Shiga Prefecture borders Kyoto, Nara, Aichi, Gifu, and Fukui Prefectures. It is located on the edge of the Kansai region of Japan’s island of Honshu. The region is home to Japan’s largest lake, Lake Biwa, which encompasses large portions of the prefectures area.
The capital city of the region is Otsu, which is located in the south western corner of the prefecture, accessed by a 10 minute train from Kyoto Station. Otsu is an extremely old city, with a palace that was established in the city which began in 667 by the 37th Emperor of Japan.
The Prefecture is a change of pace from the busy Kyoto region, with a population of 1.41 million people, large areas of the prefecture are either covered by Lake Biwa, or by farmland. 90% of farmland in this prefecture is for the production of rice. In addition, Lake Biwa has long been a stable producer of fresh fish, where fermented sushi made from the meat of the carp, named Funazushi, has become a popular local specialty.
While on the topic of Fish, Lake Biwa is one of the nations best Black Bass fishing areas. Unfortunately Bass are considered a pest in Lake Biwa, and a catch and kill order is in action, but despite this, fishing for Bass on Lake Biwa is among many anglers must do list.
all in All, the region offers it all, from Castles, lakes, historic temples, to mountain climbs, and is certainly worth taking a visit to if you are in Kyoto and want something unique to do.
English