Heavy snowfall in Shiga

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… Read more

Shiga’s response to Tohoku earthquake/tsunami in March 2011

This is a summary of Shiga’s response to the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami which I will continue to update. The local Shiga TV news broadcast by NHK Otsu on March… Read more

Shiga unaffected by earthquake

Northern Japan got hit with a major earthquake on March 11, 2011. We felt it in Tokyo as well, and it was the worse earthquake I ever experienced. I was… Read more

NHK Taiga Drama: Go–Himetachi no Sengoku

This is to help you better understand the historical background of Go–Himetachi no Sengoku (江〜姫たちの戦国〜) which I translate as “Go–Noble Ladies of Feudal Japan.” The TV series will be broadcast on… Read more

Free Azai sister trio for New Year’s postcards

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… Read more

Uminoko Floating School open house

Operated by Shiga Prefecture’s Board of Education since Aug. 2, 1983, the Uminoko “Biwako Floating School” is an educational boat going on overnight voyages year-round on Lake Biwa, taking Shiga’s… Read more

Funeral held for Heiwado founder

Natsuhara Heijiro (夏原 平次郎), the founder of the Heiwado supermarket chain, passed away on June 19, 2010. He died of pneumonia at age 91. A funeral was held at Hikone-shi Bunka Plaza… Read more

Governor Kada Yukiko reelected in landslide victory

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… Read more