Annular solar eclipse above Tokyo. Click on image to enlarge.

A large swath of Japan was treated to an annular solar eclipse at around 7:30 am on May 21, 2012. People in southeastern Shiga Prefecture joined the masses in Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka to view the rare annular eclipse over most of Japan’s Pacific Ocean side. The rest of Japan could at least see a partial eclipse. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon comes between the sun and Earth and casts a shadow on Earth. The moon is farther away from Earth than during a total solar eclipse, so it does not cover the sun totally, exposing only a solar ring. In Japanese, an annular solar eclipse is called kinkan nisshoku (金環日食), literally “devoured sun with golden ring.”

People in the southeastern half of Shiga Prefecture could see the annular solar eclipse with the perfect ring of fire. The area from Maibara to Otsu was close to the northern boundary of the annular shadow path. Beyond that in Nagahama and Takashima, people could only see a partial solar eclipse. The annular ring could be seen for about 5 minutes at the center of the annular shadow path which went through central Tokyo. The further away you are from shadow’s center, the less time the ring appears.

In Shiga, the ring appeared for a maximum of about 3 minutes depending on the location. It was around 3 minutes in Koka and Higashi-Omi starting at 7:29 am. People in central Otsu saw it for about 2 minutes from 7:29 am. In Maibara, it was about a minute or less at 7:31 am. Nagahama and Takashima were outside the annular shadow and could only see a partial solar eclipse (a crescent sun). The last time an annular solar eclipse occurred in Shiga Prefecture was 282 years ago. Gee, I wonder how they viewed it at the time, if they even knew about it.

I was in Tokyo and photographed the eclipse about 1.5 km from the shadow’s center so I had the maximum 5 minutes to view and photograph the ring. We were lucky to have fleeting breaks in the veil of clouds during the eclipse. The clouds actually made it look more dramatic. A cloudless sky would create a totally black background in the photo. The ring appeared at 7:34 am in Tokyo. The last time this occurred in Tokyo was 173 years ago in 1839. The next annular solar eclipse in Tokyo will be three centuries from now. Too bad about Mt. Fuji being totally fogged over. People up there saw nothing. Map of the annular eclipse path: http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2012May20Agoogle.html

It was also cloudy in Shiga at the time of the eclipse, but the sun did peep out of the clouds now and then and most got a chance to see the ring. Koka was the first to see the eclipse in Shiga starting at 6:17 am. Many school kids in Shiga went to school about an hour early and gathered on the school grounds to view the eclipse using solar eclipse sunglasses. Earth science students at Maibara High School used high-powered telescopes to successfully observe and photograph Baily’s beads which appear at the moment when the ring forms. Since Maibara is along the fringe of the annular shadow, it was a prime spot to view Baily’s beads. The students even appeared on national TV news that day on NHK at 7 pm.

The temperature dropped slightly by 0.6 C to 1 C in Shiga during the eclipse. The sky also became slightly darker during the peak, but it was still very bright. The photos look dark because of the dark filter on the lens. You cannot see the ring without a dark filter or solar eclipse glasses. Even at the peak of the eclipse, the sun was still a bright spot in the sky. Some people in Japan got married or engaged or gave a wedding or engagement ring to their fiance during the eclipse. To me, it looked like a heavenly angel’s halo without the angel. It certainly was worth getting up early to see it.

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.

Chopsticks for recovery in Tohoku.

Various events were held in Shiga Prefecture on March 11, 2012 to mark the first anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake or Tohoku (northeastern Japan) triple disaster. Memorial services and prayers were held at a number temples in Shiga such as the Kannon temples in Takatsuki, Nagahama and Ishiyama-dera in Otsu. Many people spent a minute of silence at around 2:46 pm when the earthquake struck a year before.

In Higashi-Omi, they flew a large kite bearing the word “Recover” (復興 Fukko) in tandem with other kite festival groups in other parts of Japan. In Kutsuki, Takashima, about 50 children wrote prayer messages on cards attached to 250 balloons which were then released. In the evening, candlelight vigils were held in Hikone and Otsu.

At the Meishin Expressway (freeway connecting Nagoya and Kobe) Taga Service Area, a food fair selling products from Tohoku (Fukushima, Miyagi, and Iwate Prefectures) was held. One of the products was canned fish recovered from the tsunami debris. Volunteers recovered the cans and relabeled them for sale. The famous Taga soba noodles were also sold for 500 yen/bowl and the profits donated to Tohoku.

In Otsu, about 1,000 people staged an anti-nuke demonstration called, “Bye-bye Nuclear Power, Protect Lake Biwa” (ばいばい原発守ろうびわ湖) in Zeze Park and marched to JR Zeze Station and Parco department store. Evacuees from Fukushima were among the demonstrators.

An association of portrait studio owners in Shiga (協同組合滋賀写真師会) held a portrait shoot in Otsu and charged only 2,000 yen to take portraits of families, couples, and friends. They donated the entire proceeds to portrait studios in Tohoku to fund portrait sessions of Tohoku disaster evacuees. This excellent project (http://www.egao-japan.net/) is now spreading to other parts of Japan.

Meanwhile, 389 evacuees (152 families) from Tohoku remain in Shiga Prefecture as of March 8, 2012. Most of them, totaling 250, are from Fukushima Prefecture. Sixty-five people are from Miyagi Prefecture and 6 are from Iwate Prefecture. Ninety-nine evacuees are living in public housing rent-free. This arrangement is being extended by 6 months to 2 years. Some 81 evacuee children (47 in grade school and 17 in junior high) are attending schools in Shiga. Last December, the evacuees in Shiga formed their own “Association of Evacuees in Shiga” (滋賀県内避難者の会) to socialize and share information. The association’s leader commented that some evacuees still cannot find work and it will still take more time to rebuild their lives.

Many of the Fukushima evacuees are here because their homes are within the no-go zone near the stricken nuclear power plants. Many also have young children, and as any parent, they would do anything to protect their kids from whatever might harm them. About 63,000 evacuees from Fukushima currently live outside Fukushima Prefecture.

Lake Yogo with deep snow.

Shiga and the Japan Sea Coast (especially Niigata Prefecture) got a heavy dump of snow during Feb. 2 and 3, 2012. Nagahama and Imazu (Takashima) in northern Shiga have gotten over 70 cm of snow. On Feb. 3, some 160 troops from the Ground Self-Defense Forces were dispatched to Imazu to help remove snow. The last time they dispatched military personnel for snow removal was 31 years ago in Jan. 1981.

On the morning of Feb. 3, people in central Nagahama, such as in Kurokabe Square, were busy shoveling snow. Maibara and Hikone also got a good amount of snow. Some 35 kindergartens and elementary and junior high schools in Nagahama and Maibara canceled classes on Feb. 3 due to hazardous roads. Meanwhile, 105 schools either delayed the start of classes or canceled afternoon classes.

Snowy and icy roads are also causing car accidents. During Feb. 2-3, about 300 accidents occurred mainly due to road slippage. Twenty-two people were injured. Higashi-Omi, Hikone, and Omi-Hachiman saw the most car accidents with 76, 63, and 50 accidents respectively.

People are also getting injured while shoveling snow off their rooftops or falling into roadside gutters hidden by the snow. Some agricultural greenhouses also collapsed under the snow, even as south as Kora town.

The snowfall’s peak is passing, but shinkansen trains are being delayed between Nagoya and Kyoto on Feb. 4.

Take extra precautions when traveling to or in Shiga. Be very careful when walking on icy surfaces. Beware of cars that cannot stop due to road slippage. And don’t forget about the Hong Kong flu that’s going around. A very high number of cases have been reported in neighboring Gifu, so take precautions especially for the kids and elderly. Stay safe this winter.

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.

The local Shiga TV news broadcast by NHK Otsu on March 31, 2011 reported the following:

- The JA Group farmer’s cooperative donated 10 tons of Omi-mai rice grown in Shiga. Some 2,000 5-kilogram bags of rice were packed onto a truck bound for Fukushima.

The local Shiga TV news broadcast by NHK Otsu on March 25, 2011 reported the following:

- Otsu-based ramen noodle restaurant chain called Rairaitei (来来亭) donated 100 million yen to the Japan Red Cross’ Shiga Chapter. Shiga Governor Kada Yukiko accepted the donation from the president of Rairaitei on behalf of the Shiga Chapter.

- Two weeks after the Tohoku disaster, about 200 people (57 families) have evacuated to Shiga from the stricken areas in Tohoku. They are staying at public housing offered rent-free for six months.

The local Shiga TV news broadcast by NHK Otsu on March 24, 2011 reported the following:

- Nagahama and Takashima have started accepting donations for food, water, and other provisions. Both cities will accept donations for about a week.

- Bottled water has sold out in Shiga. Supermarkets have empty racks where bottled water were sold. Even the smaller 500 ml bottles of water are gone. Sports drinks, tea, and other beverages are still available. Apparently, people are hoarding, buying water for friends/relatives in Tokyo area where tap water was reported to have higher levels of radiation, or buying for Tohoku disaster victims.

The local Shiga TV news broadcast by NHK Otsu on March 23, 2011 reported the following:

- Otsu and a few other local governments in Shiga have begun accepting donations of food and relief goods from the public. Canned food, bottled water, rice, disposable diapers, batteries, etc., are being accepted at specified locations. The collected goods will be trucked to the affected areas by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces stationed in Otsu. Otsu will accept such donations until March 31. Ritto, Yasu, Moriyama, Omi-Hachiman, and Koka are also accepting donations of relief goods. Best to call your city hall to check what and where you can donate.

- Students from Tohoku attending a major university in Shiga Prefecture can have their tuition fully or partially waived if their parents or guardian suffered devastating losses, major injury, or death in the earthquake or tsunami. They can contact their university for more info.

The local Shiga TV news broadcast by NHK Otsu on March 22, 2011 reported the following:

- Nippon Electric Glass Company (日本電気硝子), based in Otsu, has donated 100 million yen to the Japan Red Cross as aid for the Tohoku disaster victims. The company makes glass panels for LCD televisions and cell phone displays. The donation was given to the Shiga Chapter of the Japan Red Cross. Shiga Governor Kada Yukiko happens to be the head of the Shiga Chapter and she received the donation personally on behalf of the Japan Red Cross. The Shiga Chapter has already received over 266 million yen in donations as of March 22, 2011.

- A municipal medical center in Omi-Hachiman called Omi-Hachiman Sogo Iryo Center (近江八幡市立総合医療センター) has started accepting dialysis patients from the stricken areas in Tohoku. It can accept up to ten out-patients who need artificial dialysis three times a week. Out-patients will be put up in a business hotel near the medical center and a free shuttle bus will be provided. Getting dialysis treatments is hard in the Tohoku area with many hospitals either inoperative or without power.

The local Shiga TV news broadcast by NHK Otsu on March 18, 2011 reported the following:

- Yanmar, a company founded in Shiga that makes industrial machinery, is sending 30 portable power generators to Iwate Prefecture. The truck carrying the generators left Nagahama.

- The Go and Azai Sisters Expo being held in Nagahama is continuing to accept donations for the Tohoku disaster victims. On March 19 (Sat.), a few mascot characters will be on hand to collect donations from expo visitors.

- Also beware of scammers seeking “donations.” They are going door-to-door disguised as local government workers or NPO workers or sending faxes urging people to donate. Do not give money to these scammers. They are operating all over Japan.

The local Shiga TV news broadcast by NHK Otsu on March 15, 2011 reported the following:

- Shiga Prefecture is making available 34 public housing apartment units free of rent to people affected by the Tohoku quake/tsunami. It has started accepting applications (first-come, first-served) for these units in Otsu, Yasu, Takashima, Higashi-Omi, and Nagahama. Rental period is 6 months, but renewable. Call this number in Japanese for more info: 077-528-4234 ( 県土木交通部住宅課)

- In addition, many cities and towns in Shiga are making a total of 78 apartment units available to disaster victims for rent. Contact the city/town hall for more info.

The local Shiga TV news broadcast by NHK Otsu on March 14, 2011 reported the following:

- People wanting to travel to the affected areas in Tohoku (northeastern Japan) to do volunteer work are being asked to refrain from trying to go there for the time being. Public transportation is still nil and the danger of aftershocks and the unstable nuclear power reactor still exist. We first have to allow the Self-Defense Forces troops and other professionals continue with search and rescue operations, not to mention more grisly work.

- Also, donations of provisions from the public is not being accepted right now because they still cannot be transported to the affected area en masse. Organizations accepting such donations will have to store them somewhere until they can be transported to the Tohoku area.

- Right now, it is best to give monetary donations at reputable collectors such as your local city/town hall and Heiwado stores. NHK offices and the Red Cross are also accepting donations.

- The Shiga Prefectural Government is coordinating with Kyoto to send personnel and provisions to mainly Fukushima Prefecture. They already have over 250 people from Shiga and Kyoto’s fire departments, police departments, and medical institutions on site.

- Shiga Prefecture and its cities and towns are sending emergency provisions equivalent to one-fourth of the inventory Shiga has stored for emergencies. This afternoon, they packed 6,700 blankets and 38,000 servings of biscuits in trucks now heading for Namie Town Hall (浪江町役場) in Fukushima Prefecture. In addition, six Shiga prefectural staff rode in the trucks and will gather information and help comfort victims.

- A total of 229 students attending universities in Shiga who are from the Tohoku area and who went back home for the spring vacation cannot be contacted. Officials at Ritsumeikan, Ryukoku, and Shiga University are working to confirm their students’ safety. Of course, the problem is, cell phones are out of commission or difficult to get through in the Tohoku region now.

Praying for all in Tohoku.

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.

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

Shiga gubernatorial election posters.

Voters went to the polls in droves on July 11, 2010 to reelect 60-year-old Kada Yukiko for her second term as governor of Shiga Prefecture. She pulled in a record 419,921 votes, the highest number ever for a Shiga governor. She broke the previous record of 319,563 votes in the 1994 gubernatorial election won by Inaba Minoru.

She managed to garner over 200,000 votes more than the 217,842 votes she got for her first election as governor four years ago. She also got twice as many votes as her closest rival, 44-year-old Ueno Ken’ichiro who attracted 208,707 votes. Ueno got more votes than Kada only in Takashima and Ritto cities.

In most other municipalities, Kada got more than twice the number of votes than Ueno, including the cities of Otsu, Hikone, Omi-Hachiman, and Moriyama whose mayors (including Ritto’s mayor) publicly opposed Kada’s reelection. Goes to show how out of touch mayors can be with their own citizens. Basically, these mayors are complaining about Kada not consulting or informing them beforehand about prefectural plans in their cities. Probably the reason is that these mayors wouldn’t agree anyway even if they were consulted.

Knowing how popular she is with the people, the other mayors in Shiga meanwhile ignored these five minority mayors opposing Kada. Perhaps these mayors’ public opposition to Kada spurred voters to vote for her to make sure she gets reelected.

Kada ran on a similar platform as the last election, using “Mottainai Plus” as her campaign keyword. During the past four years, she came through with her campaign promise of stopping wasteful governmental spending on huge, unneeded projects such as the Ritto shinkansen station and the Daidogawa Dam in Otsu. Especially when Shiga’s coffers are in dire straits. Kada worked to stop pork barrel projects and kept her campaign promise, winning her the people’s trust. By stopping or freezing these construction projects, she has saved Shiga 100 billion yen which she now plans to redirect for more essential programs such as hiring more nursery school teachers and elderly care workers.

According to a friend of mine who was there, it was a hot and steamy room (no air conditioning and windows were closed to reduce noise) at Kada’s campaign headquarters in Otsu when she won the election and appeared before supporters with her grandkids.

Voter turnout was high at 61.56% for the gubernatorial election. This was much higher than the last election’s 44.94%. The higher voter turnout is attributed to the coinciding elections of the Shiga governor and Shiga’s representative (won by Hayashi Kumiko) to the Upper House (House of Councillors) in the National Diet. Shiga’s total number of eligible voters on July 11, 2010 was 1,090,743. Over 60% of them voted.

For her second term, Kada wants to maintain dialog with Shiga residents and work together with them. She strives to work on a grassroots level. Indeed, her campaign activities included coffee time meetings in 21 locations in Shiga from April 2010. She met with 1,600 residents, listening to their concerns and problems about elderly care, support for small- and medium-size businesses, and other issues.

She plans to focus on making child-rearing and elderly care in Shiga easier and improve employment opportunities for young people. When asked whether she would run for a third term, she implied a yes. “Right after you give birth, you don’t feel like having another child. But as you raise the child and the child grows, you come to desire another one.”

Meanwhile, Ritto mayor Kunimatsu Shoichi announced on July 16, 2010 that he would not run for a third term as Ritto mayor in Oct. when mayoral elections will be held. He was the one who butt heads with Kada the most, over the Ritto shinkansen station. The Ritto mayor actually went against the majority of Shiga residents who opposed the shinkansen station. The governor represented the majority. Hopefully, the new Ritto mayor will be able to work better with the governor and we will see less pork barrel politics in Shiga.

Congratulations to Kada-chan!

Otsu Mayor Mekata Makoto (目片信), Omi-Hachiman Mayor Fujitani Eisho (冨士谷英正), Hikone Mayor Shishiyama Koyo (獅山 向洋), Moriyama Mayor Yamada Nobuhiro (山田亘宏), and Ritto Mayor Kunimatsu Shoichi (國松 正一) belong to the association. They prodded Shiga’s other mayors to join up, but they apparently declined. Most are well-aware of Kada’s popularity among Shiga voters and some think that mayors should not get involved in gubernatorial campaigns.

At least two of these opposing mayors do have an ax to grind as Kada opposed or canceled major public works projects in Ritto (shinkansen station) and Hikone (dam construction) during her first term.

Frankly, I thought it was foolish to oppose such a popular governor. It only makes these mayors look childish, putting on a temper tantrum. Fortunately, they are a minority. We now know which mayors cannot work well with the governor. I wouldn’t want to vote for a mayor who cannot work with the governor. Shiga really needs everyone to work together.

Google Map street view of Shirahige Shrine

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 panoramic photos stitched together, showing the streets and scenery along the road. It is very convenient for people looking for a place or directions to somewhere. It’s a great reference for bicyclists wanting to cycle around Lake Biwa too. You can see the terrain and road conditions before you leave.

Just go to Google Maps and drag the standing man icon to a street highlighted in blue. You can then navigate around by clicking on directional arrows in the street view or by moving the standing man icon around on the map.

Note that the current street view images of Shiga were shot two years ago. Some scenery (buildings, etc.) might be out of date.

On the Tokaido Line, the last train from Kyoto Station to Yasu Station now leaves at 12:34 am instead of 12:58 am. In the mornings and evenings of Sundays and national holidays, there is one less train run going from Yasu to Maibara and from Maibara to Yasu. (So four fewer train runs on Sundays and holidays.)

As for the Kosei Line between Kyoto and Katata Stations, the four train runs per hour between 10 am and 2 pm on weekdays will be reduced to only three train runs per hour in both directions. Between Kyoto and Omi-Maiko Stations, there will be one less train run in both directions in the evenings during both weekdays, Sundays, and holidays.

The Kusatsu Line and Hokuriku Line are not affected by cuts in train runs (although the train schedule may be different from before).

Kada Yukiko campaign poster in 2006

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 the people of Shiga without relying on any single political party. She plans to draw up a manifesto for her second term while incorporating the opinions of the people of Shiga. She plans to meet with various organizations in Shiga for feedback.

While the Japanese Communist Party plans to field a candidate for Shiga governor, the other major parties have not yet announced plans to field a candidate. Any candidate will have an uphill battle against Kada who is quite popular in Shiga. People affectionately call her “Kada-chan.”

The 59-year-old Kada is Shiga’s first female governor. Four years ago in 2006, her campaign slogan was, “Mottai nai” which means “Wasteful,” in reference to wasteful spending for unnecessary public works projects such as the shinkansen bullet train station in Ritto. This clicked with voters and helped her defeat incumbent governor Kunimatsu Yoshitsugu who was in favor of the shinkansen station. Kunimatsu happened to be a native of Ritto and the Ritto mayor was also his cousin, Kunimatsu Shoichi (still the Ritto mayor).

Kada kept her campaign promise and had the shinkansen train station in Ritto scrapped. This greatly disappointed the Ritto mayor, but most people in Shiga were opposed to the shinkansen station which would’ve been too close to Kyoto Station. Ritto is also not a major population center. (Shiga already has a shinkansen station in Maibara.)

Before becoming governor, Kada was a professor at Kyoto Seika University and a curator at Lake Biwa Museum in Kusatsu. I once met her briefly and found her to be very down-to-earth and easy to talk to. She could easily be your best friend’s mom. Although we foreigners cannot vote, Governor Kada has my support.

For the first time, I have created and published a 2010 calendar for Shiga Prefecture in English. The calendar features my photos of Shiga, showing its beautiful seasons, traditional festivals, architecture, Lake Biwa, and a few “fun” things. Each monthly photo has an English caption, and both Japanese and American holidays are included.

You can see a preview of the calendar’s 12 months above. Click on the right arrow button. To see a larger view, click on the Full Screen Mode button. (Then you can read the captions too.)  The last page is displayed as black, but it’s actually white. The calendar size is 8.5 inches x 11 inches when closed. When open and hung on the wall, the calendar is 17 in. high and 11 in. wide.

The calendar is available for sale online at lulu.com based in the U.S. Just click on the Buy Now button (and get your credit card ready). The price is $15.22 plus shipping. Shipping within the U.S. will cost only a few dollars via ordinary mail. If you’re in Japan, the postage will cost $10.48 for one copy only. If you order five or more copies at one time, the calendar cost and shipping cost will get much cheaper. ($38.92 to ship 10 copies, for example.) It takes about 3 weeks for your order to arrive in Japan via ordinary mail. Express mail and trackable shipping options are also available, but expensive. You can also order from Japan and have the calendar shipped to an address in the U.S. or other countries which may be cheaper. It is cheapest to ship within the U.S. Makes a great gift.

Below is a list of photos in the calendar. I tried to include as many cities and towns as possible, but it was impossible to include all 26 municipalities of Shiga in a 12-month calendar. I plan to publish a Shiga calendar every year from now on, so those missing cities/towns will be included in the 2011 calendar and later.

Cover: Shigaraki-ware tanuki (raccoon dog)
Jan.: Nagisa Park rape blossoms, Moriyama
Feb.: Hokoen Park plum blossoms and Nagahama Castle, Nagahama
Mar.: Tsuchiyama Saio Princess Procession, Koka
Apr.: Hikone Castle cherry blossoms
May: Niu Chawan Matsuri, Yogo
June: Taga Taisha rice planting festival, Taga
July: Omi-Maiko beach, Otsu
Aug.: Imazu Regatta, Takashima
Sep.: Azuchi Castle replica (Nobunaga no Yakata museum), Azuchi
Oct.: Ibukiyama Taiko Drum Dance, Maibara
Nov.: Kongorinji temple, Aisho
Dec.: Mascot characters (Dotaku-kun, Tabimaru, Hiko-nyan)

The calendars are also selling for 2,000 yen at the Biwako Shuko no Uta Shiryokan museum (Phone: 0740-22-2108) in Imazu, Takashima. For those who cannot order in English, they can call this museum and order in Japanese.

You can also access the calendar page directly with this link:
http://www.lulu.com/content/lulustudio-calendar/2010-shiga-prefecture/7556294

ただいま滋賀県の2010年の英文カレンダーを初めて出版いたしました。国内外の外国人が滋賀県の魅力をもっと知ってもらうために作りました。

色とりどりの花や紅葉 、伝統的なお祭り、歴史的な建築、大自然とのふれあい、そしてちょっと面白い写真も選んでカレンダーにしました。写真は私がすべて撮りました。（ひこにゃんの写真だけハワイの友人が撮ってくれました。）

なるべく多くの市町を紹介しておりますが、やはり12ヶ月しかないので掲載されていない市町もあります。取り上げていない市町は、2011年以降のカレンダーに入れる予定です。アメリカと日本の祝日も掲載しています。

このカレンダーは海外のインターネットショップで委託販売中。中身の拝見(Preview)とご注文は上記の画像でできます。矢印のボタンをクリックしてすべての月の写真が見れます。（Full Screen Modeのボタンをクリックすると拡大できます。）購入したい場合、Buy Nowのボタンをクリック。ただし、注文ページは英語です。

日本からも注文できますが、 輸入品のため、ちょっと割高になります。でも5冊以上の注文では送料などの単価が安くなります。普通の郵便だと届くまで大体３週間かかります。または、日本で注文してアメリカなどの友人へ送ることもできます。アメリカ内の送料が一番安いです。

滋賀県内では、びわ湖高島観光協会の今津支所（琵琶湖周航の歌資料館内）で店頭販売中（電話での注文もOK、Tel: 0740-22-2108）。 販売価格は2000円（送料別）です。

注文ページの直接リンクはここ：
http://www.lulu.com/content/lulustudio-calendar/2010-shiga-prefecture/7556294

As of September 30, 2009, 2,525 kids (including preschoolers) have contracted the swin flu in Shiga Prefecture. This number includes 384 high schoolers in Shiga.

The swine flu is especially widespread in Otsu with 1,084 kids up to junior high school who contracted it.

Nationwide vaccinations will begin in Japan from the week of Oct. 19, 2009. In Shiga, vaccinations will start with 13,000 medical personnal. Then from Nov., high-risk people such as pregnant women and asthmatic patients will be vaccinated first, followed by young elementary school children in Dec. 2009.

In July, I was invited to a movie screening in Tokyo. The movie is a narrated documentary showing how people in Shiga interact and coexist with nature. The term “Satoyama” literally means “Human habitat and Mountain.”

A farming couple growing mushrooms on numerous tree branches, a honeybee keeper making sweet honey, etc. Besides people, the film also shows fantastic scenes of insects, birds, boars, and other wildlife. A pair beetles wrestling and one loses by being flung off the tree. A bird plunging into the river water to catch a small fish in its beak (shown in slow motion). Amazing how the photographer was able to plant the camera at the right places.

It is a very beautiful and engrossing film. The cinematography is first-class and the movie has won several international awards. Much of the movie was filmed in Takashima (probably Kutsuki) and Maibara. Shiga photographer Imamori Mitsuhiko also appears in the movie showing kids around the wilderness. The movie was produced by NHK and it was originally shown on TV as an “NHK Special.” Parts 1 and 2 of the Satoyama TV series were re-edited and combined with additional footage to make this fantastic movie.

See the movie trailer at the official Web site: http://satoyama.gyao.jp/

The Japan Times also published an excellent article about the meaning of the word “satoyama.”

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20090823x1.html

Omi-Maiko

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” rating was given to Matsunoura (Otsu), Matsubara (Hikone), Minamihama (Nagahama), and Makino Sunny Beach (Takashima).

Earning a “B” rating were Nagisato (Moriyama) and Shingaihama (Hikone). A “B” rating is still safe enough for swimming.

The water-quality tests measured water transparency, oil film, and E. coli bacteria count. Last year, eight of the nine beaches received an “AA” rating, but only three beaches this year were rated that high. Note that the results of the tests can differ depending on the weather of the day when the tests are conducted.

At any rate, Shiga’s beaches are safe to swim in. Enjoy!

Eight students attending Higashi Otsu High School were found to be infected, along with a Ryukoku Univ. student, who was a graduate of Higashi Otsu High, and his junior high school brother. The college student had attended a school festival at his old high school on July 8.

According to the police, there were eighteen bicycling accidents in Shiga caused by the rider using a mobile phone while cycling. Four of the accidents resulted in serious injuries. The police has concluded that when you use a mobile phone (keitai or K-tai) with one hand while riding a bicycle, you cannot focus your attention on the road and you are more prone to lose your balance and crash.

You cannot talk on the phone, write/read email, nor watch videos on your mobile phone while riding a bicycle. So, just do not hold your mobile phone in one hand while riding a bicycle. If you get caught, you may be fined no more than 50,000 yen.

If you need to use your phone, just stop riding your bicycle. Problem solved.

自転車も携帯電話使用禁止

On the other hand, Otsu Mayor Mekata Makoto earned 18.73 million yen which included his 15.59 million yen salary as mayor. Other mayors of major cities in Shiga earned around 10 to 11 million yen. Shiga prefectural assembly members earned an average of 13.81 million yen which includes income from outside sources besides their salaries.

Since 2007, Governor Kada volunteered to give herself a 20% cut in her monthly salary which may explain why her salary is lower than Mekata’s.

National Diet members representing Shiga also made as much as 28.84 million yen (Okumura Tenzo from Koka).

Note that incomes 10 million yen or more in Japan are subject to a large chunk going to the tax man. (I speak from experience.)