This web page gives basic info about the Nagahama Hikiyama Festival, the April 2026 festival schedule (illustrated), and a synopsis of the four kabuki plays performed by the four Hikiyama… Read more
Initial screening at K’s Cinema in Shinjuku, Tokyo has ended on March 27, 2026. After eight years in the making, an indie film titled “Nagahama” (長浜) filmed entirely in Nagahama,… Read more
The Omi Beef Association (近江肉牛協会) went all out to serve a complimentary Omi beef barbecue lunch for some lucky foreigners in Tokyo on March 7, 2026. I was lucky to… Read more
by Philbert Ono The 79th Japan Games (第79回国民スポーツ大会) were held successfully in Shiga Prefecture for the first time in 44 years from September 28 to October 8, 2025. They were… Read more
Photos of Japan Games (Koku-spo) quarterfinals women’s field hockey match between Shiga (navy blue) and Yamanashi Prefecture at OSP Hockey Stadium near Mt. Ibuki in Maibara on Oct. 2, 2025… Read more
by Philbert Ono I recently successfully found long-lost relatives for a Japanese Canadian family whose ancestors immigrated from Shiga to the Vancouver area in the early 20th century. They are… Read more
Umi no Schole (湖のスコーレ) is a large, multipurpose shopping facility with a spacious store, cafe, outdoor courtyard, bookstore, event space, gallery, workshop for hands-on activities, and sandwich and ice cream… Read more
Updated: Aug. 2, 2025(大阪・関西万博で滋賀の発見) Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025 (大阪・関西万博) just reached its halfway point on July 13. It’s been three months since it opened on April 13, and now only three… Read more