Kaizu-Osaki along the northern lake shore in Takashima. Cherry blossoms with Chikubushima island in the background. Beware of the narrow lakeshore road jammed with cars. 30-mi. walk from JR Makino Station (Kosei Line). Rental bicycles available.

Besides skiing, the best thing about winter is being able to look forward to spring. After a long and cold winter this year, we can hardly wait for the welcomed warmth of spring. Synonymous with spring is sakura, or cherry blossoms. Shiga Prefecture has many great spots for cherry blossoms, including two of Japan’s 100 Famous Cherry Blossom Spots at Kaizu-Osaki and Nagahama Castle’s Hokoen Park.

According to the cherry blossom forecast, the flowers should be in full bloom around April 15-20. Note that they bloom later in northern Shiga (Takashima and Nagahama) than in southern Shiga (Otsu). To see the current blooming condition, see the Weather News Sakura page for Shiga. The markers’ warmer colors until red (full bloom) indicate how far the flowers have bloomed.

Here are my photos of some of Shiga’s best sakura spots. Click on the photo to see more photos of the respective sakura spot.

Nagahama Castle in Hokoen Park near JR Nagahama Station (Hokuriku Line). A breath-taking number of cherry trees surround the castle. Be sure to go up the castle tower to see the sakura too.

Hikone Castle is another incredible place for sakura. I recommend going in the morning to take photos.

Mishima Pond and Mt. Ibuki in Maibara. Prime spot to photograph Shiga's highest mountain and cherry blossoms.

Weeping cherry tree in Omi-Fuji Karyoku Koen Park (also called Omi-Fuji Green Acres) next to Mt. Mikami in Yasu.

A walk along the sakura-lined Hachiman-bori Moat in Omi-Hachiman is very pleasant.

Zeze Castle Park in Otsu includes cherry blossoms planted here in memory of the college rowers from Kanazawa University who died in a rowing accident on Lake Biwa in April 1941.

One of the most beautiful weeping cherry trees at Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine in Otsu. Near Sakamoto Station on the Keihan Ishiyama-Sakamoto Line.

Cherry blossoms lit up at night at Miidera temple in Otsu.

Essential Vocabulary

• sakura さくら or 桜 - Cherry blossom and Japan’s national symbol and flower. By far, it is the most celebrated flower in Japan.
• tsubomi つぼみ – Flower buds.
• sakura zensen 桜前線 – Cherry blossom front as they bloom across Japan from Okinawa to Hokkaido.
• kaika 開花 – Flowers started blooming. This is about a week before the tree reaches full bloom.
• mankai 満開 – Full bloom. You will hear this on the news often.
• hayasaki 早咲き – Early-blooming flowers. A few varieties of cherry blossoms bloom earlier than usual.
• hanami or ohanami 花見 – Flower-viewing picnic (often with alcohol) under the cherry blossoms at a park. The most common way to celebrate spring under the flowers and commonly seen in the news. Hanami picnics are usually not allowed in shrines and temples.
• sakura matsuri さくらまつり or 桜祭り- Cherry blossom festival. Not a religious festival, but can take the form of various events and stage entertainment.
• Somei Yoshino 染井吉野 - The most common and coveted species of cherry blossoms whose light pink (almost white) flowers bloom in fluffy bunches on the tree.
• yo-zakura 夜桜 – Cherry blossoms lit up at night. Some temples and parks light up the flowers at night.
• shidare-zakura しだれ桜 or 枝垂桜 - Weeping cherry blossoms with long, hanging branches of flowers.
• Sakura Meisho さくら名所 – Famous cherry blossom spot. It is most often a castle, public park, garden, shrine/temple, or riverside.
• Sakura, Sakura さくら さくら- Famous folk song about cherry blossoms.
• chiru, chitta 散る、散った – Flowers fell off the tree. Happens a few days after full bloom when the petals fall like pink snow.
• sakura fubuki さくら吹雪 – Swirling cherry blossom petals. Occurs when the wind blows off the flower petals, creating a pink snow.

Official poster for the Nagahama Sengoku Taiga Furusato Expo. Click image to see the pdf pamphlet in Japanese.

Riding on the coattails of last year’s NHK Taiga Drama Go and the Azai Sisters, the city of Nagahama is following up on their successful Go and Azai Sisters Expo by holding another feudal history expo this year called Nagahama Sengoku Taiga Furusato-haku (長浜・戦国大河ふるさと博) from March 24 to Dec. 2, 2012.

It can be translated as Nagahama Warring States Hometown Expo. I’m told that as of this writing, they have no plans to provide any foreign language information for this expo (none for last year’s expo either). So I’ll voluntarily provide essential information in English. (My Go and Azai Sisters post (and Go Expo photos) was last year’s most popular Shiga News post receiving several hundred hits.)

Last year’s expo was limited to places in northern Shiga related to Go and the Azai sisters. But for this year’s expo, they are expanding the theme by including major sengoku (warring states) sites. The expo thus covers a larger area than last year, which means you might not be able to see all the expo sites in one day.

Like last year’s expo, Odani Castle is included as one of the expo sites and a shuttle bus will be provided to go up the mountain. A guide will be on hand to conduct tours (in Japanese only). There’s also Mt. Shizugatake (guide provided), Chikubushima island, a pavilion in Kinomoto, the Azai Folk History Museum, and a small pavilion in central Nagahama. First-time visitors should not miss Odani Castle, Mt. Shizugatake (splendid views of Lake Biwa and Lake Yogo), and Chikubushima (Lake Biwa’s most famous and historic island).

Sengoku history fans also should note that Nagahama also has the Ishida Mitsunari Birthplace and the Battle of Anegawa Site, both of which surprisingly are not included in the expo, but accessible by local bus routes. Nagahama Castle is not part of the expo either. It is readily accessible and probably doesn’t need the extra publicity.

Expo admission will be charged. As of this writing, it doesn’t look like they will have a passport-type pass (like last year) to all the expo sites. The sites have been grouped into three areas: Odani-Azai Area, Chikubushima-Nagahama Area, and Shizugatake-Kinomoto Area. Each attraction is charging its own admission. Admission to the pavilions is 300 yen, while going to Chikubushima will cost 2,980 yen for the round-trip boat ride from Nagahama Port plus 400 yen to enter the site. Mt. Shizugatake has a round-trip chair lift costing 760 yen (hiking up/down for free is also possible). There are discounts for junior high school and younger kids. Admission is free for infants younger than elementary school age.

A shuttle bus costing 500 yen will run to all the expo sites. However, the shuttle bus will not run during June 1 to July 22 (rainy season) and the entire month of September (typhoon season perhaps).

After the expo starts and I visit the expo this spring, I will update this page with more details and photos. Till then, make plans to visit Nagahama this year if you haven’t visited yet.

The paper article in The Daily Yomiuri is more impressive than the online version. Click to enlarge.

A short article about Lake Biwa titled, Japan’s blue pearl / Views of Lake Biwa is in today’s The Daily Yomiuri English newspaper (Jan. 15, 2012 issue). It was written by Christal Whelan in her monthly column called KANSAI CULTURESCAPES. She is a cultural anthropologist (Ph.D) living in Kyoto.

She writes mainly about Biwa pearls which are ironically obscure now, but quite famous outside Shiga among pearl fans. During New Year’s, I met with Christal when she visited Nagahama and Chikubushima for the first time. She visited Shiga a few times to research this article and has seen many more places (such as Harie in Takashima) than she writes about. She told me that she enjoyed Shiga and would definitely come back and visit again.

Thanks to Christal and The Daily Yomiuri for the article.

Her article is online, but as of this writing, the five photos in the newspaper article are not included in the online article: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/culture/T120109001338.htm

Go and Azai sisters goods at half price at Heiwado in Nagahama.

The year-long NHK Taiga Drama “Go” broadcast in 2011 ended along with the Go and Azai Sisters Expo (江・浅井三姉妹博覧会) held in Nagahama until Dec. 4, 2011.

When such an event ends, the value of and demand for related merchandise plummets. So I see that Heiwado in front of Nagahama Station has a corner selling Go and Azai sisters merchandise at a 50 percent discount. Yep, half price for Go, Chacha, and Hatsu dolls, note pads, pens, hand towels, mugs, key chains, stickers, etc., etc.

It’s a bargain, so if you’re a fan, good deals are to be had.

Go and Azai sisters dolls, large and small. also at half price.

Taga Taisha on New Year's Day.

The Shiga Prefectural Police Department has estimated that 1.31 million people will pray at shrines and temples in Shiga during the first three days of 2012. This is more than New Year’s in 2011. Going to pray at a shrine or temple during New Year’s is called hatsumode (初詣).

Shiga’s most popular shrines during New Year’s and the estimated number of worshippers during the first three days of the 2012 have been announced as follows:

1. Taga Taisha Shrine (多賀大社) in Taga, next to Hikone, 470,000 worshippers
2. Nagahama Hachimangu Shrine (長浜八幡宮) in Nagahama, 150,000 worshippers
3. Omi Jingu Shrine (近江神宮) in Otsu, 140,000 worshippers
4. Tarobo Shrine (太郎坊宮) in Higashi-Omi, 120,000 worshippers
5. Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine (日吉大社) in western Otsu, 100,000 worshippers

As usual, Taga Taisha will see the lion’s share of worshippers. No doubt, the shrine’s auspicious name is a major draw. “Taga” means many felicitations. Perfect for new year’s prayers.

And on New Year’s Eve, Buddhist temples will be ringing in the new year at around midnight. At Hikone Castle, there is the Time-Keeping Bell or Jiho-sho (時報鐘) which the public can ring from 11:30 pm. The bell is on the way to the tenshu castle tower. The castle gate will be open from 11 pm.

Odani Castle Honmaru wall. Click photo to see more photos.

As you may know, the Go and Azai Sisters Expo is in full swing in Nagahama. Their visitor count has exceeded expectations, thanks to the popularity of the current NHK Taiga Drama, Go–Himetachi no Sengoku.

If you like the TV series or like Japanese castles, be sure to take advantage of the guided tours of Odani Castle being offered during the expo period until Dec. 4, 2011. The easiest way to get to Odani Castle (if you don’t have a car) is to buy a 1,000 ticket for the expo and shuttle bus at Nagahama Station on the west side. For 1,000 yen, you can ride the shuttle bus round trip and enter all three expo pavilions. Or if you don’t have time to enter the pavilions, just pay 500 yen for the roundtrip shuttle bus ticket.

From Nagahama Station, take the shuttle bus to the Odani pavilion (Go no Furusato-no-Yakata) taking about 35 min. with a few stops along the way. The bus leaves twice an hour between 9:20 am and 5:10 pm. (Bus schedule in Japanese here.) From the Odani pavilion, there’s a shuttle bus going up to Odani Castle, one of Japan’s five most famous mountain castles. This shuttle bus costs 500 yen roundtrip and it includes a 60-min. guided tour. The Odani pavilion has a bus ticket booth nearby.

You can also hike up to Odani Castle on the paved road for free, but taking the shuttle bus halfway up (to the Bansho) saves you a lot of time and sweat. When the expo ends on Dec. 4, the shuttle bus service going up to Odani Castle will end I’m told. This means that getting to Odani Castle will be a lot more troublesome via public transportation since you will have to take the train to Kawake Station (JR Hokuriku Line) and then rent a bicycle or walk to Odani Castle (20-30 min. to the foot of Mt. Odani). I don’t know why they won’t provide better public transportation to such a major sight in Shiga.

Shuttle bus from Odani pavilion to Odani Castle leaves every half hour from 9 am to 3:30 pm. 10-min. ride, 500 yen roundtrip.

In early May 2011, I took the shuttle bus from the Odani pavilion to Odani Castle and went on the guided tour. The bus goes up to the Bansho area which is pretty high up. The tour guide uses a megaphone to explain the points of interest (no English), and the guided tour takes about 60 min. The castle trail is not strenuous, so young and old can enjoy the tour. But it is a dirt trail and a little rocky, so wear shoes and avoid rainy days. High heels is not good, and wheelchairs won’t work unless you have people who can carry it on some rocky slopes/steps. Lots of flying insects in the warmer months too, so a paper fan to fan them away would be handy. Note that the shuttle buses to the castle might not run during rough or snowy weather.

The tour takes you all the way to the Honmaru which is the focal point of the castle and where the main castle tower (tenshukaku) stood. Then they take you back to the bus. The main points of interest are indeed between where you get off the shuttle bus at the Bansho (guard house site) and the Honmaru, but the castle ruins go well beyond the Honmaru along the mountain ridge. It was my second visit to Odani Castle, and I wanted to go beyond the Honmaru so I left my tour group and went on my own. I had never gone beyond the Honmaru.

It turned out to be an easy walk all the way to the Sannomaru which is on the edge of the main castle grounds before it goes down and up to the peak of Mt. Odani. I turned back at Sannomaru. There are a number of “maru” castle baileys or enclosures beyond the Honmaru and each have an explanatory sign (but no English). There are also remains of a sword-washing pond and a large stone wall. If you have the time, I recommend going all the way to Sannomaru. It won’t take long.

You can also visit the place where Azai Nagamasa committed seppuku at the Akao-yashiki residence near the Honmaru. The guided tour does not take you there. I have now revamped my Odani Castle photo gallery with new photos and English explanations of the points of interest.

Spot where Azai Nagamasa slit his belly while under siege by Oda Nobunaga in 1573. The guided tour does not take you here.

For my return trip on the shuttle bus back to the Odani pavilion, I joined a later tour group and asked if they had room on the bus. They did, so I showed my bus ticket and got on the bus. You can do this too. You can return with a later tour group and take a later shuttle bus back to the Odani pavilion. But make sure the later tour group has room for you. They won’t allow you to stand in the bus. Only 25 people can sit in the bus. And the last shuttle bus leaves the castle at 4:45 pm. If you miss the last bus or if they don’t have enough room for you, you will have to walk back down (which isn’t so bad since you are going down and there are a few scenic lookouts along the way). It’s too bad that they don’t have buses going from the Odani pavilion to Sugatani Onsen, a noted hot spring near Odani. It was Ichi’s (Nagamasa’s wife and mother of the three Azai sisters) favorite spa while she lived in Odani Castle. The hot spring waters is a muddy brown color.

One thing you have to understand about Odani Castle is that, the castle atop the mountain was mainly for military purposes. Most people did not normally live atop the mountain. They normally lived in the adjacent Shimizu Valley on flat land where it was more convenient logistically. Hauling up water to the mountain top must’ve been tough. The Azai family (sisters included) normally lived in Shimizu Valley below. There are now stone markers indicating the location of the palace or Oyashiki residence where Nagamasa, Ichi, and Azai sisters lived and the location of the residence of Azai’s samurai retainers. If the shuttle bus tour to the castle is canceled due to bad weather, they will offer an alternate bus tour to the Shimizu Valley area. (They call it the “B Course,” while the castle tour is the “A Course.”) I haven’t seen the places in Shimizu Valley yet. Perhaps next time.

Panel showing an illustration of Odani Castle.

Go and Azai Sisters official site (no English): http://www.azai-go.jp/
Tourist map related to Azai sisters in Shiga: http://www.azai-go.jp/pdf/sengokumap.pdf
Tourist map of Nagahama: http://www.azai-go.jp/pdf/eria_map.pdf
Tourist map of central Nagahama: http://www.azai-go.jp/pdf/town_map.pdf

It is unusual to have so many Western visitors coming to Shiga, so we gave them a warm welcome, especially after the radiation scare in faraway Fukushima. Note that Shiga has had absolutely no increase in radiation levels after the Fukushima nuclear plant accident.

Unfortunately, about 20 people got spooked by the radiation and canceled their trip to Japan. To take the place of these people, the Seta Rowing Club in Otsu (host of this rowing tour) recruited people in Japan to join this Lake Biwa rowing tour. The cost was 120,000 yen which included hotel lodging at Hotel Laforet in Moriyama, meals, and tour fees.

The tour also included a day trip to see Enryakuji temple and Hikone Castle on June 9 when I accompanied the group as a photographer and guide. See the video I took above, when they rowed from Nagahama to Hikone, including Takeshima island.

Photos here.

See the rowing map and schedule here:

http://www.setarc.jp/2011fisatour/11%20FISA%20Tour%20MAP(E).pdf

http://www.setarc.jp/2011fisatour/11%20FISA%20Tour(E).pdf

Shiga Prefecture is next to Fukui Prefecture in the north, where a string of eleven nuclear power plants dot the coast of Wakasa Bay in three locations. This is　Japan’s highest concentrations of nuclear power plants. The closest nuclear reactor is only 13 km (8 mi.) from Shiga Prefecture’s border in Yogo (northern Nagahama).

The nuclear plants in Fukui are operated by Kansai Electric Power Co. (KEPCO) which supplies electricity to most of the Kansai and Kinki regions, including Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Nara, and parts of Mie, Gifu, and Fukui Prefectures. About 48% of KEPCO’s power is generated by nuclear plants, all in Fukui. This is the highest percentage of any region of Japan. Compare this with the Tokyo region’s 23% dependence on nuclear power before the Fukushima accident. Overall, Japan relied on nuclear power for about 23% of the power generated before the Fukushima accident. In its advertising, KEPCO has actually been boasting that half of its power is nuclear-generated. Say that now, and many of us in Kinki/Kansai will only shudder.

When the evacuation zone around the Fukushima nuclear plants was expanded from 10 km to 20 km (12 mi.), alarm bells went off in the governor’s office in Shiga. According to the safety manual, the standard evacuation zone around a troubled nuclear plant in Japan was to be only 10 km (6 mi.). If this overly optimistic scenario were to be trusted, Shiga would be in the clear. But 20 km meant that residents in northern Shiga would fall in the evacuation zone if a nuclear accident occurred in Fukui. This has prompted Shiga Governor Kada Yukiko to order a revamp of Shiga’s countermeasures against nuclear plant emergencies. The existing plan assumes that the evacuation zone will be 10 km. Thus, it does not include any evacuation plans for Shiga residents since we are farther than 10 km away. But Shiga must now incorporate evacuation plans in its countermeasures as soon as they figure out how far the evacuation zone should be. They must also take wind conditions into account.

I wonder though, if 20 km is a realistic distance when you think about the US government’s recommended 80 km (50 mi.) which would reach deep into Shiga territory from Wakasa Bay. However, evacuating Shiga residents within 80 km would be extremely disruptive and very difficult as it would include heavily populated areas. It is understandable for authorities to keep the evacuation zone as small as possible. Also, any major radiation leaks from Fukui would inevitably contaminate Lake Biwa which supplies water to the Kansai region. The stakes are very, very high when it comes to nuclear power safety.

Meanwhile, to ease our fears, KEPCO has announced major reinforcements and additional backup power supply and pumping systems to be installed or built. They also plan to build an anti-tsunami wall and also thoroughly train workers for emergencies. They will spend 5 to 10 trillion yen (about $595 million to $1.19 billion) on these countermeasures.

Well, that’s nice to hear. But it also implies that their nuclear reactors’ safety measures have been pretty inadequate during all these decades since the 1970s when most of them were built. Like right now, they are geared for only a 2-meter-high tsunami. Fukushima’s tsunami was well over 10 meters. These nuclear power plants have not been accident-free either. For example, in 2004, the Mihama nuclear plant had hot steam scalding five workers to death.

Let’s hope and pray that Japan, the power companies, and the entire world will learn from Fukushima and we will never see something like this ever again.

Without these parts for train motors, JR West is unable to maintain their trains properly. Therefore, to reduce the trains’ maintenance requirements, they will run trains less frequently from April.

In Shiga from April 11, the JR Kosei Line between Kyoto and Omi-Maiko will have only three train runs per hour between 10 am to and around 5 pm instead of four or five runs. Also, from Maibara to Omi-Shiotsu on the JR Hokuriku Line, the extra train runs on weekends and national holidays will be eliminated from April 11. These extra train runs were provided to accommodate tourists visiting northern Shiga in conjunction with the current NHK Taiga Drama Go whose backdrop includes Nagahama.

The fewer train runs shouldn’t affect rush-hour commuters. The Osaka Loop Line, Sagano Line, and Nara Line will also see fewer train runs.

Her parents departed on March 12 from Kansai Airport for New Zealand to claim the body which will be cremated in New Zealand.

Hirabayashi Yuko was a licensed nurse who graduated from Torahime High School and Kobe University’s School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences (神戸大学医学部保健学科). She worked as a maternity nurse at a Kobe hospital until she quit in May 2010.

In July 2010, she moved to Christchurch, New Zealand to study English with the aim of obtaining a nurse’s license in New Zealand.

Her parents and younger brother were planning to visit her in New Zealand in May this year.

A number of people, mostly students, from Shiga were in Christchurch when the quake hit, but they survived and Hirabayashi is the only fatality from Shiga as of this writing. She was a student at King’s Education, a language school housed in the ill-fated building which collapsed and claimed most of Japan’s earthquake victims, especially from Toyama Prefecture. Meanwhile, more missing Japanese in Christchurch await DNA confirmation.

Prayers to Hirabayashi Yuko and her family.

Update: Her funeral was held in Kinomoto on March 27, 2011, attended by about 700 people including the mayor of Nagahama.

Azai pavilion: Azai–Go no Drama-kan (浅井・江のドラマ館)

In concert with NHK TV’s year-long Taiga Drama called Go–Himetachi no Sengoku (Go–Noble Ladies of Feudal Japan), Nagahama is holding a year-long mini expo called Go and Azai Sister Trio Expo (Go–Azai Sanshimai Hakurankai 江・浅井三姉妹博覧会) from Jan. 15 to Dec. 4, 2011. The expo spotlights the three Azai sisters (Chacha, Ohatsu, and Go).

The expo has three pavilions (see below) in three different locations: central Nagahama, Odani, and Azai. The three pavilions are linked with a shuttle bus that runs every 40 min. (weekdays) or 30 min. (weekends) starting from Nagahama Station’s west exit at 10 am on weekdays and 9:30 am on weekends and national holidays. (No bus service from noon to 1 pm or 1:30 pm.) The bus also stops at attractions between pavilions such as the Kunitomo Gun Museum. Each bus also has a bus guide. Bus schedule here.

The pavilions are open from 9 am to 5 pm. For adults (high school and older), admission is 750 yen for all three pavilions or 1,000 yen if you also want to use the shuttle bus between the three pavilions.

You can also pay admission separately for each pavilion if you will not visit all three. For junior high and younger kids, admission is about half price. Tickets are sold at each pavilion and at the tourist information counter in Nagahama Station. Unfortunately, none of the pavilions have English information.

Nagahama Kurokabe Rekishi Drama 50-saku-kan (長浜黒壁・歴史ドラマ50作館)
You may want to visit this pavilion last since it is the smallest and least important. You can easily drop by on your way home if you plan to go back to Nagahama Station. The pavilion is actually a small exhibition room in a shopping complex in central Nagahama (across from the Hikiyama Museum). Using panel displays and a small theater, the pavilion introduces the 50 NHK Taiga Drama TV series broadcast from 1963 to 2011. Incidentally, the very first NHK Taiga Drama, called Hana no Shogai, was about Hikone Lord Ii Naosuke. This pavilion opened earlier on Dec. 25, 2010. Admission 300 yen for adults. Shuttle bus service is provided from Nagahama Station’s West exit and to go to the next pavilion near Odani Castle, taking about 30 min.
Pavilion address/map: 滋賀県長浜市元浜町13-31 パウビル2階

Odani pavilion: Odani–Go no Furusato-kan (小谷・江のふるさと館)

Odani–Go no Furusato-kan (小谷・江のふるさと館)
Being near Odani Castle where the three Azai sisters were born, this pavilion focuses on the history of the Azai clan, the attack and fall of Odani Castle, and a small video theater showing a good video of the castle. There is also an impressive scale model of Mt. Odani with Odani Castle on it. There is bus service (500 yen) from this pavilion to Odani Castle during the warmer months when the road is not snowed in. The 5-min. ride takes you well up the mountain from where you can explore the castle remains (mainly stone walls). A guide will be on hand to show you around the castle remains (probably no English). Pavilion admission 300 yen for adults. Shuttle bus service is provided to go to the next pavilion in Azai, taking about 10 min. If you have time, you should also visit the Odani Castle Sengoku Historical Museum (小谷城戦国歴史資料館) a short walk away. Admission 300 yen (not included in the expo ticket price).
Pavilion address/map: 滋賀県長浜市湖北町伊部757-1

Azai–Go no Drama-kan (浅井・江のドラマ館)
In the area named after the Azai clan, this is the main pavilion and the most impressive of the three. It displays kimono worn by the actresses (Ueno Juri, Miyazawa Rie) and samurai armor worn by the actors playing Oda Nobunaga and Azai Nagamasa. There’s also a small video theater showing the making of a scene where the three sisters and Nagamasa and Oichi are filmed on Mt. Odani. Admission 500 yen for adults. Shuttle bus service is provided to go back to the pavilion in central Nagahama, taking about 20 min. There is also a large gift shop next to the pavilion, selling Azai sisters-related goods, guide books, and local produce. Do your gift shopping here.
Pavilion address/map: 滋賀県長浜市内保町2843

More expo photos here.

Official Web site (no English): http://www.azai-go.jp/

Also, during July 23 to Aug. 31, 2011, the Nagahama Castle History Museum will hold an exhibition on Go, displaying about 130 items related to Go. Her possessions, writings, etc.

The NHK Taiga Drama Go–Himetachi no Sengoku is broadcast in Japan on NHK General (Sogo) TV every Sunday night from 8 pm to 8:45 pm and rebroadcast on Sat. at 1:05 pm. The first episode will air on Jan. 9, 2011 from 8 pm to 9:15 pm.

What is Go–Himetachi no Sengoku?
It is NHK TV’s year-long, historical drama TV series to be broadcast weekly in 2011 from Jan. 9 to Nov. 27, 2011 in Japan. This annual TV series is called NHK Taiga Drama which goes back 50 years to 1963. It is one of Japan’s most famous and popular TV series. Each year, a different Japanese historical theme is portrayed, most often based on Japan’s feudal period.

Go is the name of the main character, a daughter of a prominent samurai daimyo, Azai Nagamasa, who ruled northern Shiga Prefecture in the 16th century. Himetachi means princesses or noble ladies. And sengoku literally means warring states, in reference to Japan’s feudal period when civil wars were waged by samurai trying to conquer more territory and ultimately unify and rule all of Japan. Thus, the story focuses on Go as well as other ladies of that period who went through many ordeals during a most turbulent period of Japan’s history.

According to NHK, the story will mainly center on the love and bond between Go and her parents, her husbands, her sisters, and her children.

Who was Go?
Go (1573-1626), also called Ogo or Oeyo and Sugen’in in her final years, was the youngest of three sisters born to Azai Nagamasa (1545-1573), Lord of Odani Castle in northern Shiga (present-day Nagahama) and wife Oichi (1547?-1583) who was the younger sister of Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582). Born in Shiga’s Odani Castle, the three Azai sisters, called Azai sanshimai (浅井三姉妹), are perhaps Japan’s most famous or historical trio of sisters. Her oldest sister was Chacha also known as Yodo who at age 19 married Toyotomi Hideyoshi who was 51, and her other sister was Ohatsu who married Kyogoku Takatsugu.

Of the three sisters, Go has become the main character because she became part of a lasting dynasty in Japanese history by marrying the second Tokugawa Shogun Hidetada (1579-1632) and giving birth to the third Tokugawa Shogun Iemitsu (1604-1651). We can say that most of the Tokugawa shoguns have roots in Shiga since Go was born in Odani, Shiga.

With Hidetada, Go also had a daughter named Senhime (1597-1666) who married cousin Toyotomi Hideyori (son of Chacha and Toyotomi Hideyoshi) at age 6 and another daughter, Masako (1607-1678) who married Emperor Go-Mizunoo (1596-1680). Masako’s daughter became Empress Meisho (1624-1696). So we can say that even the Imperial family has roots in Shiga. How about that?

Thus, Go had Oda Nobunaga as an uncle, Toyotomi Hideyoshi as an adoptive guardian and father-in-law to a daughter, Tokugawa Ieyasu (the first Tokugawa shogun who unified Japan in 1600) as a father-in-law, a son who became the third Tokugawa shogun, and a granddaughter who became a reigning Empress of Japan. She lived through Japan’s turbulent transition from never-ending civil wars to a period of relative peace. Such blood connections to three of Japan’s most famous samurai and even to the Imperial Court makes her one of the most well-connected women in Japanese history. Great fodder for a year-long TV series, novels, comic books, etc.

One major storyline would also center on the siege of Osaka Castle in 1614-15 when Yodo (Chacha) and her son Hideyori residing in the castle were attacked by Tokugawa Hidetada and forced to kill themselves to extinguish the Toyotomi family. Sisters Yodo and Go were on opposing sides, and Ohatsu acted as an intermediary for a truce which was later broken by the Tokugawa.

Go was married three times, but her third marriage to Hidetada was the most significant. She also had other children (2 sons and 5 daughters total) like Tokugawa Hidenaga. But other than Iemitsu, Senhime, and Matsu-hime (Masako), they are pretty obscure. Go died at age 53 and is buried at Zojoji temple in Tokyo where many Tokugawa shoguns are buried.

What is the historical timeline?
1568: Oda Nobunaga’s sister Oichi marries Azai Nagamasa, lord of Odani Castle in northern Omi (Shiga Prefecture).
1569: First daughter Chacha is born in Odani.
1570: Second daughter Ohatsu is born in Odani.
1573: Third daughter Go is born in Odani. Father Azai Nagamasa is defeated by Nobunaga and commits seppuku in the castle. The three Azai sisters and mother Oichi escape Odani Castle.
1582: Oda Nobunaga is assassinated by Akechi Mitsuhide in Honnoji temple in Kyoto. Oichi marries Shibata Katsuie and moves to his Kitanosho Castle in Fukui Prefecture along with her three daughters.
1583: Shibata Katsuie is defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi at the Battle of Shizugatake in northern Shiga. Both Katsuie and Oichi commit kill themselves. Toyotomi Hideyoshi becomes the guardian of the three Azai sisters.
1584: Go marries Saji Kazunari of Owari Province (Nagoya, Aichi), but divorces him the same year as ordered by Hideyoshi after the Battle of Komaki/Nagakute where Saji was on the opposing side.
1587: Ohatsu marries Kyogoku Takatsugu.
1589: Chacha (now called Yodo and 51-year-old Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s concubine at age 19) gives birth to Tsurumatsu, Hideyoshi’s son. Tsurumatsu dies two years later.
1592: Go marries Toyotomi Hidekatsu, a nephew of Hideyoshi. He soon dies in battle during the Korean invasion.
1593: Yodo gives birth to Hideyori, Hideyoshi’s son.
1595: Go marries Tokugawa Hidetada, later the second Tokugawa shogun.
1597: Go gives birth to first daughter Senhime.
1598:  Toyotomi Hideyoshi dies.
1600: Tokugawa Ieyasu triumphs at the Battle of Sekigahara in Gifu, defeating western forces loyal to Hideyoshi.
1603: Ieyasu becomes shogun and moves to Edo Castle (Tokyo) and starts the Tokugawa Period. At age 6, Senhime marries Hideyori at Osaka Castle.
1604: Go gives birth to son Takechiyo (Iemitsu).
1605: Hidetada becomes the 2nd Tokugawa shogun.
1606: Go gives birth to son Hidenaga.
1607: Go gives birth to daughter Masako.
1609: Ohatsu’s husband Kyogoku Takatsugu dies, and she becomes a nun named Jokoin.
1614: During the Winter Siege of Osaka Castle, Ohatsu acts as an intermediary for peace between the Tokugawa and Toyotomi.
1615: During the Summer Siege of Osaka Castle, the Tokugawa extinguishes the Toyotomi clan by forcing Yodo and her son Hideyori to kill themselves.
1616: Tokugawa Ieyasu dies.
1620: Go and Hidetada’s daughter Masako joins the Imperial Court.
1623: Go’s son Iemitsu becomes the third Tokugawa shogun.
1626: Go dies in Edo Castle. Husband Hidetada dies in 1632, and sister Ohatsu dies in 1633.

The NHK Taiga Drama is one of Japan’s most famous TV series, going back 50 years. Each year, a different historical theme is depicted in year-long, weekly episodes of 45 min. Most of the years have featured feudal-era Japan with well-known samurai appearing. But in 1984, Sanga no Moyu was about the Japanese-American internment in the US during World War II.

“Go” is the 50th NHK Taiga Drama. Shiga is abuzz over this because much of the historical background of “Go” takes place in Shiga. The main character, Go, was born in Shiga (Odani Castle in present-day Nagahama). The NHK Taiga Drama often brings national attention and free publicity to the areas where the story takes place. Thus, Shiga will be front and center during the whole year in 2011 in TV land. That is if you watch TV and are interested in history.

When the Taiga drama is really popular, it brings hordes of tourists to the places related to the drama and historical characters. More tourists means more money coming into the local economy. Thus the excitement in Shiga. It can also raise Shiga’s national profile which is quite low.

Shiga has been at work for well over a year to maximize and monetize this grand opportunity. For one thing, they will hold the Go and Azai Sister Trio Expo (江・浅井三姉妹博覧会) in Nagahama from Jan. 15 to Dec. 4, 2011. They will have three small pavilions in different locations in Nagahama. Details here.

Mascot characters for the three Azai sisters have also been created. The problem is, there are multiple versions and they all look different. It’s confusing and hard to tell who is who. There are also multiple Web sites about the TV series and Go. It seems a lotta people wanna a piece of the action, and the resulting PR efforts are fragmented as a result.

But with little doubt, this Taiga Drama is almost certain to boost Shiga’s national recognition. There is already much interest because “Go” centers on a woman instead of a man (like Sakamoto Ryoma in 2010). And one who went through many ordeals in life. The last Taiga Drama centering on a woman was Atsuhime in 2007 which was massively popular. With Go, NHK hopes to repeat the success of Atsuhime even by using the same writer (Tabuchi Kumiko) who wrote Atsuhime.

And if you go to a bookstore now, you can find a number of TV magazines and history mags featuring Go. NHK also has a special mook (magazine book) for Go.

I’ll be writing more about Go and the TV series here.

Related Web sites:
http://www.nhk.or.jp/go/
http://www.go-shiga.jp/
http://www.azai-go.jp/
http://www.nhk.or.jp/otsu/go/
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ff20101231r1.html

The NHK Taiga Drama Go–Himetachi no Sengoku is broadcast in Japan on NHK General (Sogo) TV every Sunday night from 8 pm to 8:45 pm and rebroadcast on Sat. at 1:05 pm. The first episode will air on Jan. 9, 2011 from 8 pm to 9:15 pm.

Azai Sisters (Chacha, Go, Hatsu)

Shiga Prefecture is now offering free high-res downloads of manga characters depicting the three Azai sisters for your New Year’s postcards (nengajo). For personal and non-commercial use, you can freely use the graphic to print on your New Year’s postcards.

There is a variety of graphics available, all centering on the three characters above depicting Chacha, Go, and Hatsu who were the daughters of Lord Azai Nagamasa and Oichi (younger sister of Lord Oda Nobunaga). They lived in Odani Castle in Nagahama in the turbulent 16th century.

Shiga is making a big fuss over these sisters because from Jan. 9, 2011, NHK TV will start broadcasting a weekly TV series called Go–Himetachi no Sengoku (Go–Princesses of the Warring States, 江～姫たちの戦国) for its NHK Taiga Drama series. Go (also called Ogo) is the youngest of the three sisters. Shiga Prefecture is hoping that this year-long TV series will attract attention to Shiga with more tourists.

Download the graphics from this page. Just click on the graphic you want to download:
http://www.go-shiga.jp/character/nenga.html

July 17, 2010
Echigawa Gion Noryo Hanabi Taikai in Aisho, 7:30 pm – 9:20 pm
Along the Echigawa River bank near Miyukibashi Bridge. If rained out, to be postponed to July 18.
愛知川祇園納涼祭花火大会
More info: 愛荘町秦荘観光協会／愛荘町愛知川観光協会　TEL：0749-37-8051
http://www.biwa.ne.jp/~e-machi/new/hanabitaikai.html

July 24, 2010
Kashiwabara-juku Yaito Matsuri fireworks, 9 pm – 9:20 pm
Near JR Kashiwabara Station in Maibara.
柏原宿やいとまつり
More info: 中山道柏原宿やいと祭実行委員会　TEL：0749‐57‐0256
http://yaito.kashiharasyuku.com/

Aug. 1, 2010
Hikone Dai-Hanabi Taikai at Matsubara Beach, Hikone, 7:45 pm – 8:30 pm
30-min. walk from Hikone Station. If rained out, to be postponed to Aug. 4.
彦根大花火大会
More info: （社）彦根観光協会　Phone: 0749-23-0001
http://www.hikoneshi.com/event/?itemid=641

Ogoto Onsen Noryo Hanabi Taikai in Ogoto Port, 8 pm – 8:30 pm
20-min. walk from Ogoto Onsen Station. Fireworks can be seen from most ryokan in Ogoto.
おごと温泉納涼花火大会
More info: おごと温泉観光協会　Phone: 077-578-1650
http://www.ogotoonsen.com/sightseeing/hanabi/

Omi-Imazu Furusato Natsu Matsuri, 9:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Climax of Imazu’s summer festival starting from 1 pm.
近江今津ふるさと夏祭り　やっさ！今津！！２０１０
More info: 近江今津ふるさと夏まつり実行委員会事務局 Phone: 0740-22-2108
http://www.takashima-kanko.jp/new/20100620_613.html

Hachiman Tenbin Matsuri in Omi-Hachman, 7:30 pm
At Kitanoshosawa area. Shuttle buses provided.
八幡てんびんまつり
More info: 八幡てんびんまつり事務局　Phone: 0748-32-6654
http://tenbinmaturi.hp.infoseek.co.jp/

Aug. 5, 2010
Nagahama Kita-Biwako Hanabi Taikai at Nagahama Port, 7:30 pm
10-min. walk from Nagahama Station. Very crowded so go early to save a spot or pay 3,000 yen for special seating. If rained out, to be postponed to Aug. 9.
長浜・北びわ湖大花火大会
More info: 長浜市観光振興課　Phone: 0749-65-6521
http://nagahamashi.org/news/hanabi2010.html

Aug. 6, 2010
Biwako Dai-Hanabi Taikai at Hama-Otsu and Nagisa Park, 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm
This is the big one, but prime viewing areas all charge admission of about 4,000 yen (even for children above age 3). The free area is farther away and terribly crowded. People are no longer allowed to save a place with vinyl mats, etc., until the fireworks day. Would you believe people saved a viewing place on Nagisa Park as early as 2 weeks before the fireworks day? If rained out, to be postponed to Aug. 10.
びわ湖大花火大会
More info: びわ湖大花火大会実行委員会　TEL:077-511-1530
http://www.biwako-visitors.jp/hanabi/index.html

Aug. 7, 2010
Makino Summer Carnival at Makino Sunny Beach in Takashima
マキノサマーカーニバル２０１０
More info: 四季遊園マキノ交流促進協議会事務局　Phone: 0740-28-8002
http://www.biwako-visitors.jp/search/event_12577.html

Ujisato Matsuri Summer Gathering in Hino
Fireworks is the climax of this summer festival (bon dance, etc.) held in the northern parking lot of Hino Town Hall.
氏郷まつり「夏の陣」2010
More info: 日野町イベント実行委員会　Phone: 0748-52-6562
http://www.town.shiga-hino.lg.jp/contents_detail.php?co=cat&frmId=1386&frmCd=4-15-2-0-0

Kotonarie Summer Festa in Higashi-Omi’s Hibari Park
Part of an illumination festival.
コトナリエサマーフェスタ２０１０
More info: 東近江市湖東商工会　Phone: 0749-45-2571
http://www.biwako-visitors.jp/search/event_373.html

Aug. 9, 2010
Ishiyama-dera Sennichikai and Setagawa fireworks, 8:30 pm – 9 pm
Fireworks along the Seta River near Ishiyama-dera. 10-min. walk from Ishiyama-dera Station on the Keihan Line.
石山寺千日会と瀬田川に煌く炎のページェント
More info: （社）石山観光協会　Phone: 077-537-1105
http://www.biwako-visitors.jp/search/event_304.html

Aug. 16, 2010
Somagawa Natsu Matsuri near Kibukawa Station, Koka
Fireworks are part of the summer festival with taiko drummers and lantern floating on the river.
杣川夏まつり
More info: 甲賀市観光協会　Phone: 0748-65-0708
http://www.biwako-visitors.jp/search/event_301.html

Aug. 17, 2010
Setagawa River Hanabi Taikai at Seta River in Otsu, 7:50 pm – 9 pm
Near Seta-no-Karahashi Bridge. Short walk from Karahashi-mae Station on the Keihan Line. Fireworks will climax a waterborne festival on boats.
瀬田川花火大会
More info: 瀬田川流域観光協会　Phone: 077-537-1105
http://www.biwako-visitors.jp/search/event_303.html

Aug. 25, 2010
Kinomoto Jizo Dai-ennichi fireworks near JR Kinomoto Station
木之本地蔵大縁日　8月22日（日）～25日（水）（花火は25日のみ）
More info: ふるさと夏まつり実行委員会　Phone: 0749-82-5902
http://www.biwako-visitors.jp/search/event_12358.html

Tickets are also available at Lute Plaza, Azai Bunka Hall, Nagahama Bunka Geijutsu Kaikan, Hikiyama Hakubutsukan Museum, and Keibun. (リュートプラザ、浅井文化ホール、長浜文化芸術会館、曳山博物館、KEIBUN）

The Tonda puppet troupe receives trainees from overseas on a regular basis. In this upcoming show, five college students from the US and UK will appear. They’ve been training full time (8 hours/day on weekdays) since June 10, 2010 at the Tonda Puppet Hall in Nagahama while doing homestays with local families. Their teacher is Abe Hidehiko (阿部秀彦), the leader of the Tonda troupe.

Each puppet weighing about 4 kg is manipulated by three people. Two of them are usually dressed as kurogo with their faces covered. So I wonder how we’ll recognize the non-Japanese puppeteers.

I saw the Tonda bunraku in Dec. 2009 at Lute Plaza and it was impressive even though I couldn’t understand the story so well. But I’m always happy to see foreigners learning traditional Japanese things, especially in Shiga. I wish them well.

Lute Plaza Web site

The back of the map has a guide to Nagahama hotels and ryokan inns and the ferry schedule to Chikubushima. The Northern Shiga Kohoku Sightseeing Federation sponsored the production of the map. They printed 5,000 copies.

Today, Jan. 1, 2010, is when Nagahama became a new city upon its merger with six towns in northern Shiga: Torahime, Kohoku, Takatsuki, Kinomoto, Yogo, and Nishi-Azai. Congratulations to all the residents of these former towns on becoming citizens of Nagahama.

With a population of 123,608 (as of Nov. 1, 2009), Nagahama is now Shiga’s third-most populous city after Otsu and Kusatsu. By area, Nagahama is now Shiga’s largest city covering a massive 539.48 ㎢ of land (680.79 ㎢ if you include Lake Biwa), larger than Takashima’s 511.36 ㎢.

With the addition of the six former towns, Nagahama boasts a wide variety of attractions, historical sites, and natural scenery. Their sightseeing department is in a very good and enviable position by having so many unique things to see. Remember that Mt. Ibuki is still in Maibara, not Nagahama.)

During Dec. 2009, the six merging towns held their town-closing ceremonies, and about 100 public employees from the six towns moved to the main building of Nagahama City Hall.

Note that addresses in the six former towns have changed. Most of the addresses are appended with the former town’s name, except for Torahime. Looks like Torahime has quite a few place names which have been renamed. Many of them now have “cho” appended to the neighborhood’s place name. If you live in the former towns or need to send stuff to people in the six former towns, check the address. The changed address can be checked in Japanese here:
http://www.city.nagahama.shiga.jp/index.cfm/6,8475,12,92,html

There will be a municipal merger ceremony on Jan. 17, 2010 at 1:30 pm at the Azai Bunka Hall. The former mayors of the six mergning  towns, Shiga Governor Kada, and others will be on hand to mark the merger. Details in Japanese:
http://www.city.nagahama.shiga.jp/index.cfm/6,8611,12,92,html

Meanwhile, I’m busy merging my Web pages for the six towns with Nagahama’s Web pages.

Lute Plaza

人形浄瑠璃「冨田人形」秋公演

The highly-acclaimed Tonda bunraku puppet troupe based in Nagahama will stage their autumn puppet show on Dec. 6, 2009 at 1:30 pm at Lute Plaza in Biwa-cho.

Tickets are only 1,000 yen for non-reserved seats (free for kids under high school age). Reserve a ticket by calling Lute Plaza at 0749-72-5257. Tickets will also be sold at the door from 1 pm. The Hikiyama Museum in Nagahama also sells tickets.

Four plays will be performed:
東海道中膝栗毛
鬼一法眼三略巻
傾城阿波の鳴門
団子売り

A shuttle bus for Lute Plaza will leave Nagahama Station’s West exit (Nishi-guchi which faces the lake) at 12:30 pm and 1 pm.

More info about the Tona puppet troupe in English:
http://www.asianinterstage.com/tonda/

In Japanese:
http://www.gaido.jp/suteki/suteki.php?ID=80

They are using a 5-meter boat seating 8 people to row off the shore of Nagahama. On June 2, the first day, 160 students from four schools rowed while trying to coordinate their rowing timing.

I think they should also start singing Biwako Shuko no Uta (Lake Biwa Rowing Song) either during or after the rowing.