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Lake Biwa Great Fireworks

The "Lake Biwa Great Fireworks Festival," held every August in Otsu City, is one of Japan's leading light festivals set against the backdrop of Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake. The sight of approximately 10,000 fireworks being launched successively from the lake, vividly coloring the night sky and the water surface, is of overwhelming beauty. In particular, the "Underwater Star Mine" that spreads like a fan across the lake surface fascinates tourists worldwide as a dynamic performance unique to Lake Biwa. Watching fireworks while cooling off by the lakeside wearing "Yukata," a Japanese summer tradition, is an emotional event that one...

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Taga Town

Taga Town, spreading at the foot of the mountains in eastern Shiga, is a temple town that has flourished around "Taga Taisha," Shiga's premier grand shrine affectionately known as "O-Taga-san." This sacred site, enshrining the parent deities of Ise Jingu, attracts many worshippers from all over Japan seeking blessings for longevity and matchmaking. The approach is lined with shops selling the specialty "Ito-kiri Mochi" and retro eateries, allowing you to experience traditional Japanese temple town culture. The town also houses "Kawachi-no-kazaana," one of Japan's leading limestone caves, for mystical underground exploration. It is an area filled with spiritual richness where...

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Kora Town

Located in eastern Shiga, Kora Town is a quiet and beautiful town dotted with rich spring water and historic temples. Especially "Saimyo-ji Temple," a candidate for World Heritage, is known for its National Treasure main hall, three-storied pagoda, and "Fudan-zakura" cherry blossoms that bloom simultaneously with autumn leaves, spreading a landscape condensing traditional Japanese beauty. It is also the birthplace of the legendary carpenter Kora Bungo-no-kami Munehiro, who was involved in the construction of Nikko Toshogu, and the town takes pride in sophisticated wooden architecture skills. It's a hidden gem ideal for travelers wanting to quietly savor the harmony of...

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Toyosato Town

Toyosato Town, the smallest town by area in Shiga, is a cultural town known for the "Former Toyosato Elementary School Buildings" designed by the world-famous architect William Merrell Vories. The beautiful white wooden schoolhouse, once praised as the "Greatest Elementary School in the East," is now famous as a model for a popular anime and attracts fans from all over the world. The bronze statues of the tortoise and the hare on the staircase and the retro auditorium convey the passion and aesthetic sense Japan invested in education at that time. It's a unique spot where you can enjoy both...

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Aisho Town

Aisho Town, located in eastern Shiga, is a town of handiwork where traditional crafts and history breathe. Meticulous Japanese craftsmanship is still passed down here, including "Omi Jofu (linen weaving)" with history since the Heian period, "Lake Biwa Pearls" boasting delicate beauty, and traditional "Omi Ikkan-bari." You can feel the deep history and culture firsthand through street corners retaining the atmosphere of Nakasendo post towns and Kongorin-ji Temple with its National Treasure Buddha statues. It is an ideal place for travelers wanting to experience artisan skills or find peace in quiet temples, thoroughly experiencing Japan's rich spirituality and "skill" culture.

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Ryuo Town

Ryuo Town, located in central Shiga, is a vibrant town where rich agricultural products and history coexist. It is bustling with many tourists due to having "Mitsui Outlet Park Shiga Ryuo," one of the prefecture's top shopping spots. On the other hand, the town is dotted with precious cultural assets, including the National Treasure main hall of "Namura Shrine," where ancient beliefs are still carefully preserved. Cattle rearing for Omi Beef is also active, and restaurants where you can enjoy the highest-grade Wagyu are popular. It is a perfect area for travelers who want to greedily enjoy both trendy shopping...

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Hino Town

Hino Town, nestled in the mountains of eastern Shiga, is a historic town with a dignified atmosphere known as the home of the "Hino Merchants" who were active throughout Japan. Streets lined with magnificent hedges and stone walls feature mansions conveying the wisdom and wealth of the merchants, allowing for a calm, adult stroll. The "Hino Festival" held every May is a brave festival where gorgeous floats parade through the town, letting you experience deep regional traditions. Furthermore, it is ideal for travelers wanting to be healed by traditional merchant culture and rich nature, with "Hino Beef" gourmet in peaceful...

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Konan City

Located in southern Shiga, Konan City is a city full of historical atmosphere that flourished around the former Tokaido post town "Ishibe-juku." Especially, the three ancient Tendai temples "Joraku-ji," "Choju-ji," and "Zensui-ji" are called the "Konan Sanzan," with all their main halls designated as National Treasures, making them crown jewels of Japanese Buddhist architecture. In autumn, you can enjoy stunning foliage adorning these temples, and their silence and beauty capture the hearts of visitors. It is a hidden gem recommended for authentic-minded travelers wanting to luxuriously enjoy National Treasure architecture and the changing seasons while following the footsteps of Edo-period...

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Yasu City

Yasu City is a town where history and nature harmonize, spreading at the foot of the beautiful conical "Mt. Mikami (Omi Fuji)" soaring in the Omi Basin. Mt. Mikami is a mythical mountain with legends of "centipede extermination," making its hiking courses popular with international climbers. It is also the site where Japan's largest "Dotaku" (bronze bell) was discovered; you can touch the mysteries of ancient Japan at the archaeological museum. Dotted with precious wooden structures like the National Treasure main hall of Osasahara Shrine, it's a calm area where you can quietly trace the origins of Japanese spiritual culture...

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Ritto City

Located in southern Shiga, Ritto City is known as the "City of Horses" due to hosting one of Japan's largest racehorse training centers. Historically, it is a quiet area embraced by the deep mountains of the Konze range, offering ancient temples with National Treasure Buddha statues and extensive hiking courses with dynamic rocky areas. Walking through the nature-rich environment, you can feel the history of Japan's mountain worship, with the summit offering a superb view extending to Lake Biwa. It is chosen by travelers wanting to escape the city hustle and enjoy Shiga's rich nature and history through horse interaction...

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Moriyama City

Located on the east bank of Lake Biwa, Moriyama City is a nature-rich city once a post town on the Nakasendo, and now known as a "Holy Land for Cycling" and "City of Fireflies." At the foot of the Biwako Ohashi Bridge, you can find the world-famous "Sagawa Art Museum," where you can enjoy beautiful architecture appearing to float on water and Japanese modern art. Additionally, the lakeside cycling road is the best course for cyclists enjoying a lap around Lake Biwa (Biwa-ichi). In winter, early-blooming rapeseeds spread like a yellow carpet, offering a spectacular contrast with the snow-capped Hira...

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Kusatsu City

Kusatsu City, located in southwestern Shiga, is a historic city that flourished as a "post town" where the Tokaido and Nakasendo highways met during the Edo period. At the "Kusatsu-juku Honjin," one of Japan's largest scale, the luxurious buildings where daimyo and court nobles once stayed are preserved in their original state, allowing you to deeply learn about the travel culture of the Edo period. Furthermore, the lakeshore features the "Lake Biwa Museum" and the "Mizunomori Water Botanical Garden," where you can enjoy the latest exhibits and beautiful lotus flowers. With excellent access just 20 minutes by train from Kyoto,...

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Shozakai Park

"Shozakai Park" in Hikone City is a place of relaxation loved by citizens, featuring beautiful rose and herb gardens within its vast grounds. Especially during early summer and autumn, the rose garden boasts about 1,200 vibrant roses in full bloom, allowing for an elegant stroll enveloped in sweet fragrances. There are also large ponds and lawn areas where you can experience the calm daily life of a Japanese regional city, making it popular for families and travelers wanting to walk leisurely. It is a place where you can refresh while being healed by seasonal flowers between Hikone Castle sightseeing, feeling...

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Sawayama Castle

"Sawayama Castle" in Hikone City is a historic mountain castle site known as the residence of the famous Sengoku warlord Ishida Mitsunari. Although buildings no longer remain, traces of moats and embankments utilizing the mountain terrain persist, and the summit offers a wonderful panorama overlooking Lake Biwa and the current Hikone Castle. Hiking while imagining the appearance of the famous castle, praised as "Mitsunari has two things beyond him: Shima Sakon and Sawayama Castle," is a special experience for history fans. Contradictory to the glamour of Hikone Castle, it is a place perfect for intellectual adventure where history's weight sleeps...

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Takeshima Island

"Takeshima," floating offshore in Lake Biwa, is a mystical uninhabited island named for the way the island's shape appears to change depending on the viewing angle. The entire island is considered a sanctuary of the Nichiren sect, where the Daimoku Rock engraved with the giant characters "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo" and the historic Mitosaji Temple quietly stand. Accessible by cruise ship from Hikone Port, walking this small island of about 600 meters in circumference allows you to feel a sacred air and silence as if floating on the lake. It is a hidden power spot where the vastness of Lake...

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Nishi-no-ko Lake

"Nishi-no-ko" in Omihachiman City is the largest inner lake adjacent to Lake Biwa and a rich wetland registered under the Ramsar Convention. It is known as a treasure trove of nature where vast reed beds spread and many wild birds and fish inhabit. The "Suigo Meguri" (Water Tour), where you proceed slowly through the reed beds in a hand-paddled boat without an engine, is the ultimate healing experience where only the sound of water and the whispering wind are heard. The seasonal waterfront scenery is like a Japanese ink wash painting, making it an ideal place for travelers wanting to...

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Hachiman Festival

The "Hachiman Festival" held every April at Himure Hachimangu Shrine is one of Shiga's leading fire festivals, boasting a history of over 1,000 years. The highlight is the "Torch Festival," where massive torches up to 10 meters high are set on fire, and the power of the flames scorching the night sky is overwhelming. The following day, the "Drum Festival" features magnificent drums parading through the town, enveloping the quiet castle town in heat and excitement. This festival, where you can feel Japan's traditional energy and regional solidarity firsthand, is a precious event that leaves a lifelong memory for international...

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Azuchi Town

Azuchi Town in Omihachiman City is a historical town where the romance of history remains strong, centered around Azuchi Castle built by Oda Nobunaga, the champion of the Sengoku period. Facilities such as the "Azuchi Castle Museum," which conveys the appearance of the world's first full-scale wooden high-rise building, and "Nobunaga no Yakata," which restores the gorgeous original castle tower, allow you to re-experience Nobunaga's ambition and golden culture. In the peaceful rural landscape, massive stone walls and ancient burial mounds are scattered; "History Cycling" around these spots by bicycle is a very popular activity for international travelers interested in...

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Himure Hachimangu Shrine

"Himure Hachimangu," the symbol of Omihachiman City, is a historic grand shrine that has long garnered the faith of Omi Merchants. Located very close to Hachiman-bori Moat and the Hachimanyama Ropeway, its heavy tower gate and worship hall exude the character of a castle town. The "Sagicho Festival" in March and the "Hachiman Festival" in April are famous as brave fire festivals where massive torches are burned, providing a precious opportunity to experience regional passion and tradition. Surrounded by a deep forest, the historic buildings are filled with a calm air that lets you forget the hustle of tourism, allowing...

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Kannonsho-ji Temple

"Kannonsho-ji Temple," located near the 433-meter summit in Azuchi Town, is one of the Saigoku 33 Pilgrimage Sites and is known as a "difficult pilgrimage spot" because reaching it involves steep stone steps and mountain paths. After the hard climb, you are welcomed by a grand panorama with Lake Biwa in the background and a massive Senju Kannon statue carved from Indian sandalwood. The rich fragrance of sandalwood enveloping the main hall and the sacred air, as if cut off from the world below, provide deep spiritual peace to visitors. It is highly recommended for active travelers wanting to enjoy...

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Kyorinbo Temple

"Kyorinbo," located in Azuchi Town, Omihachiman City, is an ancient Tendai sect temple said to have been opened by Prince Shotoku, and a hidden masterpiece also called the "Stone Temple." The garden, especially open during the autumn foliage season, is filled with brilliant red maples woven between massive rocks, offering breathtaking beauty. The space where mossy rock gardens and historic thatched-roof halls integrate condenses the traditional Japanese aesthetic of "Wabi-Sabi." The mystical nighttime illumination has recently become a secret topic among highly sensitive international travelers as a hidden gem of Shiga.

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Mt. Hachiman (Mt. Kakuyoku)

Standing 271 meters high as a symbol of Omihachiman City, "Mt. Hachiman" is a historic mountain where Toyotomi Hidetsugu once built a castle as a base replacing Azuchi Castle. It can be ascended in a few minutes by ropeway from the foot, and the summit is a superb viewpoint overlooking the grid-patterned castle town of Omihachiman, the vast Lake Biwa, and the Azuchi Castle Ruins. Zuiryu-ji Temple (Murakumo Palace) at the summit is a high-status temple for mourning the tragic Kanpaku Hidetsugu, with a dignified and quiet air flowing through its precincts. Touching historical stories while overlooking Shiga's rich land,...

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Omihachiman Suigo (Waterfront)

The "Suigo" (Waterfront) spreading across the northern side of Omihachiman City is a beautiful area selected as Japan's first "Important Cultural Landscape," featuring a network of intricate waterways and rich reed beds. Moving slowly through the reeds in a hand-paddled boat without engine noise, the water tour recreates an elegant moment once enjoyed by nobles and merchants. Listening to bird songs and watching reeds sway in the wind, the time spent here is truly worthy of being called the "Venice of the East." It's a world-renowned healing landscape that continues to protect both traditional Japanese waterfront life and disappearing natural...

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Hachiman-bori Moat

The "Hachiman-bori Moat" flowing through the center of Omihachiman City was built during the Sengoku period to support the prosperity of the castle town. Along the moat, white-walled storehouses and stone pavements continue, perfectly preserving the atmosphere of the Edo period to the extent that it's frequently used as a filming location for period dramas. The "Hachiman-bori Cruise," where you view the old townscape from a traditional roofed boat on the water, is an extremely popular experience for international travelers. With seasonal willows, cherry blossoms, and irises coloring the waterfront, it beautifully harmonizes historical scenery and nature. This moat, born...

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