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Shiga

Scenic adventures around Lake Biwa

About Shiga
Photo: yoko_ken_chan / Shutterstock.com

Top Attractions in Shiga

Around Shiga

Otsu
Area

Otsu

Ōtsu is the capital city of Shiga Prefecture, Japan. Ōtsu is known as the main port of Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan. ...

Shiga
Omihachiman
Area

Omihachiman

Ōmihachiman is a city in central Japan. Himure Hachimangu Shrine has a number of ornate wooden temples. From the shrine, a ca...

Shiga

Top Articles

  1. Human and Animal
    1

    Human and Animal

    Shiga
  2. Peach and Mango Afternoon Tea
    2

    Peach and Mango Afternoon Tea

    Shiga
  3. Sakura Season at Hokoen and Nagahama Castle
    3

    Sakura Season at Hokoen and Nagahama Castle

    Shiga
  4. Sakura Season at Kaizu Ōsaki
    4

    Sakura Season at Kaizu Ōsaki

    Shiga
  5. Experience Nagahama’s Nature Focused Culture
    5

    Experience Nagahama’s Nature Focused Culture

    Shiga
  6. Miraculous Clay
    6

    Miraculous Clay

    Shiga
  7. Moomin Comic Strips Exhibition: Shiga
    7

    Moomin Comic Strips Exhibition: Shiga

    Shiga
  8. Genkyuen Garden at Hikone Castle
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    Genkyuen Garden at Hikone Castle

    Shiga
  9. Hikone Castle in Shiga
    9

    Hikone Castle in Shiga

    Shiga
  10. 4 Days in Shiga and Fukui: Venturing North
    10

    4 Days in Shiga and Fukui: Venturing North

    Shiga
  1. Shiga Omi Textile Factory
    1

    Shiga Omi Textile Factory

    Shiga
  2. La Collina Omi-Hachiman
    2

    La Collina Omi-Hachiman

    Shiga
  3. Okishima
    3

    Okishima

    Shiga
  4. Omimaiko Beach at Lake Biwa
    4

    Omimaiko Beach at Lake Biwa

    Shiga
  5. The Must-See Miho Museum
    5

    The Must-See Miho Museum

    Shiga
  6. Makino Pic-land
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    Makino Pic-land

    Shiga
  7. Hikone Castle
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    Hikone Castle

    Shiga
  8. Hachimanbori Canal Boat Cruise
    8

    Hachimanbori Canal Boat Cruise

    Shiga
  9. 4 Days in Shiga and Fukui: Venturing North
    9

    4 Days in Shiga and Fukui: Venturing North

    Shiga
  10. Chikubu Island, Lake Biwa
    10

    Chikubu Island, Lake Biwa

    Shiga

Upcoming Shiga Events

Sakura Season at Kaizu Ōsaki
Activities

Sakura Season at Kaizu Ōsaki

Kim

During early April each year, approximately 800 Yoshino cherry trees bloom in the Kaizu Osaki area for around 4 kilometers. T...

Shiga
Human and Animal
Culture

Human and Animal

Kim

A special exhibition at the Shiga Prefectural Ceramics Forest looks at humans and animals as depicted by 5 ceramic artists: B...

Shiga
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Where to eat in Shiga

Shirahige Soba Restaurant
Food

Shirahige Soba Restaurant

Amanda Ho

On the west side of Lake Biwa, Shirahige is a family restaurant dedicated to making the best soba. Touted as a healthy noodle...

Shiga
La Collina Omi-Hachiman
Food

La Collina Omi-Hachiman

Eriko Fukui

La Collina means hill in Italian, giving a clue to the architect’s intentions, with its hill like roof covered by a lush lawn...

Shiga
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Places to stay in Shiga

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Latest Shiga Reports

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About Shiga

Shiga
Okinawa Nagasaki Fukuoka Saga Kumamoto Kagoshima Miyazaki Oita Ehime Kochi Tokushima Kagawa Yamaguchi Hiroshima Okayama Tottori Shimane Hyogo Kyoto Osaka Wakayama Nara Shiga Mie Fukui Ishikawa Toyama Gifu Aichi Nagano Shizuoka Niigata Yamanashi Kanagawa Tokyo Saitama Gunma Tochigi Chiba Ibaraki Fukushima Miyagi Yamagata Iwate Akita Aomori Hokkaido
Region Kansai
Island Honshu
Capital Otsu
Population 1,410,777
Area 4017.38 sq. km

The subject of the famous artist Hiroshige’s ukiyo-e paintings “Eight Views of Omi,” Shiga Prefecture (滋賀県, Shiga-ken) is famous for its many picturesque views thanks to Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest lake.

The lake and the surrounding area are perfect for water sports and outdoor activities, while much of Shiga avoided damage from World War II and the rapid urbanization right after it, making it a great place to relax and a prime day trip location from nearby Kyoto and Osaka. Enryaku-ji is one of the most important temples in Japan, while Hikone Castle is one of just four castles that are classified as national treasures.

The city of Koka has the Ninja Village, a very interesting attraction for domestic and foreign tourists alike. Shiga is also well known for its delicious food, including Omi beef and funa-zushi.

Around Shiga

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