Travel to Shiga: Japan’s Biggest Hidden Gem
Travel to Shiga: Japan’s Biggest Hidden Gem Table of Contents 1: Omi Hachiman 2: Chikubu Island 3: Hikone Castle 4: Dinner 5: Supplementary information on sightseeing in Shiga Prefecture 1: Omi Hachiman The other day, I posted a blog entitled ‘Surprising areas rich in cultural properties.’ I want to report on my trip to Shiga Prefecture, arguably the most hidden area in Japan, which I mentioned in that post. First of all, I went to Omi Hachiman City. Omi Hachiman City was developed based on the castle town of Hachimanyama Castle, built by Toyotomi Hidetsugu (nephew of Toyotomi Hideyoshi). In modern times, the city flourished as a commercial town in the birthplace of the Omi merchants. The ruins of Azuchi Castle, built by Oda Nobunaga, are also located in Omi Hachiman City. However, the ruins of Azuchi Castle have located some distance from the center of Omi Hachiman (approx. 6 km). Several companies originate from Omi Hachiman, including bedding manufacturer Nishikawa Corporation and pharmaceutical manufacturer Omi Brothers Ltd. Omi Hachiman is a national Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings as a ‘merchant town.’ Famous for its moats that retain scenes from the Edo period, Hachiman-bori is a