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 (dead link)