Shiga

About Shiga

Shiga Prefecture is located in northeastern Kinki on Honshu with an area of 4,017.38 square kilometers, ranking 38th in size, and an estimated population of about 1.39 million as of July 1, 2026, density 347 per square kilometer. The capital Otsu City lies immediately east of Kyoto, only ten minutes by JR Tokaido Main Line, and functions as a bed-town for Kyoto and Osaka within the Keihanshin metropolitan area where many residents commute daily. Geographically Lake Biwa sits at the center, about 670 square kilometers covering one sixth of the prefecture, holding 27 billion cubic meters of water, called the water jug of Kinki supplying drinking and industrial water to 14 million people downstream. Surrounding mountains include the Hira and Hiei ranges west and Ibuki and Suzuka east forming the fertile Omi Basin with rivers flowing into the lake. Historically equivalent to Omi Province, after the 1871 abolition of the han the area became Otsu Prefecture, renamed Shiga in 1872 from Shiga District where Otsu belonged, briefly including Wakasa and Tsuruga in 1876, then separating them to Fukui in 1881 establishing present borders of 19 municipalities. The prefectural office was placed in port town Otsu rather than castle town Hikone despite repeated petitions for relocation. Climate is inland with mixed influences: northern Kohoku shows Japan Sea climate with heavy snow designated as heavy snowfall area including Yogo as the only special heavy snowfall zone west of Tokai in Kinki, recording six meters in 1981, while southern Konan is warmer Setouchi type with less snow and hot summers, but Lake Biwa moderates temperature and creates local winds like Hira-oroshi. Industry is exceptionally industrial for its size with secondary industry at 48 percent of gross prefectural output highest nationally, focusing on integrated circuits, LCD panels by Sharp, precision machinery, chemicals and plastics, plus data centers. Agriculture produces Omi rice with excellent taste, Omi beef one of three great wagyu brands alongside Kobe and Matsuzaka with 400 years of history, and Shigaraki ware pottery dating from medieval period featuring raccoon dog statues tanuki. Tourism features national treasure Hikone Castle preserving Edo original keep and moat, UNESCO World Heritage site Enryaku-ji Monastery head temple of Tendai sect on Mount Hiei founded 788 by Saicho with 3000 temples extent, Takefu Chikubushima Island shrine housing Benzaiten goddess in the lake ferry accessible, Omi-Hachiman suigo waterways with hand-rowed boat tours through reed beds, Biwako Valley ski and panorama terrace 1100 meters altitude viewing lake, Makino Metasequoia tree-lined road 2.4 km selected as one of most scenic, plus events like Otsu Matsuri with thirteen mechanical Hikiyama dolls designated intangible folk art and Nagahama Hikiyama Festival Kabuki on floats with child actors, illustrating spiritual connection to water and history as junction of Tokaido Nakasendo Hokuriku highways where controlling Omi meant controlling the nation.