 Shiga Prefecture (滋賀県, Shiga-ken) - A
prefecture of Japan which is part of the Kinki region on
Honshū Island. The capital is the city of Otsu.
Shiga shares a border with Fukui Prefecture in the north,
Gifu Prefecture in the east, Mie Prefecture in the
southeast, and Kyoto Prefecture in the west.
Different areas of the prefecture include Kohoku (north of
lake), Kosei (west of lake), Koto (east of lake), and Konan
(south of lake).
Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, is located at the center of
this prefecture. It occupies one-sixth the total area of
Shiga. The prefecture is enclosed by mountain ranges with
the Hira Mountains in the west, the Ibuki mountain range in
the east, and the Suzuka Mountains in the southeast.
Northern Shiga is substantially colder with higher snowfall
than in southern Shiga, which is usually warmer.
Seta River flows out from Lake Biwa to Osaka Bay through
Kyoto. This is the only natural river which flows out from
the lake. All of the other natural rivers flow into the
lake.
 Shiga was known as Ōmi Province before the prefectural
system was established.
A number of major companies have factories in Shiga such as
IBM Japan, Canon, Yanmar Diesel, and Toray. Trading house
C.Itoh was founded in Shiga among the well-known Omi
merchants.
The population is concentrated along the southern shore of
Lake Biwa in Otsu city (adjacent to Kyoto) and along the
eastern shore of Lake Biwa. Cities on the eastern shore like
Kusatsu and Moriyama are within commuting distance to Kyoto.
In recent years, many Brazilians have settled in Shiga to
work in nearby factories. The lake's western shores are more
rural and resort-oriented with white-sand swimming beaches.
The Tonda Traditional Bunraku Puppet Troupe, a Japanese
puppet theater in the form known as ningyō jōruri or Bunraku,
is based in Biwa Town, on the shore of Lake Biwa in the
northeastern part of Shiga Prefecture. Founded in the 1830s,
the Tonda Puppet Troupe is one of the most active
traditional puppet theaters in Japan outside the National
Theater in Osaka. In Moriyama, there is also the Sagawa Art
Museum.
The main gateways to Shiga are the Maibara bullet train
station in northern Shiga and the city of Otsu in the south.
Before being incorporated as a prefecture in the modern era,
Shiga's old fief name was Omi.
There are temples, castles, festivals, historical persons,
and natural beauty that rank among those of national
importance. Shiga's most prominent feature is Lake Biwa,
Japan's largest lake. It looks like Japan's belly button on
a map of Japan. The lake can be visited either by car (you
can drive completely around it in one day) or by boat. The
northern part of the lake is especially scenic. The western
shore has white-sand swimming beaches, popular among
Kyotoites during the summer. It is less developed than the
eastern shore where there are cities such as Nagahama,
Hikone, and Omi-Hachiman.
Boat cruises such as the well-known Michigan paddlewheeler
and cruises to scenic Chikubushima island are worthy
excursions. 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. In spring, don't miss riding (or driving)
through a stretch of road in Kaizu Osaki on the northern
shore lined with cherry trees. It is one of Japan's most
famous places for cherry blossoms.
Beautiful views of the lake can also be had from mountain
roads like the Oku Biwako Parkway road up north and the Hiei-san
Driveway and Oku Hiei Driveway overlooking the southwestern
shore. In the capital city of Otsu, the Otsu Prince Hotel's
Top of Otsu restaurant provides a superb high, panoramic
view of the lake and city.
Like most prefectures, festivals abound in Shiga. Unique
festivals include the Hikiyama Festival held each April in
Nagahama. During this festival ornate floats are mounted
with miniature stages on which highly-skilled boys (playing
both male and female roles) act in kabuki plays. Meanwhile,
Higashi Omi (formerly Yokaichi) city holds a Giant Kite
Festival every May along the riverbank. Ordinary people are
invited to pull the rope that sends the kites aloft
(unfortunately they don't fly very long if there's no wind).
Shiga's most famous building is Hikone Castle, a national
treasure. The castle tower is well preserved and provides a
good glimpse into how a real castle looked during Japan's
feudal period. It also has many cherry trees. The castle is
associated with Ii Naosuke, who was the Tokugawa shogunate's
Great Elder (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 and Hakodate. Unfortunately, Ii was
later assassinated in 1860 by people who sought to oust the
foreign "barbarians".
Shiga's second-most famous building is Ishiyama Temple in
Otsu. It has a room where one of Japan's most famous novels
was written: Genji Monogatari or Tale of Genji written by
Murasaki Shikibu.
Shiga Prefecture is also famous for its Omi Hakkei or Eight
Views of Omi, popularized by Hiroshige's picturesque
woodblock prints. Unfortunately, most of the original eight
views are now almost gone or totally different from what
they were centuries ago. One of them was set in Katata, home
of the Ukimido, another famous building in Shiga. It is a
small temple building built on stilts (now concrete pillars)
on the lake near the shore, accessible by a short bridge.
Thirteen cities are located in Shiga Prefecture:
Higashiōmi
Hikone
Koka
Konan
Kusatsu
Maibara
Moriyama
Nagahama
Ōtsu (capital)
Ōmihachiman
Rittō
Takashima
Yasu
Information source: “Shiga Prefecture.” wikipedia.org. Article
date: 26 Feb. 2008. Retrieved: Wikipedia. 4 Mar. 2008 <Shiga Prefecture>. |
|
