Here’s the fireworks (hanabi) schedule for Shiga Prefecture in summer 2010 listed by date: 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 [...]
Posts under ‘Otsu’
Brian Williams Parabolic Paintings
Very good video of renown Shiga-based painter Brian Williams explaining in English about his unique parabolic paintings of Lake Biwa exhibited at a museum in Otsu. http://brianwilliamsart.com/ The video was shot by John Wells, an old friend of mine in Kyoto.
Google Maps street views of Shiga
Google Maps now show street views of Shiga Prefecture. On March 11, 2010, Google has started to post photos of the streets of Shiga, mainly in Otsu, Kusatsu, and the road going around Lake Biwa. No doubt, they will keep posting street views of more roads in Shiga as they become available. Street views are [...]
Shiga Governor Kada running for 2nd term
Shiga Prefecture’s Governor KADA Yukiko announced on Feb. 16, 2010 that she will run for a second term as governor of Shiga. She made the announcement at Shiga Prefecture’s legislative assembly in Otsu. Her first four-year term as Shiga governor will end this summer when gubernatorial elections will be held. She seeks wide support among [...]
Shiga Olympians off to Vancouver
Among Japan’s athletes competing in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, two are from Shiga Prefecture. ITO Miki (伊藤みき) hails from Hino, Shiga and Vancouver is her second Winter Olympics after Torino. She will compete in the freestyle skiing mogul event along with media darling Uemura Aiko. Born in 1987, Miki attended elementary and junior high [...]
Biwako Fireworks in Otsu for Aug. 7
Shiga’s largest summer fireworks display called Biwako Dai-Hanabi Taikai (びわ湖大花火大会) will be held again along the shore of Lake Biwa in Otsu. The date and time is Fri. Aug. 7, 2009 at 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Some 350,000 people are expected to show up. Note that much of the best shoreline to view the [...]
Biwako beaches pass water-quality tests
It’s summer again and before people flock to the beaches, Shiga Prefecture in May conducted water-quality tests at nine of Shiga’s most popular swimming beaches. Based on the water-quality test results, the beaches were ranked “AA,” “A,” or “B.” Receiving the highest “AA” rating were Omi-Maiko (Otsu), Miyagahama (Omi-Hachiman), and Nihonmatsu (Nishi-Azai). The second-highest “A” [...]
Swine flu update: 40 infected in Shiga
Although the swine flu scare/panic has largely passed, be aware the bug is still out there. On July 13, 2009, ten new cases of H1N1 patients were confirmed, increasing Shiga’s total to 40 people infected. Eight students attending Higashi Otsu High School were found to be infected, along with a Ryukoku Univ. student, who was [...]
Smoking banned in Otsu train stations from July 2009
禁煙 The Otsu City Council passed a bill on March 18, 2009 to ban smoking in and around all major train stations in Otsu. The smoking ban will take effect from July 2009. The Japanese word for “No smoking” is kin’en (kanji written above). Smokers beware–do not smoke in and around the following train stations: [...]
Otsu mayor earns more than Shiga governor
On June 30, 2009, the 2008 incomes and assets of National Diet members, prefectural governors, and prefectural assembly members were made public as required by law. In 2008, Shiga Governor Kada Yukiko earned 17.27 million yen. This included her 15.06 million yen annual salary as governor and the rest was earned from royalties, speaking fees, writing [...]
More spring festivals in Shiga
During this rainy season, I’m staying at home to sort through the thousands of photos I took in Shiga during spring. Here are a few more festivals in Shiga which I photographed during spring. Sanno Matsuri held by Hiyoshi Taisha in Otsu (Part 1 and 2): Sanno Matsuri photos: http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=11 Minakuchi Hikiyama Matsuri is a [...]
Enman-in temple in Otsu auctioned for over 1 billion yen
A highly unusual auction occurred last month when Enman-in temple (圓満院) in Otsu went on the auction block held by the Otsu District Court. It went to the highest bidder for 1.07 billion yen on May 26, 2009. The winning bidder is a religious group in Koka, Shiga. The name of the group was not [...]
Swine flu hits 3rd person in Shiga as tourism tries to recover
On May 27, 2009, the swine flu was found to hit a third person in Shiga, a 36-year-old male company worker who works in Kyoto and lives in Otsu. He has a wife and child who so far shows no signs of the flu. Shiga is no longer taking drastic precautions against the swine flu, [...]
Shiga schools to reopen on May 27
All prefectural public schools which have been closed due to the swine flu scare will reopen for classes on May 27 (Wed.). Nursery, elementary, and junior high schools in the six southern cities centering on Otsu will also reopen on the 27th. That is, if the swine flu does not further spread in Shiga.
Breaking news: Swine flu hits Shiga, schools closed
On the morning of May 20, 2009, Shiga’s first case of swine flu has been confirmed. A 23-year-old male student at the Biwako-Kusatsu campus of Ritsumeikan University has been confirmed as the first patient. His symptoms are not serious and will be hospitalized. None of the swine flu cases in Japan have proved to be fatal. [...]
Shiga LakeStars end 2008-09 season in 5th place
I enjoyed watching Shiga LakeStars games even though they didn’t do so well during their debut 2008-09 season ending up in 5th place with a record of 19 wins and 33 losses. The bj-league emphasizes the entertainment aspects of the game, so that added a lot to the games. And Shiga did have a good number [...]
Daidogawa Dam construction to be frozen
On Mar. 31, 2009, in a rare turnabout of policy, the Construction and Transport Ministry announced that it would freeze construction of Daidogawa Dam (大戸川ダム) in Otsu. The decision was made in consideration of opposition to the dam by the governors of Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka and Mie prefectures. The ministry had stated that the dam [...]
Major sponsor exits Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon
Held annually for 64 times since 1946, the Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon is losing a major sponsor after March 1, 2009. Kyoto-based electronic parts maker ROHM Co., Ltd. has stated that it will no longer be a sponsor of the marathon after the 64th race on March 1, 2009. The company had shouldered about half the cost [...]
Otsu Matsuri
Held on Oct. 11-12, 2008, this is another major float festival in Shiga where they display and pull ornate floats along the city streets. I went to see both the festival eve called Yoimiya when they display the floats on the streets at night. The floats are lit up with lanterns and musicians also play. [...]