Yasu, Shiga

Yasu, Shiga (野洲市; Yasu-shi)
Rice-planting Festival in May. More Yasu photos here.
Location	Shiga Prefecture, Kinki region, Honshu island, JAPAN
Population	50,746 (?? foreigners) (2022-11-01)
Area	61.45 km²
City Centers	Yasu Station
Major Sights	Mt. Mikami (Omi-Fuji), Kibogaoka Park
Major Gateways	JR Tokaido Main Line Yasu Station
Train Stations	JR Tokaido Main Line Yasu Station
Claim to Fame	Mt. Mikami, Local high school won the national high school soccer championship in Jan. 2006.
Products
Neighbors	Omi-Hachiman, Moriyama, Ritto, Konan, Ryuo-cho
Old Name(s)
Keywords	Omi-Fuji, high school soccer
Historical Persons
Links	Yasu Articles | Yasu Photos
Yasu Tourist Information
Location	野洲市観光案内所 JR野洲駅南口前 Yasu Station, outside South Exit
Phone	077-587-3710
Tourist Links	Tourist Ass.
Int'l Association	Web site Phone: 077-586-3106 FAX: 077-586-3139
Volunteer Guides	Webpage Phone: 077-587-3710
Yasu City Hall 野洲市役所
Address	〒520-2395滋賀県野洲市小篠原2100-1 Koshinohara 2100-1, Yasu-shi, Shiga 520-2395 JAPAN
Phone/Fax	077-587-1121 FAX：077-587-4033
Official Site	Japanese |
Symbols	Flower:	None
	Tree:	None
	Bird:	None
	Others:
	Logo:	enter
Sister Cities	Clinton Township, Michigan USA

This page is 70% complete. Last updated: Nov. 11, 2022

by Philbert Ono

Yasu (野洲市; Yasu-shi) is a city in southeastern Shiga Prefecture, Japan.

Famous for:

• Mt. Mikami, Shiga's Mt. Fuji nicknamed "Omi-Fuji" appearing in the legend about a giant centipede.
• Ancient bronze bells (dotaku).
• Mikami Jinja Shrine and Osasahara Jinja Shrine, both National Treasures.
• Shiga Prefectural Kibogaoka Bunka Park.

Home to Shiga's Mt. Fuji named Mt. Mikami, alias Omi-Fuji, a conical mountain. It is a fairly easy climb to the summit at 432 meters. Famous locally for the legend about the giant centipede occupying the mountain until a brave warrior named Hidesato from Seta Karahashi in Otsu killed it. Mikami Shrine and Hyozu Taisha Shrine are the city's major Shinto shrines. Yasu was also where Japan's largest ancient bronze bells were unearthed in 1881 and 1962.

Yasu also boasts Shiga Prefectural Kibogaoka Bunka Park, a huge and a great place to play and be with nature.

Sights

Mt. Mikami summit	Mikami Shrine	Omi-Fuji Karyoku Koen Park
Rice-planting festival	Osasahara Jinja	Hyozu Matsuri

More photos at Yasu Photos.

• Mt. Mikami 三上山（近江富士） - Nicknamed "Omi-Fuji" (Shiga's Mt. Fuji) since its conical shape resembles Mt. Fuji, Mt. Mikami-yama is a sacred mountain belonging to Mikami Shrine near the foot. The mountain is easy to spot from afar. An elevation of 432 meters makes it a fairly easy climb to the top, taking 40-80 min. depending on which trail you take. There is a steep trail (Front Mountain Path or Omote Tozando) and a less steep trail (Back Mountain Path or Ura Tozando) which takes longer to go up. From Yasu Station, take a short bus ride to Yamade-mae (or walk for 40 min.). From there, you can start going up the steep or less steep trail. Hidesato and the Monster Centipede on Mt. Mikami is a famous folktale about Mt. Mikami. Map

• Omi-Fuji Karyoku Koen Park 近江富士花緑公園 - Sandwiched between the foot of Mt. Mikami and Kibogaoka Bunka Park, this prefectural park (also called Omi-Fuji Green Acres) is about flowers and greenery. In spring, the cherries bloom in the botanical gardens. Lodging facilities, walking trails, playgrounds, and workshops are also provided. Map

• Kibogaoka Bunka Park 希望が丘文化公園 - Large prefectural park with grassy lawn, shallow stream, playgrounds, sports facilities, tennis courts, softball field, gardens, seminar facilities, etc. Map

• Mikami Jinja Shrine 御上神社 - Shinto shrine near the foot of Mt. Mikami which is within its property. The Honden main hall is a National Treasure. It also conducts the annual Rice-planting Festival in late May. Map

• Hyozu Taisha Shrine 兵主大社 - Established in 717 (Nara Period), this shrine's Japanese garden is designated as one of Japan's most famous. Lit at night during the fall colors. The shrine also holds a major festival on May 5 called Hyozu Matsuri with 30 portable shrines paraded within the shrine grounds. A short bus ride from JR Yasu Station's North Exit. Take the Yoshikawa Line and get off at Hyozu Taisha-mae. Or take a taxi (costing about 2,000 yen from Yasu Station). Map

• Dotaku Museum 銅鐸博物館 (Rekishi Minzoku Hakubutsukan 歴史民俗博物館) - Modern museum mainly displaying replicas and genuine bronze bells (called dotaku in Japanese) unearthed on a Ooiwayama (大岩山) mountain near the museum in 1881 and 1962. One of the bells was the largest ever found in Japan. A replica of it is displayed. (The real one is in the Tokyo National Museum.) Yasu's official mascot named Dotaku-kun is modeled after an ancient bronze bell. There is also a small park called Yayoi no Mori Rekishi Koen (弥生の森歴史公園) displaying replicas of Yayoi Period huts. From JR Yasu Station's South exit (Minami-guchi), take a bus going to Karyoku Koen (花緑公園) or Murata Seisakusho (via Nishi Gate 西ゲート経由 村田製作所行き) and get off at Dotaku Hakubutsukan-mae (銅鐸博物館前). Bus ride is only a few minutes. From the bus stop, cross the road to get to the museum. The bus stop to go back to Yasu Station is up the slope on the other side of the road where you got off. You can ask the museum about the bus times to go back. Buses run infrequently. Bus schedule for weekdays, Sat. and Sun. here. Or 10 min. by taxi. Google Map Hours: 9 am to 5 pm, closed Mon. (Open if Mon. is a national holiday, and closed on Tue. instead.) Admission 200 yen. Address: 野洲市辻町57-1 Map

• Osasahara Jinja Shrine 大笹原神社 - Established during the Muromachi Period. The Honden main hall is a National Treasure. A 15-min. bus ride from JR Yasu Station, south exit. Take the bus bound for Murata Seisakusho and get off at Ooshinohara (大篠原). Turn right into the intersecting road and walk 10 min. Note that the bus schedule is infrequent. Map

Event Calendar

Yasu's official mascot: Dotaku-kun, based on a bronze bell.

• Jan. 1: Mt. Mikami New Year's Climb 三上山初登山大会 - Climb the mountain to see the New Year's first sunrise (hi node).

• Feb. 25: Hiwatari Shinji (Fire-walking Ceremony) 火渡り神事 - Held at Sugawara Shrine. Phone: 077-587-2003

• Early April - Sakura Matsuri さくらまつり - Cherry blossom festival at Karyoku Koen Park at the foot of Mt. Mikami. [ Map]

• May 5: Hyozu Matsuri Festival 兵主祭 - Major spring festival held at Hyozu Taisha Shrine. Some 30 portable shrines and taiko drum floats converge at the shrine where they parade up and down the tree-lined path from around noon to 4 pm. One highlight is the Ayame portable shrine and taiko drum carried by an all-female crew dressed in colorful garb. Well worth seeing. Hyozu Shrine is too far to walk from Yasu Station. Take a bus (very infrequent schedule) or taxi. Hyozu Shrine phone: 077-589-2072 Map

• Fourth Sun. in May: Yuki Saiden Rice-Planting Festival (Otaue Matsuri) 悠紀斎田 お田植えまつり - Held on the fourth Sunday in May in a sacred rice paddy near Mikami Shrine, women and men in colorful costumes plant rice seedlings accompanied by singing, taiko drumming, and dancing. Starts at 10 am with a Shinto ceremony, then the rice planting is held from 10:30 am to 11 am. The rice paddy is called Yuki Saiden (悠紀斎田記念田) which was the used to produce the rice used for the Showa Emperor Hirohito's accession to the throne in 1928. Near Yamade-mae bus stop near the foot of Mt. Mikami. Phone: 077-587-3710 Map

• Last Sun. in Aug.: Children's Sumo Tournament (Kodomo Sumo) 子ども相撲 - Boys from age 5 to 14 wrestle at Miyake Shrine 屯倉神社.

• Second Mon. in Oct.: Zuiki Matsuri Festival ずいき祭り - Held by Mikami Shrine, a portable shrine made of sweet potato stalks is made and offered. Phone: 077-587-0383

Travel Tips

• There is a tourist info office in front of Yasu Station, North Exit. Open 9:30 - 16:00, closed Mon. It also rents bicycles. Phone: 077−587−3710
• Current weather warnings/advisories for Yasu here (Japan Meteorological Agency).

Getting There

Take the JR Tokaido/Biwako Line to Yasu Station.

Getting Around

Local buses leave infrequently from Yasu Station's North and South exits. If you want to head toward the lake, go to the North exit bus stops. For inland destinations (Dotaku Museum, Kibogaoka Park, etc.), go to the South Exit bus stops.

Map

Click on upper right icon to enlarge.

Photos

Rice-planting festival	Hyozu Matsuri

More photos at Yasu Photos.

Videos

Click on the video image to start playing the video.

More Shiga videos here.

History

• 2004
  • October 1: The towns of Chuzu-cho and Yasu-cho merged to form Yasu city. Yasu-gun was thereby dissolved.
• 2006 Yasu gained national attention when its high school soccer team won the national championship in Jan.
• 2008 Yasu hosts in Oct. Sports Recreation Shiga (Sporec 2008), a national sports meet held annually for adults of all ages.

Additional Reading

• Homecoming Exhibition for Japan’s Largest Bronze Bell - October 1, 2013
• Monster Centipede on Mt. Mikami - Famous folktale.
• Hyozu Matsuri, one of Shiga’s Top 10 festivals in April-May - April 11, 2013
• Climbing Mt. Mikami (Omi-Fuji) - April 14, 2008

More Yasu News here.

Miscellaneous

Weather forecast provided by tititudorancea.com

Famous People

Kurama Tatsuya (1952-1995)

Sumo wrestler during the 1980s who got promoted to Sekiwake.

Side Trips

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

• Moriyama

Related Articles

• Shiga Prefecture
• Shiga Prefecture Sights
• Shiga Prefecture Transportation

External Links

• [http ]