Shiga Prefecture

Among Japan’s prefectures, Shiga Prefecture stands apart for Lake Biwa, the country’s largest freshwater lake and the centre of its geography. Its shores extend from urban Ōtsu near Kyoto to reed beds, fishing communities, and long-established lakeside towns. Mount Hiei rises along the western border, where the Enryaku-ji temple complex, founded in the eighth century, became a major centre of Japanese Buddhism. Hikone Castle on Lake Biwa’s eastern side is one of Japan’s surviving original castles. Shiga is also associated with Ōmi merchants, whose commercial networks connected this inland province with cities across Japan. Continue through nearby webcams to explore different parts of Shiga Prefecture.

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