From June 1, 2009, smoking on the streets in and around Kurokabe Square in Nagahama is banned. Smoking is banned along the main shopping arcades in central Nagahama, including Otemon-dori, the Daitsuji temple area, and the Ekimae-dori main road from Nagahama Station heading east (toward the mountains). Smoking is banned in a total of 5 km of streets in central Nagahama. Signs and stickers are posted on the streets to inform people of the smoking ban.

However, there are five designated places where smokers can smoke. Look on the map. Otherwise, you may be fined up to 11,999 yen for smoking in banned areas.

The Japanese word for “No smoking” is kin’en (kanji written above).

Otsu, Hikone, and Kusatsu also have similar street smoling ban in effect or soon to take effect.

For non-smokers and people like me who cannot stand someone walking in front of me while exhaling well-known poisons, this is a welcome law.

To enforce this smoking ban, there will be smoke police on patrol in Nagahama cautioning smokers to snuff out their cigarettes.