Updated: July 14, 2023 Hikone’s nationally famous official mascot, Hiko-nyan (ひこにゃん) (also spelled Hikonyan ひこんやん), is a white beckoning cat (maneki-neko) wearing a…
Updated: March 27, 2023 Here are my favorite cherry blossoms (called sakura in Japanese) in Shiga. They bloom in April, starting with southern Shiga…
Kongorinji temple (金剛輪寺), one of the Koto Sanzan temple trio of Tendai Buddhist temples (National Treasures) in Aisho, eastern Shiga, lost its precious…
I finally visited the Koka Ninja House 甲賀流忍術屋敷 in Koka. I highly recommend taking your foreign friends here. Most foreigners are very interested…
On June 5, 2008, the Ministry of the Environment announced Japan’s 100 Best Spring Waters of the Heisei Era (平成の名水百選) and four of…
On Dec. 12, 2007, the Echigawa Public Library 愛知川図書館 won the “Library of the Year” Award from among 5,000 libraries in Japan. The…
My English version of the song, “Biwako Shuko no Uta” (Lake Biwa Rowing Song) was sung on national television for the first time…