Buddhist temples and shrines. A number of them are National Treasures and one is a World Heritage Site (Enryakuji Temple). After Nara and Kyoto Prefectures, Shiga has Japan's third highest number of buildings (22) that are National Treasures including Hikone Castle, one of only five National Treasure castle towers in Japan.
 
The old Tokaido and Nakasendo Roads in Shiga leading to Kyoto have vestiges of the former shukuba lodging towns such as in ([http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=177 Kusatsu]) and [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=31 Samegai]. Also during the feudal period, Omi merchants from Shiga sold textiles, medicines, lacquerware, and other goods all over Japan. They became wealthy and built luxury Japanese-style homes in [[Omi-Hachiman, Shiga|Omi-Hachiman]], Gokasho, and [[Hino, Shiga|Hino]]. Some of the grand homes are open to the public.
 
'''Famous things and people'''
 
Well-known local symbols of Shiga include [https://photoguide.jp/pix/displayimage.php?album=25&pid=51680#top_display_media Hiko-nyan (official white cat mascot of Hikone)], Heiwado (supermarket chain), and funazushi fermented carp (cheesy fish). Omi wagyu beef, red konnyaku devil's tongue, Biwa salmon, and ayu sweetfish (from Lake Biwa) are other famous delicacies of Shiga. Lake Biwa freshwater pearls were internationally famous during the 1960s to early 1980s until the Biwa pearl mussels were decimated by pollution. Today, only a few pearl farmers in Shiga are cultivating Biwa pearls. Vintage Lake Biwa pearls are still being sold.
 
Nationally-known companies founded in Shiga include the Seibu Group (railways, Seibu Department Stores, and Prince Hotel chain), Itochu, Marubeni, Yanmar, Nippon Travel Agency, and Shirokiya (namsake still exists in Honolulu, Hawaii). Takata Corporation, former maker of the defective Takata airbags, was founded in Shiga. TORAY and Daihatsu are also major employers in Shiga.
 
Currently, the most famous contemporary people from Shiga include Yui Ohashi (1995- ), double gold medalist for Women's Individual medley swimming at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Yoshihide Kiryu (1995- ), an Olympic track star from Hikone who used to hold Japan's 100-meter record with a time of 9.98 seconds. Takashi Inui (1988- ), a Japanese footballer/soccer player from Yasu who was on Japan's national team at the 2018 World Cup. Yukiko Inui (1990- ), an Olympic synchronized swimmer from Omi-Hachiman who won Olympic bronze in Rio. (No relation to Takashi.) Take Yutaka (1969- ), Japan's longtime top racehorse jockey from Ritto. Takanori Nishikawa (1970- ), very popular musician, singer, and songwriter from Yasu. He performs under the stage name T.M.Revolution (TMR). Hiro Yamagata (1948- ), print artist from Maibara.
 
'''Obscure prefecture'''
 
Shiga is one of Japan's lesser known and obscure prefectures, especially among foreign visitors and foreigners who live in Japan away from the Kansai Region. As a desirable tourist destination, it is usually ranked toward the bottom among the 47 prefectures even among Japanese travelers. Although Lake Biwa is Shiga's top symbol and claim to fame, it is still not a strong national or international attraction like [https://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=929 Lake Ashi] (Mt. Fuji) in Kanagawa, Lake Towada (autumn foliage) in Aomori, or Lake Mashu in Hokkaido which are all in a national park. (Lake Biwa is not a national park. It is only a quasi-national park which is a lower designation.)
 
Shiga has never been good at tourism PR either. Shiga has never had a creative tourist slogan nor PR campaign that captured the public's attention and imagination. Tourism information for foreigners (if any) is usually in poor-quality English on both paper and online.
 
However, obscurity does not mean a lack of top-notch sights and discoveries. Anyone who dares to visit this obscure place will find many unexpected delights. It really is an off-the-beaten path, which makes it more adventurous. You just have to make the time to come and visit.
 
'''Forever in the shadow of Kyoto'''
 
Shiga has always been overshadowed by its much more famous neighbor Kyoto. Typical tourists have too many things to see in Kyoto and not even think about visiting Shiga. This has been a most frustrating predicament for Shiga tourism for ages. Being much more rural with a slow life, Shiga is a great place to get away from the tourist crowds of Kyoto.
 
'''Getting to Shiga'''
 
Shiga is easy to get to, especially from [[Kyoto Station]], a shinkansen station and hub for local train lines going to Shiga. A short train ride can get you to Otsu. Up north, [[Maibara Station]] is Shiga's shinkansen bullet train station (about 2.5 hours from Tokyo). [[Maibara Station]] also has direct train lines from Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture and the Hokuriku region (Fukui, Ishikawa, and Toyama Prefectures). For details, see ''Getting There & Around'' below.


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== Major Sights ==
== Major Sights ==
[https://photoguide.jp/pix/index.php?cat=3 ''More Shiga photos here.'']
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<td><a href="http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=28" class="external text" title="http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=28" rel="nofollow">Lake Biwa</a>
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[http://photoguide.jp/pix/index.php?cat=3 ''More Shiga photos here.'']


''*Main article: [[Shiga Prefecture Sights]]''
''*Main article: [[Shiga Prefecture Sights]]''


For sightseeing, [[Otsu, Shiga|Otsu]], [[Hikone, Shiga|Hikone]], [[Nagahama, Shiga|Nagahama]], [[Omihachiman, Shiga|Omi-Hachiman]], and [[Koka, Shiga|Koka]] are popular tourist bases. Being next to Kyoto, Otsu is easily accessible and has enough for at least two full days of sightseeing. Nationally famous Buddhist temples [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=111 '''Enryakuji'''] (part of a World Heritage Site called ''Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto'') atop Mt. Hiei, [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=656 '''Ishiyama-dera'''], and [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=131 '''Miidera'''] all have major structures designated as National Treasures. In Hikone is [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=25 '''Hikone Castle'''], one of only four castles in Japan designated as a National Treasure. With regard to architecture (mainly temples and shrines), Shiga has the third highest number (22) of buildings which are [[National_Treasures_of_Shiga_Prefecture|National Treasures]], following [http://photoguide.jp/pix/index.php?cat=45 Nara] (64) and [http://photoguide.jp/pix/index.php?cat=39 Kyoto] (48). Omi-Hachiman is another architecturally interesting place with traditional townscapes and buildings designed by '''William Vories'''. Koka is famous for '''Koka-ryu (Koga) ninja'''. You can visit the world's only [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=687 authentic ninja house] that still remains in its original location in Koka. If you like traditional architecture, visit Shiga.
Sightseeing in Shiga is basically about Lake Biwa, traditional architecture (National Treasure Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines), traditional townscapes (Omi-Hachiman, Gokasho, and Hino) and neighborhoods (Harie), National Historic Sites (mostly related to famous samurai), water sports and cycling, pottery, festivals (matsuri), lakeside cherry blossoms, and autumn foliage at major temples (being next to Kyoto, Shiga has many Buddhist temples). There are no national parks in Shiga. Lake Biwa is a quasi-national park.
 
Shiga has many other '''National Historic Sites''', especially related to the feudal era. Famous daimyo feudal lords such as Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi ([http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=10 Nagahama Castle]), Yamauchi Kazutoyo ([http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=10 Nagahama Castle]), and Azai Nagamasa ([http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=115 '''Odani Castle''']) once lived in Shiga (known as Omi Province). The Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573-1603) is partially named after [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=33 '''Azuchi Castle'''] that Nobunaga built in the 16th century in present-day Omi-Hachiman. You can easily visit their castle sites whose stone work still remains. So if you like samurai history, visit Shiga.
 
During the peaceful Tokugawa Period, lodging post towns along the '''[[Tokaido Road]]''' and '''[[Nakasendo Road]]''' flourished as traders and VIPs traveled between Tokyo (Edo) and Kyoto. In Shiga, the best preserved lodging towns (called shukuba-machi), romanticized in [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=831 woodblock prints], include [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=177 Kusatsu] and [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=689 Tsuchiyama].
 
*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/index.php?cat=17 Lake Biwa 琵琶湖] - Japan's largest lake with white sand swimming beaches along the western shore such as Omi-Maiko, [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=129 boat cruises], and islands such as Chikubushima. Great views of the lake can also be had from the surrounding mountains such as Mt. Hiei. The best place to learn about Lake Biwa (Biwako) is the [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=118 Lake Biwa Museum] in [[Kusatsu, Shiga|Kusatsu]].
 
*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=18 Chikubushima 竹生島] - An iconic island in the middle of northern Lake Biwa. Easily accessible by boat from Nagahama, Hikone, and Imazu Ports, the island has a large temple complex called Hogonji which includes buildings designated as National Treasures. In recent years, the island has been suffering from a large colony of cormorants that damage the trees. [http://goo.gl/maps/UasqW Map]
 
*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=25 Hikone Castle 彦根城] - Shiga's most famous building and a National Treasure. The castle tower, turrets, and moats are well preserved and they give you a good glimpse into how a real castle looked like (especially the inside). The castle is associated with [[Ii Naosuke]] who was the Tokugawa shogunate's Chief Minister (Tairo). He favored and concluded commercial treaties with the Western powers and thus broke Japan's isolation from the world in the 19th century. Foreigners were then allowed to trade with Japan and take up residence in cities like [[Yokohama, Kanagawa|Yokohama]] and [[Hakodate, Hokkaido|Hakodate]]. Unfortunately, Ii was later assassinated in 1860 near Edo Castle by samurai radicals who sought to oust the foreign "barbarians." Near [[Hikone Station]]. [http://goo.gl/maps/B2BJz Map]
 
*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=111 Enryakuji Temple 延暦寺] - Headquarters of the Tendai Buddhist Sect atop Mt. Hie in Otsu. Founded by Saicho and one of Japan's largest temple complexes and part of a World Heritage Site which includes the temples of Kyoto. Enryakuji was the cradle of Japanese Buddhism as many founders of Japan's Buddhist sects once trained here, including Shinran and Nichiren. Since the temple is northeast of Kyoto, the temple also served to guard Kyoto from the demons of the northeast. The temple includes buildings designated as National Treasures. Easily accessible from Kyoto or Otsu. [http://goo.gl/maps/1FGKK Map]
 
*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=656 Ishiyama-dera Temple 石山寺] - Founded in 749 and belonging to the Shingon Buddhist Sect, Ishiyama-dera is another large temple in Otsu. It is situated on a rocky, low hill where you can see the huge rock formation after which the temple was named (Ishiyama means rock mountain). The temple is noted for National Treasure buildings such as the Hondo Hall and Tahoto pagoda, cherry blossoms, and fall leaves. The temple is also where Lady Murasaki Shikibu wrote the famous novel "Genji Monogatari" or Tale of Genji in 1008. Much of the novel was written in a room at Ishiyama-dera temple in Otsu. This room is on display at the temple, complete with a Lady Murasaki mannequin. Ishiyama-dera is also the 13th Temple of the Saigoku Pilgrimage. [http://goo.gl/maps/q1ZDm Map]
 
*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=687 Koka Ninja House 甲賀流忍術屋敷] - The world's only authentic ninja house still in its original location. Revolving doors, trap doors, and underground tunnels helped the ninja escape or hide from the enemy. They avoided direct combat as much as possible. Called Koka-ryu Ninjutsu Yashiki, this house was the residence of Mochizuki Izumo-no-kami, the leader clan of the Koga ninja. Even actor Harrison Ford visited this house once (a picture of him is displayed inside the house). Located in Konan-cho in [[Koka, Shiga|Koka]], the former heart of the Koka ninja, popularly called Koga ninja. JR [[Konan Station]] on the [[Kusatsu Line]] is the closest train station. [http://goo.gl/maps/yaZQr Map]
 
*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=33 Azuchi Castle 安土城] - Built in 1579 by Oda Nobunaga, Azuchi Castle was unique for its octagonal castle tower. It was attacked and destroyed only 3 years later. Although no castle structures remain, much of the stone work remains, including the foundation stones of the tenshu castle tower. The castle ruins are on a hill in Azuchi, Omi-Hachiman, Shiga Prefecture. A splendid replica of the top portion of the castle tower is displayed at the House of Nobunaga museum (Nobunaga no Yakata) nearby the castle ruins. [http://goo.gl/maps/Ut1Iu Map]
 
*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=449 Central Nagahama 長浜] - One of the most popular destinations among Japanese tourists is the Kurokabe Square area featuring a shopping arcade, restaurants, and [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=448 Daitsuji temple]. Also nearby is [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=10 Nagahama Castle in Hokoen Park], one of Japan's 100 Most Famous Cherry Blossom Spots in April. [http://goo.gl/maps/weyKD Map]
 
*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=21 Lake Yogo 余呉湖] - Lake Yogo is a small but scenic and serene lake north of Lake Biwa. It is famous for the legend of the swan maiden. You can walk or bicycle around the lake. Near [[Yogo Station]] on the JR [[Hokuriku Main Line]]. Rental bicycles available at [[Yogo Station]]. [http://goo.gl/maps/zd9KZ Map]
 
*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=115 Odani Castle 小谷城] - Odani Castle in northern Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture, was originally built in 1524 atop Mt. Odani (495 m). The Azai clan called it home for three generations until Azai Nagamasa was defeated by Oda Nobunaga in 1573. Nobunaga bestowed the castle to Hashiba (Toyotomi) Hideyoshi. However, Toyotomi built and occupied a castle in Nagahama, abandoning Odani. No buildings have survived, but there are many rock walls and foundations remaining. Odani Castle is set to enjoy the spotlight in 2011 when NHK TV will broadcast a year-long period drama centering on one of Azai Nagamasa's three daughters named Go. [http://goo.gl/maps/OtlLO Map]
 
*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=138 Taga Taisha Shrine ] - Shiga Prefecture's most popular Shinto shrine, especially during New Year's with over 400,000 worshippers. ''Taga'' is a very auspicious name literally meaning Many Congratulations. Taga Taisha also holds enjoyable festivals such as [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=36 Taga Matsuri] in May, [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=690 Taga Taisha Rice-Planting Festival] in June, and [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=590 Taga Taisha Lantern Festival] in Aug. Near Ohmi Railways [[Taga Taisha-mae Station]]. [http://goo.gl/maps/NVnh1 Map]
 
*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=130 Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine ] - Headquarters shrine for all of Japan's numerous Hiyoshi, Hie, and Sanno shrines. Dedicated to the Mountain God. The shrine's two Honden main halls are National Treasures. Its biggest festival is the annual [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=11 Sanno-sai Festival 山王祭] held in mid-April. [http://goo.gl/maps/wvaru Map]
 
*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=133 Gichuji Temple 義仲寺] - Best known for the grave of Haiku poet Basho Matsuo (1644-94). Besides Basho's gravestone, the temple has a myriad of Haiku stone monuments. National Historic Site. Near [[Zeze Station]]. [http://goo.gl/maps/h87J6 Map]
 
*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=28 Omi-Maiko 近江舞子] - Popular white-sand beach on the western shore of Lake Biwa. In summer, many Kyotoites go there for sunning and swimming. Easily accessible on the JR [[Kosei Line]]'s [[Omi-Maiko Station]]. [http://goo.gl/maps/sEq5T Map]


*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=113 Kaizu-Osaki 海津大崎] - Picturesque northern lakeshore lined with cherry blossoms in April. One of Japan's 100 Most Famous Cherry Blossom Spots. Rent a bicycle from [[Makino Station]] on the JR [[Kosei Line]]. Beware of traffic jams on the narrow lakeshore road and dark tunnels. Carry a flashlight if you are walking. [http://goo.gl/maps/mKAYF Map]
Shiga's most tourist-oriented cities are [[Otsu, Shiga|Otsu]], [[Hikone, Shiga|Hikone]], [[Nagahama, Shiga|Nagahama]], [[Kusatsu, Shiga|Kusatsu]], and [[Omi-Hachiman, Shiga|Omi-Hachiman]]. Most of the major sights in these cities are in a compact area and easily accessible. Larger cities (in area) like [[Takashima, Shiga|Takashima]], [[Higashi-Omi, Shiga|Higashi-Omi]], and [[Koka, Shiga|Koka]] have major sights scattered over a large area, requiring more time and effort to get to them.


*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=135 Harie 針江]- Shin-Asahi in Takashima has a neighborhood called Harie where homes draw clean water from an ever-flowing spring directly from the ground into private wells called ''kabata''. A local NPO conducts fascinating tours of the area and homes with kabata. [http://goo.gl/maps/XEc7Y Map]
From Kyoto, the most popular day trips to Shiga include: 1. A visit to the Shigaraki pottery center and Miho Museum in Koka, 2. Guided tour of the Harie neighborhood of natural springs in Takashima, 3. Tour of Enryakuji Temple in Otsu, and 4. Koka Ninja House, and 5. Hikone Castle.


*[Koto Sanzan Temple Trio 湖東三山 - ''Koto Sanzan'' means Temple Trio East of the Lake, in reference to three noted Tendai Buddhist temples in eastern Shiga. A few of the buildings are National Treasures and they are especially beautiful in Nov. with fall foliage. The three temples are [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=164 Kongorinji 金剛輪寺] in [[Aisho, Shiga|Aisho]], [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=165 Hyakusaiji 百済寺] in [[Higashiomi, Shiga|Higashi-Omi]], and [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=163 Saimyoji 西明寺] in [[Kora, Shiga|Kora]]. In Nov., special shuttle buses are provided from the nearest train stations to all three temples as well as to [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=166 Eigenji temple] in [[Higashiomi, Shiga|Higashi-Omi]]. It makes it easy to visit all four temples by bus. [http://goo.gl/maps/dfcsh Map for Kongorinji] | [http://goo.gl/maps/HL9Em Map for Hyakusaiji] | [http://goo.gl/maps/J8Yx3 Map for Saimyoji]
Otsu has nationally famous Buddhist temples [https://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=111 '''Enryakuji'''] (part of a World Heritage Site called ''Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto'') atop Mt. Hiei, [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=656 '''Ishiyama-dera'''], and [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=131 '''Miidera'''] all have major structures designated as National Treasures.


*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=112 Mt. Ibuki 伊吹山] - [[Maibara, Shiga|Maibara]] One of Japan's 100 Most Famous Mountains and Shiga's highest mountain. Popular in spring and summer when exotic alpine flowers bloom on the summit. Easy hiking trails on the summit also afford grand views. You can catch a bus at [[Sekigahara Station]] in Gifu to reach the summit via the Ibukiyama Driveway. Ibukiyama also appears in the legend of Yamato Takeru, a warrior who battled an evil white boar on Ibuki and was subsequently poisoned by a mist, leading to his death. [http://goo.gl/maps/Bks6X Map]
Hikone has [https://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=25 '''Hikone Castle'''], one of only five main castle towers in Japan designated as a National Treasure. With regard to architecture (mainly temples and shrines), Shiga has the third highest number (22) of buildings which are [[National_Treasures_of_Shiga_Prefecture|National Treasures]], following [https://photoguide.jp/pix/index.php?cat=45 Nara] (64) and [https://photoguide.jp/pix/index.php?cat=39 Kyoto] (48).


*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=126 Oku Biwako Parkway 奥琵琶湖パークウェイ] - Scenic drive in northern Shiga with a great view of Lake Biwa from the mountain side. [http://goo.gl/maps/0E78h Map]
Central Nagahama is a laid-back provincial city with a variety of delights such as the lakeside Nagahama Castle, attractive shopping arcades, Daitsuji Temple, Hikiyama Float Museum, and train museum. All within walking distance from Nagahama Station. If you have time, go to Nagahama Port and take a boat to Chikubushima island.


*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=111 Hie-zan Driveway 比叡山] - Scenic mountain road overlooking western Lake Biwa. Buses available from Kyoto. Might as well visit Enryakuji Temple as well. [http://goo.gl/maps/cIdax Map]
Omi-Hachiman is another architecturally interesting place with traditional townscapes and buildings designed by American missionary '''William Merrell Vories''' (1880–1964). The Hachiman-bori Canal area is often used a backdrop in Japanese samurai movies and TV series. Club Harie and Taneya sell famous local confections.  


*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=27 Katata Ukimido 堅田 浮御堂] - This temple jutting into the lake in Katata is famous as one of the Omi Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi) and thus one of Shiga's most scenic views, even today, despite the concrete (instead of wooden) stilts. Katata is also on the west end of the Biwako Ohashi Bridge. [http://goo.gl/maps/Hw0WQ Map]
Kusatsu was a lodging town along the old Nakasendo and Tokaido Roads. The Kusatsu Honjin is an outstanding example of the VIP accommodations built for the traveling shogun and daimyo lord. Also in Kusatsu is the best place to learn about Lake Biwa (Biwako) at [https://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=118 Lake Biwa Museum].


*Omi merchant homes - During the Edo Period and Meiji Period, Shiga was a hotbed of successful entrepreneurs called "Omi shonin" or Omi merchants. They sold and traded goods all over Japan and were based in areas such as [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=109 Gokasho], [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=447 Omi-Hachiman], [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=326 Hino], and [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=473 Toyosato] where you can tour inside their grand homes. Takashimaya Dept. Store, Itochu Corporation, Marubeni, and Seibu all have Shiga roots. [http://goo.gl/maps/wl6s0 Map]
Besides Shiragaki pottery, Koka is famous for '''Koka-ryu (Koga) ninja'''. You can visit the world's only [https://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=687 authentic ninja house] that still remains in its original location in Koka.


*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=330 Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park] - Home of nationally-famous Shigaraki-ware pottery and the tanuki raccoon dog sculpture. See real kilns and a ceramic museum in a park-like setting with numerous ceramic sculptures. You can also try your hand at pottery-making. Miho Museum is also a worthwhile visit if you're in Shigaraki which is in [[Koka, Shiga|Koka]]. [http://goo.gl/maps/p0oco Map]
Since prominent daimyo feudal lords such as Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi ([https://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=10 Nagahama Castle]), Yamauchi Kazutoyo ([https://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=10 Nagahama Castle]), and Azai Nagamasa ([https://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=115 '''Odani Castle''']) once lived in Shiga (known as Omi Province), Shiga has many '''National Historic Sites''' related to the feudal era. The Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573-1603) is partially named after [https://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=33 '''Azuchi Castle'''] that Nobunaga built in the 16th century in present-day Omi-Hachiman. If you like samurai history, visit Shiga.


*Tokaido Road and Nakasendo Road post towns (shukuba). The Tokaido and Nakasendo Roads connected Tokyo (Edo) with Kyoto and passed through Shiga. These roads had post towns or lodging towns called ''shukuba'' where travelers lodged, rested, changed their horses, and replenished provisions. These shukuba have been romanticized and immortalized in woodblock prints by Hiroshige. Although very few remnants of these shukuba remain today, Shiga still has some shukuba buildings dating from the Edo Period. Along the Tokaido Road, Shiga had five shukuba towns: 49. [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=689 Tsuchiyama-juku] (土山宿) (Kōka), 50. [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=121 Minakuchi-juku] (水口宿) (Kōka), 51. [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=171 Ishibe-juku] (石部宿) (Konan), 52. [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=177 Kusatsu-juku] (草津宿) (Kusatsu) (also on the Nakasendō), and 53. [http://photoguide.jp/pix/displayimage.php?album=133&pid=26036 Ōtsu-juku] (大津宿) (Ōtsu) (also on the Nakasendō). And along the Nakasendo Road, Shiga had ten shukuba: 60. [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=170 Kashiwabara-juku] (Maibara), 61. [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=31 Samegai-juku] (Maibara), 62. [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=453 Banba-juku] (Maibara), 63. [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=394 Toriimoto-juku] (Hikone), 64. [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=691 Takamiya-juku] (Hikone), 65. [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=244 Echigawa-juku] (Aishō), 66. [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=187 Musa-juku] (Ōmi-Hachiman), 67. [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=191 Moriyama-juku] (Moriyama), 68. [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=177 Kusatsu-juku] (Kusatsu) (also on the Tōkaidō), and 69. Ōtsu-juku (Ōtsu) (also on the Tōkaidō). Each shukuba was numbered sequentially as the road got closer to Kyoto. The focal point of the shukuba was the Honjin (本陣), the town's most exclusive accommodations reserved for daimyos and other VIPs including the emperor. The [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=177 Kusatsu Honjin] (now a public museum) and Tsuchiyama Honjin (appointment required to see inside) are the best preserved in Shiga. You can still see the signatures of famous lodgers in the Honjin's guest book. Other shukuba in Shiga might not have a Honjin, but places like Kashiwabara-juku have worked to restore the look of a shukuba from the old days.
During the peaceful Tokugawa Period, lodging towns along the '''Tokaido Road''' and '''Nakasendo Road''' flourished as traders and VIPs traveled between Tokyo (Edo) and Kyoto. In Shiga, the best preserved lodging towns (called shukuba-machi), romanticized in [https://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=831 woodblock prints], include [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=31 Samegai], [https://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=177 Kusatsu], and [https://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=689 Tsuchiyama]. Other traditional townscapes and homes in Shiga include Omi merchant homes in [https://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=447 Omi-Hachiman], [https://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=109 Gokasho], and [https://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=326 Hino].


*[http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=774 William Merrell Vories architecture] - Vories (1880-1964) moved to Omi-Hachiman in 1905 to work as an English teacher while engaging in Christian missionary activities. He always had an interest in architecture and never had formal training as an architect, but he studied on his own and opened his own architectural firm in Omi-Hachiman in 1908. He and his firm went on to design numerous buildings in Shiga and other places in Japan. Omi-Hachiman still has a good number of Vories buildings intact, including his former residence and [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=143 Toyosato Elementary School.] [http://goo.gl/maps/0EYQL Map]
Shiga is lesser known internationally, but it does have many things that would interest anyone. Shiga is often paired with Kyoto as if it were a part of Kyoto. But Shiga is totally different from Kyoto and has its own unique identity and culture.


*Bicycling along the lake shore - Many lakeside towns in Shiga also offer rental bicycles where you can hop on the bicycle at one train station and ride to another train station to return it. Cycling is a great way to see Shiga and the lake shore roads are very scenic and relatively flat. For a complete list of where you can rent a bicycle in Shiga, see Getting Around below.
''For a complete list of tourist attractions, see [[Shiga Prefecture Sights]].''


* [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=469 JRA Ritto Training Center JRA Ritto Training Center 栗東トレーニング・センター] - Since 1969, the government-run Japan Racing Association (JRA) has trained jockeys and race horses in Ritto. It offers free tours (telephone reservations required) of this large, impressive facility on Sunday afternoons (1 pm - 2:30 pm) and early Wednesday mornings (when you can see horses running on the track). [http://goo.gl/maps/JWMBr Map]
''Also see [[National Treasures of Shiga_Prefecture]].''
 
''Also see [[National_Treasures_of_Shiga_Prefecture]].''


== Shiga Festivals ==
== Shiga Festivals ==
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[http://photoguide.jp/pix/index.php?cat=3 ''More Shiga photos here.'']
[https://photoguide.jp/pix/index.php?cat=3 ''More Shiga photos here.'']


''*Complete list of major festivals at [[Festivals of Shiga Prefecture]] organized in an event calendar.''
''*Complete list of major festivals at [[Festivals of Shiga Prefecture]] organized in an event calendar.''
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However, if you prefer to lodge in Shiga, the following cities are ideal tourist bases with a good number of hotels. Shiga is a great place to escape the hustle and bustle and tourist crowds of Kyoto.
However, if you prefer to lodge in Shiga, the following cities are ideal tourist bases with a good number of hotels. Shiga is a great place to escape the hustle and bustle and tourist crowds of Kyoto.
For current weather warnings/advisories in Shiga, [http://www.jma.go.jp/en/warn/334_table.html see this page (Japan Meteorological Agency).]
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*[[Otsu, Shiga|Otsu]] - Kyoto's neighbor and Shiga's capital city stretches a very long way along the southern shore of Lake Biwa. It has a number of important and historical temples and shrines such as Enryakuji atop Mt. Hiei, Miidera, Ishiyama-dera, Hiyoshi Taisha, and Omi Jingu. Otsu Port is also home to the Michigan paddlewheel boat offering lake cruises.
*[[Otsu, Shiga|Otsu]] - Kyoto's neighbor and Shiga's capital city stretches a very long way along the southern shore of Lake Biwa. It has a number of important and historical temples and shrines such as Enryakuji atop Mt. Hiei, Miidera, Ishiyama-dera, Hiyoshi Taisha, and Omi Jingu. Otsu Port is also home to the Michigan paddlewheel boat offering lake cruises.
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*[[Nagahama, Shiga|Nagahama]] - Shiga's largest city up north has a reconstructed castle, Japan's oldest train station building (now a museum), temples, the Kunitomo Gun Museum, and Kurokabe Square with black-walled shops. Nagahama Port has boats going to Chikubushima island. A short train ride further up north can also take you to nearby sights like Mt. Shizugatake and Lake Yogo.  
*[[Nagahama, Shiga|Nagahama]] - Shiga's largest city up north has a reconstructed castle, Japan's oldest train station building (now a museum), temples, the Kunitomo Gun Museum, and Kurokabe Square with black-walled shops. Nagahama Port has boats going to Chikubushima island. A short train ride further up north can also take you to nearby sights like Mt. Shizugatake and Lake Yogo.  


*[[Omihachiman, Shiga|Omi-Hachiman]] - A former merchant and castle town, this is another historical city which history buffs and architecture fans would love. Mt. Hachimanyama used to be a castle and it still gives great views of the city and lake. Nearby is also Azuchi Castle ruins and Omi merchant homes at Gokasho. The Ohmi Railway also leads to Yokaichi in Higashi-Omi.
*[[Omi-Hachiman, Shiga|Omi-Hachiman]] - A former merchant and castle town, this is another historical city which history buffs and architecture fans would love. Mt. Hachimanyama used to be a castle and it still gives great views of the city and lake. Nearby is also Azuchi Castle ruins and Omi merchant homes at Gokasho. The Ohmi Railway also leads to Yokaichi in Higashi-Omi.


*[[Kusatsu, Shiga|Kusatsu]] - A former post town on the Tokaido and Nakasendo Roads is the gateway to southeastern Shiga (especially Koka) with the JR Kusatsu Line starting in Kusatsu.
*[[Kusatsu, Shiga|Kusatsu]] - A former post town on the Tokaido and Nakasendo Roads is the gateway to southeastern Shiga (especially Koka) with the JR Kusatsu Line starting in Kusatsu.
Line 280: Line 348:
*Visit Hikone Castle. Easily accessible by train from almost everywhere. From Kyoto, take the JR [[Tokaido/Biwako Line]] and get off at [[Hikone Station]]. The castle is a short walk from the station.
*Visit Hikone Castle. Easily accessible by train from almost everywhere. From Kyoto, take the JR [[Tokaido/Biwako Line]] and get off at [[Hikone Station]]. The castle is a short walk from the station.
*Visit Koka Ninja House and Ninja Village in Koka. Take the JR [[Kusatsu Line]] to [[Konan Station]] or [[Koka Station]] and take a taxi or call the Ninja Village (0748-88-5000) for a free ride. Unfortunately, there is no public transportation between the Ninja Village and Koka Ninja House. Call a taxi at either place to visit the other.
*Visit Koka Ninja House and Ninja Village in Koka. Take the JR [[Kusatsu Line]] to [[Konan Station]] or [[Koka Station]] and take a taxi or call the Ninja Village (0748-88-5000) for a free ride. Unfortunately, there is no public transportation between the Ninja Village and Koka Ninja House. Call a taxi at either place to visit the other.
*Go up [http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=20 Mt. Shizugatake] on the chair lift and hike down to Lake Yogo. Buses and taxis to Mt. Shizugatake are available at JR [[Kinomoto Station]]. Atop the mountain are grand views of two lakes: Lake Biwa on one side and Lake Yogo on the other side. Hike down to Lake Yogo and rest or eat at the lakeside lodge called Yogoko-so.
*Go up [https://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=20 Mt. Shizugatake] on the chair lift and hike down to Lake Yogo. Buses and taxis to Mt. Shizugatake are available at JR [[Kinomoto Station]]. Atop the mountain are grand views of two lakes: Lake Biwa on one side and Lake Yogo on the other side. Hike down to Lake Yogo and rest or eat at the lakeside lodge called Yogoko-so.
*Visit Chikubushima island. Boats leave often for Chikubushima from Hikone, Nagahama, and Omi-Imazu Ports. Best way to see the lake.
*Visit Chikubushima island. Boats leave often for Chikubushima from Hikone, Nagahama, and Omi-Imazu Ports. Best way to see the lake.
*Bicycle or drive around Lake Biwa. The road around the lake is quite flat. Allow at least three days to cycle completely around the lake. Or two days if you plan to take a short cut and cross Biwako Ohashi Bridge at the neck of the lake.
*Bicycle or drive around Lake Biwa. The road around the lake is quite flat. Allow at least three days to cycle completely around the lake. Or two days if you plan to take a short cut and cross Biwako Ohashi Bridge at the neck of the lake.
*Visit Kaizu-Osaki cherry blossoms in spring. JR [[Makino Station]] on the JR Kosei Line has rental bicycles convenient to ride to the Kaizu-Osaki lake shore. But beware of heavy traffic during cherry blossom season.  
*Visit Kaizu-Osaki cherry blossoms in spring. JR [[Makino Station]] on the JR Kosei Line has rental bicycles convenient to ride to the Kaizu-Osaki lake shore. But beware of heavy traffic during cherry blossom season.  
*Visit central Nagahama. Many attractions within a small area around JR [[Nagahama Station]]. Toward the lake is the reconstructed Nagahama Castle (local history museum) affording great views of the lake and city. The castle is in Hokoen Park, famous for cherry blossoms in April. On the other side of Nagahama Station toward the mountains is Kurokabe Square (glass shop) and shopping arcade. Visit the Hikiyama Museum and Daitsuji temple.
*Visit central Nagahama. Many attractions within a small area around JR [[Nagahama Station]]. Toward the lake is the reconstructed Nagahama Castle (local history museum) affording great views of the lake and city. The castle is in Hokoen Park, famous for cherry blossoms in April. On the other side of Nagahama Station toward the mountains is Kurokabe Square (glass shop) and shopping arcade. Visit the Hikiyama Museum and Daitsuji temple.
* Visit the [http://shiga-ken.com/blog/2016/10/koto-sanzan-temple-trio-autumn-foliage/ Koto Sanzan Temple Trio] in fall. During the fall colors, buses run between the three temples and Eigenji. Start at either Eigenji (bus from [[Yokaichi Station]]) or Saimyoji (bus from [[Hikone Station]]). You can buy an Omi Railway train/bus pass for only ¥1,800 to visit all three Koto Sanzan temples plus Eigenji Temple.
* Visit the [https://shiga-ken.com/blog/2016/10/koto-sanzan-temple-trio-autumn-foliage/ Koto Sanzan Temple Trio] in fall. During the fall colors, buses run between the three temples and Eigenji. Start at either Eigenji (bus from [[Yokaichi Station]]) or Saimyoji (bus from [[Hikone Station]]). You can buy an Omi Railway train/bus pass for only ¥1,800 to visit all three Koto Sanzan temples plus Eigenji Temple.
*Visit [http://photoguide.jp/pix/index.php?cat=103 Konan Sanzan Temple Trio]. Another similar trio of temples, but lesser known. The three temples all have National Treasure Buildings, but there is no convenient shuttle bus linking all three.
*Visit [https://photoguide.jp/pix/index.php?cat=103 Konan Sanzan Temple Trio]. Another similar trio of temples, but lesser known. The three temples all have National Treasure Buildings, but there is no convenient shuttle bus linking all three.
* If you have a car or can rent one, driving around Lake Biwa is also highly recommended. It will take a full day, including sightseeing time. Crossing the Biwako Ohashi Bridge at the neck of the lake can also save time. (Buses also cross the lake between Moriyama and Katata Stations.) Besides driving along the lake shore, driving along the mountain roads on Mt. Hiei and Oku Biwako Parkway also affords grand views of the lake.
* If you have a car or can rent one, driving around Lake Biwa is also highly recommended. It will take a full day, including sightseeing time. Crossing the Biwako Ohashi Bridge at the neck of the lake can also save time. (Buses also cross the lake between Moriyama and Katata Stations.) Besides driving along the lake shore, driving along the mountain roads on Mt. Hiei and Oku Biwako Parkway also affords grand views of the lake.


Line 313: Line 381:
*From [[JR]] [[Tokyo Station]] to [[Maibara Station]]: About 2.5 hours via [[Tokaido_Shinkansen|shinkansen bullet train]]. All Kodama trains and a few Hikari trains (about once an hour) stop at Maibara. Or get off at [[Kyoto Station]] and take a local train to Shiga. Takes 2.25 hours from Tokyo to Kyoto via Nozomi shinkansen, then 10 min. to Otsu via Tokaido Line.
*From [[JR]] [[Tokyo Station]] to [[Maibara Station]]: About 2.5 hours via [[Tokaido_Shinkansen|shinkansen bullet train]]. All Kodama trains and a few Hikari trains (about once an hour) stop at Maibara. Or get off at [[Kyoto Station]] and take a local train to Shiga. Takes 2.25 hours from Tokyo to Kyoto via Nozomi shinkansen, then 10 min. to Otsu via Tokaido Line.
*From [[JR]] [[Kyoto Station]] to [[Otsu Station]]: About 10 min. via JR [[Biwako Line|Tokaido/Biwako Line]].
*From [[JR]] [[Kyoto Station]] to [[Otsu Station]]: About 10 min. via JR [[Biwako Line|Tokaido/Biwako Line]].
*From Sanjo-Keihan (Kyoto) to Keihan [[Hama-Otsu Station]]: 25 min. via [[Keihan Keishin Line]].
*From Sanjo-Keihan (Kyoto) to Keihan [[Biwako Hama-Otsu Station]]: 25 min. via [[Keihan Keishin Line]].
*From [[JR]] [[Gifu Station]] to [[Maibara Station]]: About 40 min. via [[Tokaido Main Line]].
*From [[JR]] [[Gifu Station]] to [[Maibara Station]]: About 40 min. via [[Tokaido Main Line]].
*From [[JR]] [[Nagoya Station]] to [[Maibara Station]]: About 25 min. via shinkansen or 1 hr 15 min. via [[Tokaido Main Line]] (train transfer at [[Ogaki Station]] may be required).
*From [[JR]] [[Nagoya Station]] to [[Maibara Station]]: About 25 min. via shinkansen or 1 hr 15 min. via [[Tokaido Main Line]] (train transfer at [[Ogaki Station]] may be required).
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Travel within Shiga is easy via [[JR]] Lines, private railways, local city buses, and taxi cabs. There is at least one train station in almost all cities and towns in Shiga. Trains are relatively frequent along the heavily-traveled [[Tokaido Main Line]] (also called [[Biwako Line]] between Nagahama and Kyoto) is frequent, and less frequent along the JR [[Kosei Line]] along the western shore. It is possible to travel around Lake Biwa entirely by train on the JR [[Tokaido Main Line]] and [[Hokuriku Main Line]] on the eastern side and the scenic [[Kosei Line]] along the western shore. However, since it is not a loop line, at least two train transfers (at [[Yamashina Station]] and [[Omi-Shiotsu Station]]) will be necessary along the way.  
Travel within Shiga is easy via [[JR]] Lines, private railways, local city buses, and taxi cabs. There is at least one train station in almost all cities and towns in Shiga. Trains are relatively frequent along the heavily-traveled [[Tokaido Main Line]] (also called [[Biwako Line]] between Nagahama and Kyoto) is frequent, and less frequent along the JR [[Kosei Line]] along the western shore. It is possible to travel around Lake Biwa entirely by train on the JR [[Tokaido Main Line]] and [[Hokuriku Main Line]] on the eastern side and the scenic [[Kosei Line]] along the western shore. However, since it is not a loop line, at least two train transfers (at [[Yamashina Station]] and [[Omi-Shiotsu Station]]) will be necessary along the way.  


In eastern Shiga, the private [[Ohmi Railways]] serve a few cities such as [[Higashiomi, Shiga]] and [[Koka, Shiga]]. However, the trains (usually only two or three cars) are quite slow and not that frequent. For foreign tourists, there is the [http://www.ohmitetudo.co.jp/railway/ohmirail2day/index.html/ two-day pass] good for Ohmi Railways and Ohmi bus (as of Oct. 2018). On weekends, the ''Free Kippu'' ticket (despite its name, it's not free) is available at a bargain price (¥880 for adults as of Oct. 2018) and you can use it to ride the Ohmi Railways all day. A good deal if you plan to ride the Ohmi Railways train at least twice. Also, during non-rush hours (9 am - 4 pm), you can bring your bicycle aboard the train.
In eastern Shiga, the private [[Ohmi Railways]] serve a few cities such as [[Higashi-Omi, Shiga|Higashi-Omi]] and [[Koka, Shiga|Koka]]. However, the trains (usually only two or three cars) are quite slow and not that frequent. For foreign tourists, there is the [http://www.ohmitetudo.co.jp/railway/ohmirail2day/index.html/ two-day pass] good for Ohmi Railways and Ohmi bus (as of Oct. 2018). On weekends, the ''Free Kippu'' ticket (despite its name, it's not free) is available at a bargain price (¥880 for adults as of Oct. 2018) and you can use it to ride the Ohmi Railways all day. A good deal if you plan to ride the Ohmi Railways train at least twice. Also, during non-rush hours (9 am - 4 pm), you can bring your bicycle aboard the train.
 
Wheelchair users and baby stroller users should be aware that many train stations in Shiga do not have elevators, escalators, or ramps, especially in rural areas. The larger train stations (Otsu, Maibara, Nagahama, etc.) and newer stations are wheelchair accesssible. However, Shiga still has many old and rural train stations without ramps or elevators especially on the Ohmi Railway lines. Many of the smaller stations are not even staffed. (No one to help you get on/off the train.) Click on the train station link to check if it's wheelchair accesssible with an elevator, escalator, or ramp.


Buses operated by [[Ohmi Railways]] and Keihan operate from the major train stations. See the routes and schedules here:
Buses operated by [[Ohmi Railways]] and Keihan operate from the major train stations. See the routes and schedules here:
[http://www.ohmitetudo.co.jp/bus/rosen/index.html Ohmi Railways bus routes]] (Japanese only).
[http://www.ohmitetudo.co.jp/bus/rosen/index.html Ohmi Railways bus routes]] (Japanese only).


Rental bicycles are also great for lakeshore touring. Bicycling around the entire lake (about 200 km and nicknamed "Biwa-ichi) is quite popular. You can also bicycle only a few km between train stations. The following train stations in Shiga have rental bicycles: [[Kusatsu Station]], [[Omi-Hachiman Station]], [[Azuchi Station]] (North exit), [[Maibara Station]] (high-end bicycles), [[Sakata Station]],  [[Nagahama Station]], [[Torahime Station]], [[Takatsuki Station]], [[Kawake Station]], [[Kinomoto Station]], [[Yogo Station]], [[Omi-Shiotsu Station]], [[Nagahara Station]], [[Makino Station]], [[Omi-Imazu Station]], [[Omi-Takashima Station]], [[Shin-Asahi Station]] (West exit), [[Adogawa Station]], [[Sakamoto Station]], [[Terasho Station]], [[Konan Station]], [[Ishibe Station]], [[Kosei Station]], [[Koka Station]], [[Aburahi Station]], and [[Shigaraki Station]]. Usually, you can rent a bicycle at one train station and return it at another if it's on the same train line. The bicycles are rented out by the local tourist association or a private vendor. It's usually 500 yen for the day's rental, and the bicycle must be returned by 5 pm or so. A few of the luxury hotels in Shiga may also have rental bicycles such as the Lake Biwa Marriott Hotel with a GIANT bicycle rental shop in [[Moriyama, Shiga|Moriyama]].
Rental bicycles are also great for lakeshore touring. Bicycling around the entire lake (about 200 km and nicknamed "Biwa-ichi) is quite popular. You can also bicycle only a few km between train stations. The following train stations in Shiga have rental bicycles: [[Kusatsu Station]], [[Omi-Hachiman Station]], [[Azuchi Station]] (North exit), [[Maibara Station]] (high-end bicycles), [[Sakata Station]],  [[Nagahama Station]], [[Torahime Station]], [[Takatsuki Station]], [[Kawake Station]], [[Kinomoto Station]], [[Yogo Station]], [[Omi-Shiotsu Station]], [[Nagahara Station]], [[Makino Station]], [[Omi-Imazu Station]], [[Omi-Takashima Station]], [[Shin-Asahi Station]] (West exit), [[Adogawa Station]], [[Sakamoto Station]], [[Terasho Station]], [[Konan Station]], [[Ishibe Station]], [[Kosei Station]], [[Koka Station]], [[Aburahi Station]], and [[Shigaraki Station]]. Usually, you can rent a bicycle at one train station and return it at another if it's on the same train line. The bicycles are rented out by the local tourist association or a private vendor. It's usually 500 yen for the day's rental, and the bicycle must be returned by 5 pm or so. A few of the luxury hotels in Shiga may also have rental bicycles such as the Lake Biwa Marriott Hotel with a GIANT bicycle rental shop in [[Moriyama, Shiga|Moriyama]]. ''Main article: [https://shiga-ken.com/blog/2019/04/cycling-around-lake-biwa-and-shiga-prefecture/ Cycling Around Lake Biwa and Shiga Prefecture]''


You can also travel by boat on Lake Biwa. Boats depart from Otsu, Hikone, Nagahama, and Omi-Imazu Ports.
You can also travel by boat on Lake Biwa. Boats depart from Otsu, Hikone, Nagahama, and Omi-Imazu Ports.
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As of March 21,  2010, Shiga has 13 [[City|cities]]  (''-shi''; 市), 6 [[Town|towns]] (''-cho''; 町), and no [[Village|villages]] (''-mura''; 村). This is less than half the number of municipalities before the [[Heisei Municipal Mergers]] when there were 7 [[City|cities]], 42 [[Town|towns]], and 1 [[Village|village]] in Shiga as of Sep. 30, 2001.
As of March 21,  2010, Shiga has 13 [[City|cities]]  (''-shi''; 市), 6 [[Town|towns]] (''-cho''; 町), and no [[Village|villages]] (''-mura''; 村). This is less than half the number of municipalities before the [[Heisei Municipal Mergers]] when there were 7 [[City|cities]], 42 [[Town|towns]], and 1 [[Village|village]] in Shiga as of Sep. 30, 2001.


The major cities are [[Otsu, Shiga|Otsu]] (capital), [[Hikone, Shiga|Hikone]], [[Nagahama, Shiga|Nagahama]], [[Higashiomi, Shiga|Higashi-Omi]], and [[Maibara, Shiga|Maibara]].
The major cities are [[Otsu, Shiga|Otsu]] (capital), [[Hikone, Shiga|Hikone]], [[Nagahama, Shiga|Nagahama]], [[Higashi-Omi, Shiga|Higashi-Omi]], and [[Maibara, Shiga|Maibara]].


Shiga also has the following regions: '''Kohoku''' (north of lake 湖北) which includes Maibara, Hikone, and Nagahama cities; '''Kosei''' (west of lake 湖西) which includes Takashima city; '''Koto''' (east of lake 湖東) which includes Higashi Omi and Omi-Hachiman; and '''Konan''' (south of lake 湖南) which includes Otsu, Kusatsu, Moriyama, Ritto, Yasu, Konan, and Koka cities.
Shiga also has the following regions: '''Kohoku''' (north of lake 湖北) which includes Maibara, Hikone, and Nagahama cities; '''Kosei''' (west of lake 湖西) which includes Takashima city; '''Koto''' (east of lake 湖東) which includes Higashi Omi and Omi-Hachiman; and '''Konan''' (south of lake 湖南) which includes Otsu, Kusatsu, Moriyama, Ritto, Yasu, Konan, and Koka cities.
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== Photos ==
== Photos ==
As of Oct. 11, 2018, over 17,200 [http://photoguide.jp/pix/index.php?cat=3 photos of every city and town in Shiga here].
As of Oct. 11, 2018, over 17,200 [https://photoguide.jp/pix/index.php?cat=3 photos of every city and town in Shiga here].


== Videos ==
== Videos ==
My video clips of Shiga Prefecture are on YouTube. [http://shiga-ken.com/blog/2015/08/shiga-prefecture-videos/ See all my Shiga videos indexed in categories here.]
My video clips of Shiga Prefecture are on YouTube. [https://shiga-ken.com/blog/2015/08/shiga-prefecture-videos/ See all my Shiga videos indexed in categories here.]


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== Miscellaneous ==
== Miscellaneous ==
=== Recent News ===
=== Recent News ===
The five latest headlines from [http://shiga-ken.com/blog/ Shiga Blog] are displayed in the animated banner below.
The latest news headlines via Twitter:


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<p><a target="_blank" href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ShigaNews/~6/3"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/ShigaNews.3.gif" alt="Shiga News - by Philbert Ono" style="border:0"></a></p>
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<a class="twitter-timeline" href="https://twitter.com/ShigaHeadlines" data-widget-id="357444464597413888">Tweets by @ShigaHeadlines</a>
<a class="twitter-timeline" href="https://twitter.com/ShigaHeadlines" data-widget-id="357444464597413888">Tweets by @ShigaHeadlines</a>
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=== Trivia ===
=== Trivia ===
*The life expectancy of Shiga residents ranks among the longest in Japan. In 2021, Shiga males enjoyed the longest life expectancy in Japan and Shiga women ranked No. 4 in Japan.
*Shiga has one of Japan's highest number of factories. Since the 1990s, this has attracted a large Brazilian population who work in the factories.
*As of Dec. 31, 2006, Shiga had Japan's lowest ratio of obstetricians and gynecologists per 100,000 women aged 15 to 49 at 26.8 doctors. Tottori Prefecture had the highest ratio at 60.5.
*As of Dec. 31, 2006, Shiga had Japan's lowest ratio of obstetricians and gynecologists per 100,000 women aged 15 to 49 at 26.8 doctors. Tottori Prefecture had the highest ratio at 60.5.
*According to a 10-year study (starting in 1982) by Shiga Prefecture, the prefecture, formerly known as Omi-no-kuni, has seen a total of 1,328 castles built within its boundaries over the centuries. This makes Shiga the 4th highest in the nation with former castles built within its domain. Koka is the city in Shiga with the highest number of former castles at 223.
*According to a 10-year study (starting in 1982) by Shiga Prefecture, the prefecture, formerly known as Omi-no-kuni, has seen a total of 1,328 castles built within its boundaries over the centuries. This makes Shiga the 4th highest in the nation with former castles built within its domain. Koka is the city in Shiga with the highest number of former castles at 223.
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=== Famous People ===
=== Famous People ===
*'''Yoshihide Kiryu''' (1995- ) 桐生 祥秀 - Track star from Hikone who holds Japan's 100-meter record with a time of 9.98 seconds.
*'''Ohashi Yui''' (1995- ) 大橋 悠依 - Hikone native who won two gold medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics for the Women's 400m individual medley and Women's 200m individual medley.
*'''Takashi Inui''' (1988- ) 乾 貴士 - Japanese footballer/soccer player from Yasu who was on Japan's national team at the 2018 World Cup.
*'''Kiryu Yoshihide''' (1995- ) 桐生 祥秀 - Track star from Hikone who holds Japan's 100-meter record with a time of 9.98 seconds.
*'''Yukiko Inui''' (1990- ) 乾 友紀子 - Japanese competitor in synchronized swimming representing Japan at the Olympics. From Omi-Hachiman. (No relation to Takashi.)
*'''Inui Takashi''' (1988- ) 乾 貴士 - Japanese footballer/soccer player from Yasu who was on Japan's national team at the 2018 World Cup.
*'''Inui Yukiko''' (1990- ) 乾 友紀子 - Japanese competitor in synchronized swimming representing Japan at the Olympics. From Omi-Hachiman. (No relation to Takashi.)
*'''Yamaoka Magokichi''' (1888-1962) 山岡孫吉 - Native of Takatsuki-cho in northern Shiga and founder of Yanmar Diesel Co.
*'''Yamaoka Magokichi''' (1888-1962) 山岡孫吉 - Native of Takatsuki-cho in northern Shiga and founder of Yanmar Diesel Co.
*'''Tsutsumi Yasujiro''' (1889-1964) 堤康次郎 - Hailing from Hatasho-cho, founder of the Hakone Tochi Co., the forerunner of Kokudo Co. which operate Seibu Railways and other interests. Father of Tsutsumi Yoshiaki, the disgraced president of Kokudo born to a mistress. The company also operates the Ohmi Railways and bus lines in Shiga.
*'''Tsutsumi Yasujiro''' (1889-1964) 堤康次郎 - Hailing from Hatasho-cho, founder of the Hakone Tochi Co., the forerunner of Kokudo Co. which operate Seibu Railways and other interests. Father of Tsutsumi Yoshiaki, the disgraced president of Kokudo born to a mistress. The company also operates the Ohmi Railways and bus lines in Shiga.
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*'''Uno Sosuke''' (1922-1998) 宇野 宗佑 - Native of [[Moriyama, Shiga|Moriyama]] who was Japan's 75th prime minister in 1989. Unfortunatelty, he was also one of the shortest-serving prime ministers in history, being forced to resign after only three months (June-August 1989) in office. His extramarital affair with a [[Kagurazaka, Tokyo|Kagurazaka]] geisha turned into a widely-reported sex scandal, leaving him no choice but to resign in total disgrace.
*'''Uno Sosuke''' (1922-1998) 宇野 宗佑 - Native of [[Moriyama, Shiga|Moriyama]] who was Japan's 75th prime minister in 1989. Unfortunatelty, he was also one of the shortest-serving prime ministers in history, being forced to resign after only three months (June-August 1989) in office. His extramarital affair with a [[Kagurazaka, Tokyo|Kagurazaka]] geisha turned into a widely-reported sex scandal, leaving him no choice but to resign in total disgrace.
*'''Take Yutaka''' (1969- ) 武豊 - Japan's top racehorse jockey from Ritto.
*'''Take Yutaka''' (1969- ) 武豊 - Japan's top racehorse jockey from Ritto.
*'''Takanori Nishikawa''' (1970- ) 西川 貴教 - Musician, singer, and songwriter from Yasu. He performs under the stage name T.M.Revolution (TMR), which stands for "Takanori Makes Revolution."
*'''Nishikawa Takanori''' (1970- ) 西川 貴教 - Musician, singer, and songwriter from Yasu. He performs under the stage name T.M.Revolution (TMR), which stands for "Takanori Makes Revolution."
*'''Hiro Yamagata''' (1948- ) ヒロ・ヤマガタ - Print artist, native of Maibara.
*'''Hiro Yamagata''' (1948- ) ヒロ・ヤマガタ - Print artist, native of Maibara.
*'''Soichiro Tahara (1934- ) 田原 総一朗 - Japanese political journalist from Hikone.
*'''Tahara Soichiro''' (1934- ) 田原 総一朗 - Japanese political journalist from Hikone.


''See also [[History_of_Shiga_Prefecture#Historical_Persons]].''
''See also [[History_of_Shiga_Prefecture#Historical_Persons]].''


=== Foreigners in Shiga ===
=== Foreigners in Shiga ===
As of Dec. 31, 2009, Shiga Prefecture has 28,422 registered foreign residents from 83 countries. This is 3,810 people less than the year before, or an 11.8% decrease attributed to over 3,000 Brazilians who left Shiga. By nationality, Brazilians are the biggest group in Shiga numbering 11,339 (compared to 14,379 on Dec. 31, 2008). Followed by 5,735 Koreans (North and South), 5,144 Chinese, 1,828 Filipinos, and 1,808 Peruvians. Other nationalities number 2,568.  
As of Dec. 31, 2022, Shiga Prefecture had a record 36,158 registered foreign residents. The number rebounded after Japan reopened to foreigners after decline of COVID-19. It reflects the demand for factory workers in Shiga. By nationality, Brazilians are the biggest group in Shiga numbering 9,281. Followed by 8,088 Vietnamese and 4,533 Chinese. The number of Vietnamese and Indonesians have increased significantly by 25% and 56% respectively.
 
Otsu has the largest number of foreign residents numbering 4,910. Followed by Higashi-Omi's 4,424 and Koka's 4,142 foreigners.
 
Back in Dec. 31, 2009, Shiga Prefecture had 28,422 registered foreign residents from 83 countries. This was 3,810 people less than the year before, or an 11.8% decrease attributed to over 3,000 Brazilians who left Shiga. By nationality, Brazilians were the biggest group in Shiga numbering 11,339 (compared to 14,379 on Dec. 31, 2008). Followed by 5,735 Koreans (North and South), 5,144 Chinese, 1,828 Filipinos, and 1,808 Peruvians. Other nationalities number 2,568.  


The number of Americans and other native English speakers are probably in the hundreds. Otsu has the largest number of foreign residents numbering 4,218. Followed by Nagahama's 3,645 (not counting the towns it merged with in Jan. 2010) and Higashi-Omi's 3,489. Brazilians number most in Nagahama (2,447) and in Higashi-Omi (2,137) where there are many factories.
The number of Americans and other native English speakers are probably in the hundreds. Otsu had the largest number of foreign residents numbering 4,218. Followed by Nagahama's 3,645 (not counting the towns it merged with in Jan. 2010) and Higashi-Omi's 3,489. Brazilians number most in Nagahama (2,447) and in Higashi-Omi (2,137) where there are many factories.


== Tourist Information ==
== Tourist Information ==
Major train stations such as Otsu, Hikone, Nagahama, Kusatsu, and Omi-Hachiman have a tourist information desk. They may or may not speak English. Some pamphlets are in foreign languages. Quality of English may be poor. Very few cities in Shiga maintain an English website for tourist information in English. Only [http://shiga-ken.com/ shiga-ken.com] provides much tourist information in English.
Major train stations such as Otsu, Hikone, Nagahama, Kusatsu, and Omi-Hachiman have a tourist information desk. They may or may not speak English. Some pamphlets are in foreign languages. Quality of English may be poor.


== Sister Cities and International Exchange Associations ==
== Sister Cities and International Exchange Associations ==
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     <td align="right" valign="middle"><div align="center"><a href="https://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=600" target="window"><img src="https://photoguide.jp/pix/albums/shiga/shiga-kenjin/2007taikai/017-IMG_7909.jpg" alt="Shiga Kenjin Kai" width="300" height="" align="middle"></a></div></td>
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== External Links ==
== External Links ==
* [http://shiga-ken.com/ shiga-ken.com] - Comprehensive guide to Shiga Prefecture in English.
* [https://shiga-ken.com/ shiga-ken.com] - Comprehensive guide to Shiga Prefecture in English.


{{Shiga}}
{{Shiga}}

Latest revision as of 16:28, 2 April 2023

Shiga Prefecture (滋賀県; Shiga-ken)
Shizugatake Lake Biwa from Mt. Shizugatake. More Shiga photos here.
Map of Japan with Shiga highlighted in red
Google Map of Shiga here.
Location Honshu island, Kinki region 
Neighbors Fukui Prefecture, Gifu Prefecture, Mie Prefecture, Kyoto Prefecture 
Population 1,407,891 (36,158 foreigners as of Dec. 31, 2022) (31st) (Feb. 1, 2022)
Area 4,017.36 km² (14.0% water) (38th)
Major Cities Otsu (capital), Hikone, Nagahama, Higashi-Omi, Omi-Hachiman, Koka, Maibara 
Major Sights Lake Biwa, Hikone Castle, Chikubushima, Mt. Hiei, Enryakuji Temple, Ukimido Floating Temple, Ishiyama and Miidera Temples, Koto Sanzan Temple Trio, Mt. Shizugatake, Lake Yogo, Shigaraki 
Major Gateways JR Maibara Station, Otsu Station, Kyoto Station and Yamashina Station (Kyoto Pref.) 
Train Lines JR Tokaido Main Line, Tokaido Shinkansen, Kosei Line, Hokuriku Main Line, Kusatsu Line, Ohmi Railways 
Travel Time 2.5 hours from Tokyo to Maibara Station via Hikari shinkansen; 2.25 hours from Tokyo to Kyoto via Nozomi shinkansen, then 10 min. to Otsu via Tokaido Line; 10 min. from Kyoto Station to Otsu Station via JR; 25 min. from Sanjo-Keihan (Kyoto) to Keihan Biwako Hama-Otsu Station 
Claim to Fame Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake
Products funazushi, Omi-gyu (beef), Shigaraki pottery, Lake Biwa pearls
Old Name(s) Omi (Ohmi) 近江
Keywords Biwako (Lake Biwa), Omi (Ohmi), Omi shonin merchants, Heiwado
Historical Persons Emperor Tenji, Saicho, Lady Murasaki Shikibu, Oda Nobunaga, Azai Nagamasa, Ii Naosuke, William Merrell Vories
Related Links Shiga Articles | Shiga Photos
Tourist Links shiga-ken.com | JNTO
Shiga Prefectural Government
Address 〒520-8577大津市京町4-1-1
4-1-1 Kyomachi, Otsu-shi, Shiga-ken 520-8577 JAPAN
Phone (077) 524-1121 
Official Site Japanese site 
Symbols Flower:  Rhododendron (shakunage)
Tree:  Japanese maple (momiji)
Bird:  Little grebe (kaitsuburi)
Others:  Lake Biwa
Logo:  Created in May 1957. Based on the katakana characters for "Shiga" and the circle in the middle symbolizing Lake Biwa.
Sister States Michigan, USA; Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Hunan, China. Sister cities here (CLAIR)
Map of Shiga

by Philbert Ono, Last updated: Apr. 3, 2023

Shiga Prefecture (滋賀県; Shiga-ken) is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan, located next to Kyoto Prefecture in the Kinki (Kansai) Region on Japan's largest island of Honshu.

Famous for:

  • Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake with numerous endemic species.
  • Koka (Koga) ninja in the city of Koka.
  • Mt. Hiei and Enryakuji Temple where many founders of Japanese Buddhist sects trained.
  • Hikone Castle (National Treasure), one of the few original castles remaining.
  • Third highest number of National Treasure buildings in Japan: Miidera, Ishiyama-dera, Hiyoshi Taisha, etc.
  • Azuchi Castle (now in ruins) built by Nobunaga in the 16th century. Japan's Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573-1603) is partially named after this castle.
  • Shigaraki pottery, one of Japan's ancient, renown kilns.
  • Funazushi fermented lake fish, the origin of modern sushi.
  • Omi beef.

A prefecture is like a U.S. state with its own locally-elected governor and legislature. Each prefecture consists of municipalities that are designated as cities, towns, or villages depending on the population level. Shiga has currently has 13 cities, 6 towns, and no villages. The capital city is Otsu in southern Shiga adjacent to the city of Kyoto in neighboring Kyoto Prefecture. Shiga's population is about 1.42 million (as of Jan. 1, 2019, including 29,274 foreigners) in an area larger than Tokyo.

Like a belly button on a map of Japan

You can easily find Shiga on a map of Japan with Lake Biwa looking like a belly button near the center of Honshu. Shiga's other neighbors are Fukui Prefecture in the north, Gifu Prefecture in the east, and Mie Prefecture in the southeast. Kyoto Prefecture is in the west. Most people traveling to Kyoto or Osaka from the east (Tokyo, etc.) will usually have to pass through Shiga either by train (including the Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train) or expressway.

Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake

Shiga's most prominent natural feature is Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake and one of the world's oldest lakes dating back 4 million years. It occupies one-sixth of the prefecture's total area. In area, it is slightly larger than the 23 wards in central Tokyo. The shore length is about 241 km (149 mi). The lake's long history and diverse habitats such as rocky and sandy shores, cold and pelagic waters, and reed beds gave rise to over 70 endemic fish and mollusk species and subspecies found nowhere else.

The lake supplies water to 14.5 million people in Kyoto and Osaka via man-made canals. Shiga is therefore very sensitive to and wary of nuclear power plants operating in neighboring Fukui Prefecture. Popular lake activities include bicycling, bird-watching (especially for migratory birds in winter), rowing, swimming in summer, and sightseeing boat cruises. Although Shiga is a landlocked prefecture, Lake Biwa endows it with good swimming beaches. The western and northern shores of the lake along the Kosei Line are generally more scenic with sandy white beaches.

Mountains form a giant bowl

Shiga is fringed by mountain ranges such as the Ibuki, Hira, and Suzuka almost all around. They make Shiga like a giant bowl with Lake Biwa collecting water from the mountains via 110 inflowing rivers. There is only one outflowing river, Seta River and two outflowing canals (Lake Biwa Canal) in Otsu. The lake's water level is controlled by a sluice on Seta River. In winter, northern Shiga (Yogo, Nagahama, Maibara, Imazu) is colder with higher snowfall than in southern Shiga.

Formerly named "Omi"

During the feudal period, Shiga was a samurai domain named "Omi" (also spelled "Ohmi" 近江). Since it was the doorstep to Kyoto, the Imperial Capital where the emperor resided, being in control of Omi was critical to the samurai government. Omi was also a critical transportation link to and from Kyoto. The two major major roads connecting Kyoto and Tokyo, the Tokaido and Nakansendo, passed through Omi. Also, cargo ships on Lake Biwa linked Kyoto to northern Japan via Fukui Prefecture. After the feudal system was abolished in 1868, Omi was finally renamed "Shiga Prefecture" in 1872.

Rural prefecture, rural economy

With a population of about 1.4 million, Shiga is a rural prefecture with no large cities. Most of the population is concentrated in southern and eastern Shiga along the JR Tokaido/Biwako Line. The northern and western areas are rural with less frequent train service (JR Kosei Line). Shiga's population, especially in southern Shiga, has been increasing since it is within commuting distance to Kyoto and Osaka. Housing is more affordable in Shiga. People in Shiga speak a dialect similar to the Kyoto and Kansai dialects. Shiga people are generally quite conservative, especially the older generation.

Agriculture is Shiga's major industry, mainly rice named "Omi-mai" (近江米). Fine tea called "Omi-cha" is also grown, mainly in Tsuchiyama, Koka. Omi wagyu beef is another famous product of Shiga. For years, the Lake Biwa fisheries industry has been seriously declining due to declining fish stock caused by invasive species and cormorants.

With over 2,600 factories large and small, Shiga also has one of the highest number of manufacturing factories in Japan, attracting many Brazilian workers since the 1990s especially in eastern Shiga. Vast majority of the factories employ less than 300 employees. The majority employ less than 30 workers.

Other than Otsu and Hikone, most places in Shiga are not really geared for foreign tourists. There is a lack of tourist information in foreign languages and multilingual tourist information staff in most places.

Many National Treasures, architecture

Being next to Kyoto, Shiga has many Buddhist temples and shrines. A number of them are National Treasures and one is a World Heritage Site (Enryakuji Temple). After Nara and Kyoto Prefectures, Shiga has Japan's third highest number of buildings (22) that are National Treasures including Hikone Castle, one of only five National Treasure castle towers in Japan.

The old Tokaido and Nakasendo Roads in Shiga leading to Kyoto have vestiges of the former shukuba lodging towns such as in (Kusatsu) and Samegai. Also during the feudal period, Omi merchants from Shiga sold textiles, medicines, lacquerware, and other goods all over Japan. They became wealthy and built luxury Japanese-style homes in Omi-Hachiman, Gokasho, and Hino. Some of the grand homes are open to the public.

Famous things and people

Well-known local symbols of Shiga include Hiko-nyan (official white cat mascot of Hikone), Heiwado (supermarket chain), and funazushi fermented carp (cheesy fish). Omi wagyu beef, red konnyaku devil's tongue, Biwa salmon, and ayu sweetfish (from Lake Biwa) are other famous delicacies of Shiga. Lake Biwa freshwater pearls were internationally famous during the 1960s to early 1980s until the Biwa pearl mussels were decimated by pollution. Today, only a few pearl farmers in Shiga are cultivating Biwa pearls. Vintage Lake Biwa pearls are still being sold.

Nationally-known companies founded in Shiga include the Seibu Group (railways, Seibu Department Stores, and Prince Hotel chain), Itochu, Marubeni, Yanmar, Nippon Travel Agency, and Shirokiya (namsake still exists in Honolulu, Hawaii). Takata Corporation, former maker of the defective Takata airbags, was founded in Shiga. TORAY and Daihatsu are also major employers in Shiga.

Currently, the most famous contemporary people from Shiga include Yui Ohashi (1995- ), double gold medalist for Women's Individual medley swimming at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Yoshihide Kiryu (1995- ), an Olympic track star from Hikone who used to hold Japan's 100-meter record with a time of 9.98 seconds. Takashi Inui (1988- ), a Japanese footballer/soccer player from Yasu who was on Japan's national team at the 2018 World Cup. Yukiko Inui (1990- ), an Olympic synchronized swimmer from Omi-Hachiman who won Olympic bronze in Rio. (No relation to Takashi.) Take Yutaka (1969- ), Japan's longtime top racehorse jockey from Ritto. Takanori Nishikawa (1970- ), very popular musician, singer, and songwriter from Yasu. He performs under the stage name T.M.Revolution (TMR). Hiro Yamagata (1948- ), print artist from Maibara.

Obscure prefecture

Shiga is one of Japan's lesser known and obscure prefectures, especially among foreign visitors and foreigners who live in Japan away from the Kansai Region. As a desirable tourist destination, it is usually ranked toward the bottom among the 47 prefectures even among Japanese travelers. Although Lake Biwa is Shiga's top symbol and claim to fame, it is still not a strong national or international attraction like Lake Ashi (Mt. Fuji) in Kanagawa, Lake Towada (autumn foliage) in Aomori, or Lake Mashu in Hokkaido which are all in a national park. (Lake Biwa is not a national park. It is only a quasi-national park which is a lower designation.)

Shiga has never been good at tourism PR either. Shiga has never had a creative tourist slogan nor PR campaign that captured the public's attention and imagination. Tourism information for foreigners (if any) is usually in poor-quality English on both paper and online.

However, obscurity does not mean a lack of top-notch sights and discoveries. Anyone who dares to visit this obscure place will find many unexpected delights. It really is an off-the-beaten path, which makes it more adventurous. You just have to make the time to come and visit.

Forever in the shadow of Kyoto

Shiga has always been overshadowed by its much more famous neighbor Kyoto. Typical tourists have too many things to see in Kyoto and not even think about visiting Shiga. This has been a most frustrating predicament for Shiga tourism for ages. Being much more rural with a slow life, Shiga is a great place to get away from the tourist crowds of Kyoto.

Getting to Shiga

Shiga is easy to get to, especially from Kyoto Station, a shinkansen station and hub for local train lines going to Shiga. A short train ride can get you to Otsu. Up north, Maibara Station is Shiga's shinkansen bullet train station (about 2.5 hours from Tokyo). Maibara Station also has direct train lines from Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture and the Hokuriku region (Fukui, Ishikawa, and Toyama Prefectures). For details, see Getting There & Around below.

Major Sights

More Shiga photos here.

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Lake Biwa Mt. Shizugatake Katata Ukimido
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Hikone Castle Hiko-nyan Mt. Ibuki
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Enryakuji temple Ishiyama-dera Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine
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Koka ninja house Ninja Village Shigaraki

*Main article: Shiga Prefecture Sights

Sightseeing in Shiga is basically about Lake Biwa, traditional architecture (National Treasure Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines), traditional townscapes (Omi-Hachiman, Gokasho, and Hino) and neighborhoods (Harie), National Historic Sites (mostly related to famous samurai), water sports and cycling, pottery, festivals (matsuri), lakeside cherry blossoms, and autumn foliage at major temples (being next to Kyoto, Shiga has many Buddhist temples). There are no national parks in Shiga. Lake Biwa is a quasi-national park.

Shiga's most tourist-oriented cities are Otsu, Hikone, Nagahama, Kusatsu, and Omi-Hachiman. Most of the major sights in these cities are in a compact area and easily accessible. Larger cities (in area) like Takashima, Higashi-Omi, and Koka have major sights scattered over a large area, requiring more time and effort to get to them.

From Kyoto, the most popular day trips to Shiga include: 1. A visit to the Shigaraki pottery center and Miho Museum in Koka, 2. Guided tour of the Harie neighborhood of natural springs in Takashima, 3. Tour of Enryakuji Temple in Otsu, and 4. Koka Ninja House, and 5. Hikone Castle.

Otsu has nationally famous Buddhist temples Enryakuji (part of a World Heritage Site called Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto) atop Mt. Hiei, Ishiyama-dera, and Miidera all have major structures designated as National Treasures.

Hikone has Hikone Castle, one of only five main castle towers in Japan designated as a National Treasure. With regard to architecture (mainly temples and shrines), Shiga has the third highest number (22) of buildings which are National Treasures, following Nara (64) and Kyoto (48).

Central Nagahama is a laid-back provincial city with a variety of delights such as the lakeside Nagahama Castle, attractive shopping arcades, Daitsuji Temple, Hikiyama Float Museum, and train museum. All within walking distance from Nagahama Station. If you have time, go to Nagahama Port and take a boat to Chikubushima island.

Omi-Hachiman is another architecturally interesting place with traditional townscapes and buildings designed by American missionary William Merrell Vories (1880–1964). The Hachiman-bori Canal area is often used a backdrop in Japanese samurai movies and TV series. Club Harie and Taneya sell famous local confections.

Kusatsu was a lodging town along the old Nakasendo and Tokaido Roads. The Kusatsu Honjin is an outstanding example of the VIP accommodations built for the traveling shogun and daimyo lord. Also in Kusatsu is the best place to learn about Lake Biwa (Biwako) at Lake Biwa Museum.

Besides Shiragaki pottery, Koka is famous for Koka-ryu (Koga) ninja. You can visit the world's only authentic ninja house that still remains in its original location in Koka.

Since prominent daimyo feudal lords such as Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Nagahama Castle), Yamauchi Kazutoyo (Nagahama Castle), and Azai Nagamasa (Odani Castle) once lived in Shiga (known as Omi Province), Shiga has many National Historic Sites related to the feudal era. The Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573-1603) is partially named after Azuchi Castle that Nobunaga built in the 16th century in present-day Omi-Hachiman. If you like samurai history, visit Shiga.

During the peaceful Tokugawa Period, lodging towns along the Tokaido Road and Nakasendo Road flourished as traders and VIPs traveled between Tokyo (Edo) and Kyoto. In Shiga, the best preserved lodging towns (called shukuba-machi), romanticized in woodblock prints, include Samegai, Kusatsu, and Tsuchiyama. Other traditional townscapes and homes in Shiga include Omi merchant homes in Omi-Hachiman, Gokasho, and Hino.

Shiga is lesser known internationally, but it does have many things that would interest anyone. Shiga is often paired with Kyoto as if it were a part of Kyoto. But Shiga is totally different from Kyoto and has its own unique identity and culture.

For a complete list of tourist attractions, see Shiga Prefecture Sights.

Also see National Treasures of Shiga_Prefecture.

Shiga Festivals

*Main article: Festivals of Shiga Prefecture

Shiga has numerous matsuri (religious festivals or festive events) to celebrate nature, worship a god, pray for a good harvest, pray for good health and prosperity, etc. Most are held by Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, and others are held by local organizations. There is a wide variety: float festivals, mikoshi (portable shrine) festivals, fire festivals, costumed processions, rice-planting ceremonies, and more. There are festivals every month of the year, but April, May, October, and November have the most. The great thing is that even Shiga's biggest festivals are not that crowded (except for fireworks) compared to festivals in Kyoto.

Festivals of Shiga Prefecture lists major festivals in an event calendar.

The thumbnails below only show a small sample of Shiga's festivals. Click on a thumbnail to see more photos of the respective matsuri.

I also have videos of Shiga festivals on YouTube.

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Sagicho Matsuri Tsuchiyama Saio Princess Kaizu-Osaki sakura Nagahama Hikiyama Matsuri
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Sanno-sai Festival Taga Matsuri Kusatsu Shukuba Matsuri Kenketo Matsuri, Ryuo
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Hino Matsuri Sushikiri Matsuri Shichikawa Matsuri Yokaichi Giant Kite
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Hyozu Matsuri Yuki Saiden Rice-Planting Biwako Fireworks Taga Taisha Lantern Festival
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Ibukiyama Taiko Drummers Otsu Matsuri Hikone Castle Parade Koto Sanzan foliage

More Shiga photos here.

*Complete list of major festivals at Festivals of Shiga Prefecture organized in an event calendar.

*More sights at Shiga Prefecture Sights.

Travel Tips

If you're like most tourists visiting Japan, you will likely visit and stay in Kyoto. If so, Shiga is an easy half-day or day trip from Kyoto. If you like visiting temples, Otsu is only a short train ride from Kyoto Station. From Kyoto, there are direct trains which go as far as Nagahama in northern Shiga (or Tsuruga in Fukui Prefecture) on the Tokaido/Biwako Line.

However, if you prefer to lodge in Shiga, the following cities are ideal tourist bases with a good number of hotels. Shiga is a great place to escape the hustle and bustle and tourist crowds of Kyoto.

For current weather warnings/advisories in Shiga, see this page (Japan Meteorological Agency).

  • Otsu - Kyoto's neighbor and Shiga's capital city stretches a very long way along the southern shore of Lake Biwa. It has a number of important and historical temples and shrines such as Enryakuji atop Mt. Hiei, Miidera, Ishiyama-dera, Hiyoshi Taisha, and Omi Jingu. Otsu Port is also home to the Michigan paddlewheel boat offering lake cruises.
  • Hikone - This is a well-known castle town with Hikone Castle preserved well-enough to be designated as a National Treasure. Next to it is Genkyu-en Garden. Hikone Port has boats going to Chikubushima and Takeshima islands.
  • Nagahama - Shiga's largest city up north has a reconstructed castle, Japan's oldest train station building (now a museum), temples, the Kunitomo Gun Museum, and Kurokabe Square with black-walled shops. Nagahama Port has boats going to Chikubushima island. A short train ride further up north can also take you to nearby sights like Mt. Shizugatake and Lake Yogo.
  • Omi-Hachiman - A former merchant and castle town, this is another historical city which history buffs and architecture fans would love. Mt. Hachimanyama used to be a castle and it still gives great views of the city and lake. Nearby is also Azuchi Castle ruins and Omi merchant homes at Gokasho. The Ohmi Railway also leads to Yokaichi in Higashi-Omi.
  • Kusatsu - A former post town on the Tokaido and Nakasendo Roads is the gateway to southeastern Shiga (especially Koka) with the JR Kusatsu Line starting in Kusatsu.
  • Takashima - Takashima occupies all of western Shiga. It is much more quiet and rural in Takashima and yet very picturesque with lakeside beaches and parks. Omi-Imazu and Makino have hotels with good views.

*See also Budget Accommodations below.

Ideal Itineraries

  • Visit Enryakuji temple on Mt. Hiei. Enryakuji is accessible from Kyoto via the Eizan Cable Car or by bus. From Otsu via the Sakamoto Cable Car. It's large temple complex, but the main area is Todo.
  • Visit important temples in central Otsu. Should start with Ishiyama-dera, then visit Miidera, Ukimido, and Sakamoto.
  • Go on a lake cruise from Otsu Port. Boats leave a few times a day. The Michigan paddlewheel boat is a longtime fixture on the lake. Sixty-minute and 90-min. cruises are offered.
  • Visit Omi-Maiko beach. Take the JR Kosei Line from Kyoto Station and get off at Omi-Maiko Station to see white sand beaches.
  • Visit Hikone Castle. Easily accessible by train from almost everywhere. From Kyoto, take the JR Tokaido/Biwako Line and get off at Hikone Station. The castle is a short walk from the station.
  • Visit Koka Ninja House and Ninja Village in Koka. Take the JR Kusatsu Line to Konan Station or Koka Station and take a taxi or call the Ninja Village (0748-88-5000) for a free ride. Unfortunately, there is no public transportation between the Ninja Village and Koka Ninja House. Call a taxi at either place to visit the other.
  • Go up Mt. Shizugatake on the chair lift and hike down to Lake Yogo. Buses and taxis to Mt. Shizugatake are available at JR Kinomoto Station. Atop the mountain are grand views of two lakes: Lake Biwa on one side and Lake Yogo on the other side. Hike down to Lake Yogo and rest or eat at the lakeside lodge called Yogoko-so.
  • Visit Chikubushima island. Boats leave often for Chikubushima from Hikone, Nagahama, and Omi-Imazu Ports. Best way to see the lake.
  • Bicycle or drive around Lake Biwa. The road around the lake is quite flat. Allow at least three days to cycle completely around the lake. Or two days if you plan to take a short cut and cross Biwako Ohashi Bridge at the neck of the lake.
  • Visit Kaizu-Osaki cherry blossoms in spring. JR Makino Station on the JR Kosei Line has rental bicycles convenient to ride to the Kaizu-Osaki lake shore. But beware of heavy traffic during cherry blossom season.
  • Visit central Nagahama. Many attractions within a small area around JR Nagahama Station. Toward the lake is the reconstructed Nagahama Castle (local history museum) affording great views of the lake and city. The castle is in Hokoen Park, famous for cherry blossoms in April. On the other side of Nagahama Station toward the mountains is Kurokabe Square (glass shop) and shopping arcade. Visit the Hikiyama Museum and Daitsuji temple.
  • Visit the Koto Sanzan Temple Trio in fall. During the fall colors, buses run between the three temples and Eigenji. Start at either Eigenji (bus from Yokaichi Station) or Saimyoji (bus from Hikone Station). You can buy an Omi Railway train/bus pass for only ¥1,800 to visit all three Koto Sanzan temples plus Eigenji Temple.
  • Visit Konan Sanzan Temple Trio. Another similar trio of temples, but lesser known. The three temples all have National Treasure Buildings, but there is no convenient shuttle bus linking all three.
  • If you have a car or can rent one, driving around Lake Biwa is also highly recommended. It will take a full day, including sightseeing time. Crossing the Biwako Ohashi Bridge at the neck of the lake can also save time. (Buses also cross the lake between Moriyama and Katata Stations.) Besides driving along the lake shore, driving along the mountain roads on Mt. Hiei and Oku Biwako Parkway also affords grand views of the lake.

Other Tips

  • When traveling on the JR Kosei Line in western Shiga, note the train schedule for your return trip. Train runs can be very infrequent.
  • Some train stations in Shiga have rental bicycles. See "Getting Around" below. A few of the luxury hotels in Shiga might also have rental bicycles. Cycling along the lake shore is great during the warmer months. Much of the lake is ringed by a cycling road. You can rent a bicycle at one train station and return it at another. Very convenient. It is also possible to bicycle around the entire lake (It took me 3 days to bicycle around the lake.). The terrain is very flat except for the killer slopes along the northern shore's Oku Biwako Parkway road.
  • On weekends, Ohmi Railways offer the "free kippu" train pass for only 550 yen. You can use it to ride the Ohmi Railways all day. A good deal if you plan to ride the Ohmi Railways train at least twice. Also, during non-rush hours (9 am - 4 pm), you can bring your bicycle aboard the train. This railway line is good for exploring eastern Shiga in Higashi-Omi and Koka.
  • Shiga's most famous delicacies are funa-zushi and Omi-gyu beef. Funa-zushi is fermented crucian carp (nigorobuna) which may smell rotten to the uninitiated. But it goes very well with sake or beer. Omi-gyu is top-grade beef.

Maps of Shiga

Google Maps of Shiga cities and towns with English placemarks (so far):

Aisho Map | Higashi-Omi Map | Hikone Map | Hino Map | Koka Map | Konan Map | Kora Map | Kusatsu Map | Maibara Map | Moriyama Map | Nagahama Map | Omi-Hachiman Map | Otsu Map | Ritto Map | Ryuo Map | Taga Map | Takashima Map | Toyosato Map | Yasu Map

Getting There & Around

Main article: Shiga Prefecture Transportation.

Getting to Shiga is easy from the Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto/Osaka, and Kanazawa directions. The Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train stops at Maibara Station (Kodama and some Hikari trains) in northern Shiga and Kyoto Station in Kyoto next to Otsu in southern Shiga. The JR Tokaido/Biwako Line runs through eastern Shiga between Nagoya (Aichi Pref.) and Osaka/Kyoto. From the Hokuriku region (Fukui, Ishikawa, and Toyama), the JR (Japan Railways) Hokuriku Main Line arrives at Nagahama and Maibara Stations. Western Shiga is covered by the JR Kosei Line from Kyoto.

By train

By air

Getting Around

Travel within Shiga is easy via JR Lines, private railways, local city buses, and taxi cabs. There is at least one train station in almost all cities and towns in Shiga. Trains are relatively frequent along the heavily-traveled Tokaido Main Line (also called Biwako Line between Nagahama and Kyoto) is frequent, and less frequent along the JR Kosei Line along the western shore. It is possible to travel around Lake Biwa entirely by train on the JR Tokaido Main Line and Hokuriku Main Line on the eastern side and the scenic Kosei Line along the western shore. However, since it is not a loop line, at least two train transfers (at Yamashina Station and Omi-Shiotsu Station) will be necessary along the way.

In eastern Shiga, the private Ohmi Railways serve a few cities such as Higashi-Omi and Koka. However, the trains (usually only two or three cars) are quite slow and not that frequent. For foreign tourists, there is the two-day pass good for Ohmi Railways and Ohmi bus (as of Oct. 2018). On weekends, the Free Kippu ticket (despite its name, it's not free) is available at a bargain price (¥880 for adults as of Oct. 2018) and you can use it to ride the Ohmi Railways all day. A good deal if you plan to ride the Ohmi Railways train at least twice. Also, during non-rush hours (9 am - 4 pm), you can bring your bicycle aboard the train.

Wheelchair users and baby stroller users should be aware that many train stations in Shiga do not have elevators, escalators, or ramps, especially in rural areas. The larger train stations (Otsu, Maibara, Nagahama, etc.) and newer stations are wheelchair accesssible. However, Shiga still has many old and rural train stations without ramps or elevators especially on the Ohmi Railway lines. Many of the smaller stations are not even staffed. (No one to help you get on/off the train.) Click on the train station link to check if it's wheelchair accesssible with an elevator, escalator, or ramp.

Buses operated by Ohmi Railways and Keihan operate from the major train stations. See the routes and schedules here: Ohmi Railways bus routes] (Japanese only).

Rental bicycles are also great for lakeshore touring. Bicycling around the entire lake (about 200 km and nicknamed "Biwa-ichi) is quite popular. You can also bicycle only a few km between train stations. The following train stations in Shiga have rental bicycles: Kusatsu Station, Omi-Hachiman Station, Azuchi Station (North exit), Maibara Station (high-end bicycles), Sakata Station, Nagahama Station, Torahime Station, Takatsuki Station, Kawake Station, Kinomoto Station, Yogo Station, Omi-Shiotsu Station, Nagahara Station, Makino Station, Omi-Imazu Station, Omi-Takashima Station, Shin-Asahi Station (West exit), Adogawa Station, Sakamoto Station, Terasho Station, Konan Station, Ishibe Station, Kosei Station, Koka Station, Aburahi Station, and Shigaraki Station. Usually, you can rent a bicycle at one train station and return it at another if it's on the same train line. The bicycles are rented out by the local tourist association or a private vendor. It's usually 500 yen for the day's rental, and the bicycle must be returned by 5 pm or so. A few of the luxury hotels in Shiga may also have rental bicycles such as the Lake Biwa Marriott Hotel with a GIANT bicycle rental shop in Moriyama. Main article: Cycling Around Lake Biwa and Shiga Prefecture

You can also travel by boat on Lake Biwa. Boats depart from Otsu, Hikone, Nagahama, and Omi-Imazu Ports.

Details at Shiga Prefecture Transportation.

Municipalities

Shiga as seen from space. Inhabited areas look white.

*Main article: Shiga Prefecture Municipalities

As of March 21, 2010, Shiga has 13 cities (-shi; 市), 6 towns (-cho; 町), and no villages (-mura; 村). This is less than half the number of municipalities before the Heisei Municipal Mergers when there were 7 cities, 42 towns, and 1 village in Shiga as of Sep. 30, 2001.

The major cities are Otsu (capital), Hikone, Nagahama, Higashi-Omi, and Maibara.

Shiga also has the following regions: Kohoku (north of lake 湖北) which includes Maibara, Hikone, and Nagahama cities; Kosei (west of lake 湖西) which includes Takashima city; Koto (east of lake 湖東) which includes Higashi Omi and Omi-Hachiman; and Konan (south of lake 湖南) which includes Otsu, Kusatsu, Moriyama, Ritto, Yasu, Konan, and Koka cities.

*Annotated list of municipalities at Shiga Prefecture Municipalities.

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

Shiga History

The two biggest factors influencing Shiga's history has been Japan's largest lake called Lake Biwa and Shiga's location next to Kyoto, the old Imperial Capital of Japan where the Emperor of Japan resided.

See Main article: History of Shiga Prefecture.

Photos

As of Oct. 11, 2018, over 17,200 photos of every city and town in Shiga here.

Videos

My video clips of Shiga Prefecture are on YouTube. See all my Shiga videos indexed in categories here.

Miscellaneous

Recent News

The latest news headlines via Twitter:

More Shiga news at Shiga News Headlines by Philbert Ono.

Trivia

  • The life expectancy of Shiga residents ranks among the longest in Japan. In 2021, Shiga males enjoyed the longest life expectancy in Japan and Shiga women ranked No. 4 in Japan.
  • Shiga has one of Japan's highest number of factories. Since the 1990s, this has attracted a large Brazilian population who work in the factories.
  • As of Dec. 31, 2006, Shiga had Japan's lowest ratio of obstetricians and gynecologists per 100,000 women aged 15 to 49 at 26.8 doctors. Tottori Prefecture had the highest ratio at 60.5.
  • According to a 10-year study (starting in 1982) by Shiga Prefecture, the prefecture, formerly known as Omi-no-kuni, has seen a total of 1,328 castles built within its boundaries over the centuries. This makes Shiga the 4th highest in the nation with former castles built within its domain. Koka is the city in Shiga with the highest number of former castles at 223.
  • In Aug. 1876, four counties in western Fukui Prefecture north of Shiga merged with Shiga. For about 5 years up to 1881 while these counties (including Tsuruga and Mikata) were part of Shiga, Shiga enjoyed having a coast facing the Sea of Japan.
  • During a meeting of the governors of Kyoto and Shiga in late 2005, the idea of merging Kyoto and Shiga Prefectures was mentioned.
  • Since Ohmi Railways is owned by the same company which owns Seibu Railways in Tokyo, many of the train cars look like the old Seibu Railway cars brought to Shiga from Tokyo. Local buses also might sport the same color theme or lion logo as the Seibu Railways and bus lines.
  • Takashimaya Dept. Store got its name from Takashima, Shiga. However, there is no branch store in Shiga.

Famous People

  • Ohashi Yui (1995- ) 大橋 悠依 - Hikone native who won two gold medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics for the Women's 400m individual medley and Women's 200m individual medley.
  • Kiryu Yoshihide (1995- ) 桐生 祥秀 - Track star from Hikone who holds Japan's 100-meter record with a time of 9.98 seconds.
  • Inui Takashi (1988- ) 乾 貴士 - Japanese footballer/soccer player from Yasu who was on Japan's national team at the 2018 World Cup.
  • Inui Yukiko (1990- ) 乾 友紀子 - Japanese competitor in synchronized swimming representing Japan at the Olympics. From Omi-Hachiman. (No relation to Takashi.)
  • Yamaoka Magokichi (1888-1962) 山岡孫吉 - Native of Takatsuki-cho in northern Shiga and founder of Yanmar Diesel Co.
  • Tsutsumi Yasujiro (1889-1964) 堤康次郎 - Hailing from Hatasho-cho, founder of the Hakone Tochi Co., the forerunner of Kokudo Co. which operate Seibu Railways and other interests. Father of Tsutsumi Yoshiaki, the disgraced president of Kokudo born to a mistress. The company also operates the Ohmi Railways and bus lines in Shiga.
  • Itoh Chube'e (1842-1903) 伊藤忠兵衛 - Native of Toyosato and Omi shonin merchant who founded one of Japan's largest trading companies, C. Itoh. He even had a shop in San Francisco, California. His second son Seiichi, also born in Toyosato, set up the C. Itoh company (now Itochu Corporation) in 1918 and started importing textiles from England where he had studied abroad. His house in Toyosato is open to the public.
  • Ogura Yuki (1895-2000) 小倉遊亀 - Renown Japanese painter from Otsu.
  • Uno Sosuke (1922-1998) 宇野 宗佑 - Native of Moriyama who was Japan's 75th prime minister in 1989. Unfortunatelty, he was also one of the shortest-serving prime ministers in history, being forced to resign after only three months (June-August 1989) in office. His extramarital affair with a Kagurazaka geisha turned into a widely-reported sex scandal, leaving him no choice but to resign in total disgrace.
  • Take Yutaka (1969- ) 武豊 - Japan's top racehorse jockey from Ritto.
  • Nishikawa Takanori (1970- ) 西川 貴教 - Musician, singer, and songwriter from Yasu. He performs under the stage name T.M.Revolution (TMR), which stands for "Takanori Makes Revolution."
  • Hiro Yamagata (1948- ) ヒロ・ヤマガタ - Print artist, native of Maibara.
  • Tahara Soichiro (1934- ) 田原 総一朗 - Japanese political journalist from Hikone.

See also History_of_Shiga_Prefecture#Historical_Persons.

Foreigners in Shiga

As of Dec. 31, 2022, Shiga Prefecture had a record 36,158 registered foreign residents. The number rebounded after Japan reopened to foreigners after decline of COVID-19. It reflects the demand for factory workers in Shiga. By nationality, Brazilians are the biggest group in Shiga numbering 9,281. Followed by 8,088 Vietnamese and 4,533 Chinese. The number of Vietnamese and Indonesians have increased significantly by 25% and 56% respectively.

Otsu has the largest number of foreign residents numbering 4,910. Followed by Higashi-Omi's 4,424 and Koka's 4,142 foreigners.

Back in Dec. 31, 2009, Shiga Prefecture had 28,422 registered foreign residents from 83 countries. This was 3,810 people less than the year before, or an 11.8% decrease attributed to over 3,000 Brazilians who left Shiga. By nationality, Brazilians were the biggest group in Shiga numbering 11,339 (compared to 14,379 on Dec. 31, 2008). Followed by 5,735 Koreans (North and South), 5,144 Chinese, 1,828 Filipinos, and 1,808 Peruvians. Other nationalities number 2,568.

The number of Americans and other native English speakers are probably in the hundreds. Otsu had the largest number of foreign residents numbering 4,218. Followed by Nagahama's 3,645 (not counting the towns it merged with in Jan. 2010) and Higashi-Omi's 3,489. Brazilians number most in Nagahama (2,447) and in Higashi-Omi (2,137) where there are many factories.

Tourist Information

Major train stations such as Otsu, Hikone, Nagahama, Kusatsu, and Omi-Hachiman have a tourist information desk. They may or may not speak English. Some pamphlets are in foreign languages. Quality of English may be poor.

Sister Cities and International Exchange Associations

Shiga's sister cities are listed here in English (CLAIR).

Shiga's international exchange associations in various cities are list here in English. They are geared to promote better understanding and friendship between Japanese residents and non-Japanese through sister city exchanges, language classes, social gatherings, etc.

On the prefectural level, Shiga has the Shiga Intercultural Association for Globalization (SIA) based in Otsu. They maintain a relationship with Shiga's sister states: Michigan, U.S.A.; Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; and Hunan, China.

Shiga Kenjinkai

Shiga Kenjin Kai
Shiga Kenjinkai banners

Main article: Shiga Kenjinkai.

A Shiga Kenjinkai 滋賀県人会 is a group or association of people outside Shiga who have ties to Shiga Prefecture. Kenjinkai literally means "native people of the prefecture." Most Shiga Kenjinkai members are originally from Shiga, but members can also be descendants of people originally from Shiga. Anybody interested in Shiga can also become a member. There is a Shiga Kenjinkai in each of the 47 prefectures as well as in 11 countries overseas: USA (Seattle, Southern California, and Hawaii), Canada (Vancouver, Alberta, and Toronto), Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Hong Kong, Indonesia, France, UK, and Germany.

All the Shiga Kenjinkai chapters in Japan and overseas belong to the National Federation of Shiga Kenjinkai (全国滋賀県人会連合会) called Zenkoku Shiga Kenjinkai Rengokai or Zenjiren for short. The national federation has its office in the Kyoto Shiga Kenjinkai office.

The Shiga Kenjinkai are very friendly, and they are always looking for new members.

See Main article: Shiga Kenjinkai.

Budget Accommodations

Related Articles

External Links

  • shiga-ken.com - Comprehensive guide to Shiga Prefecture in English.
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
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