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Strolling through the picturesque streets of Omihachiman, Shiga Prefecture
Omihachiman is a popular tourist destination rich in nature located on the eastern shore of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture.
This water town with its charming downtown scenery is by far the most popular excursion spot to visit when you come to Shiga Prefecture.
Omihachiman was named after Himurehachimangu Shrine, which has long been worshipped by Omi merchants.
The town is also dotted with fashionable retro buildings, making it an attractive tourist destination where visitors can enjoy a stroll.
It is also great to take a quaint old-fashioned boat ride and admire the scenery as the wind blows in the breeze! A visit to Hachimanbori, a waterway immersed in nostalgia, is highly recommended.
It takes about 5 minutes by bus from Omihachiman Station on the JR or Omi Railway lines, or 20 to 30 minutes on foot. The bus bound for Hachimanbori is No. 6 at the north exit.
Omihachiman dates back to 1585 when Toyotomi Hidetsugu (nephew of Hideyoshi) built a castle on Mt. The castle town was built and became a place of activity for Omi merchants.
Although the castle was abandoned in 1595, it developed as an active commercial city, taking advantage of the convenience of water transportation that brought in many people and cultures.
You can meet Omihachiman’s “Onegai Jizo”
Walking down Shinmachi Street in the direction toward Hachimanbori, I saw a flag of “Onegai Jizo ” on the right side. Inside the building was a very large Jizo with a peaceful expression on his face. I asked him for a safe trip.
Hachimanbori, a recommended sightseeing spot in Shiga.
Hachimanbori is a man-made waterway connecting Lake Biwa and the city center, and was built by Toyotomi Hidetsugu in the Azuchi-Momoyama period. Although the moat was used to defend the castle, Hidetsugu used it as a canal to develop commerce.
Today, it is a popular sightseeing spot that has become a place of recreation and relaxation for citizens and is also used as a filming location for period dramas.
It is nice to tour Hachimanbori, where you can enjoy the seasonal changes of scenery, such as cherry blossoms in spring, lush green willows swaying in summer, and autumn leaves in fall, while admiring the white-walled storehouses and old houses that stand side by side from the top of a boat.
＜Hachimanbori Tour>
Boat fare (per person) Adult 1,500 yen Child 1,000 yen
Time required: approx. 35 min.
Himurehachiman Shrine, guardian deity of Omi
After passing a torii gate along the canal, you will arrive at the gate of Himurehachiman Shrine, popularly known as Hachiman-sama. It is a majestic gate with a carved wooden structure with a gabled roof.
As the guardian deity of Omi, Himurehachiman Shrine stands at the foot of Mt. Hachiman and has long been worshipped by Omi merchants and revered by the imperial family and shogunate.
The shrine offers blessings such as protection from bad luck, good fortune, and business mateship.
The shrine was founded in the first year of Emperor Seimu’s reign (131), when the landowner god Oshima Okami was enshrined here, and in 275, Emperor Ojin made a pilgrimage to Omi, and on his return, he set up his throne room near the present shrine for a rest. Later, a mysterious phenomenon occurred at the site of his temporary residence, where he saw two suns in the shape of the sun, and the shrine was named Higun-no-sha Hachiman Shrine.
In 691, Fujiwara no Fuhito visited the shrine, and it is said that the name was changed to Himure Shrine after a waka poem he composed.
Popular recommended cafe “Taneya Himure Chaya”
Introducing Taneya Omi Hachiman Himure Chaya, Taneya’s cafe near Himure Hachiman Shrine.
You can relax and enjoy delicious sweets in this quaint machiya (townhouse) cafe. The popular “tsubura mochi” are baked in the workshop, and freshly made hot tsubura mochi are available. They can be purchased at the Japanese sweets shop.
The café is spacious, with seats arranged at comfortable intervals. You can relax while enjoying the view of the garden.
I had the Tsubata Ice Strawberry (880 yen tax included). You can taste the pulp with plenty of strawberry jam on it. It is topped with a tsubuta mochi (rice cake) that looks like a moon. It is freshly made, warm, crispy on the outside, and delicious with anko (red bean paste) inside. After eating half of the ice, we poured a generous amount of condensed milk over the ice.
It seems that you can also have a meal at the upstairs seating area, which makes the most of local ingredients.
Stylish Western-style building “Hakuunkan”
Hakuunkan is the former Yahata Higashi School built in 1877. It is a modern building incorporating Western architectural styles and traditional Japanese techniques. After being used as a school, it was utilized as a town hall, county office, and credit union. Currently, the city has repaired and preserved the building, and it is used as a tourist information center and as a place for exchange.
Omi Recommended Lunch “Hachimanbori Terrace”
Hachimanbori Terrace is a restaurant where you can have lunch with your dog on the terrace. You can enjoy a delicious Omi beef lunch. They also have a menu for dogs.
You can enjoy your meal while viewing the Hachimanbori.
The restaurant is spacious. I ordered the most popular Omi Beef Stack (1,600 tax included). It is filled with plenty of meat and is really delicious. The rice is also delicious, as they use Omi rice. Other menu items include Omi beef curry and udon noodles.
Strolling along Shinmachi-dori, an old street
It is a national important traditional building preservation area. Lined with merchant houses built between the end of the Edo period and the Meiji period, visitors can enjoy a stroll through the area as if stepping back in time. The rows of large, magnificent townhouses built by wealthy merchants offer a traditional and historic scene.
Access to Omihachiman
Exit JR Omihachiman Station and walk along Boomerang Street for about 20 minutes to Shinmachi Street, then walk another 10 minutes to Hachimanbori.
