Video link: http://youtu.be/Fo4fc8AufeY During June 4-12, 2011, about 40 rowers from Europe, Australia, and the US visited Shiga Prefecture to row completely around Lake…
Two more Golden Week (late April – early May) festival videos and photos. Held on May 4 near Notogawa Station, the Iba-no-saka-kudashi Matsuri…
On May 3, 2011, Hino in eastern Shiga held its annual Hino Matsuri festival. This is a major festival of floats with sixteen…
On May 1, 2011, I went to see the Aburahi Matsuri (油日祭り・奴振り) in Koka, Shiga, near Aburahi Station on the JR Kusatsu Line.…
Video link: http://youtu.be/VcPg0WcY0Gs The Hachiman Matsuri in Omi-Hachiman is held annually on April 14-15. I saw it for the first time on April 14,…
Fukushima’s nuclear power plant crisis has rattled the nerves of Shiga’s residents and local governments. We are beginning to realize how vulnerable Japan’s…
Many festivals (matsuri) in Japan are being canceled or scaled back in consideration of the Tohoku disaster. It’s unfortunate since spring is prime…