Shiga Prefecture

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Shiga Prefecture (滋賀県 Shiga-ken?) is a prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan on the island of Honshu.[1] The capital is the city of Ōtsu.[2]

Contents

History [change]

Shiga used to be called Ōmi Province or Gōshū before Japan began using the prefectural system.[3]

Geography [change]

Shiga borders Fukui Prefecture in the north Gifu Prefecture is in the east. Mie Prefecture is in the southeast. Kyoto Prefecture is in the west.

Lake Biwa is at the center of this prefecture. The lake divides the prefecture into four areas:

  • Kohoku (湖北?), north of lake and centered at Nagahama
  • Kosei (湖西?), west of lake and centered at Imazu
  • Kotō (湖東?), east of lake and centered at Hikone
  • Konan (湖南?), south of lake and centered at Ōtsu

Cities [change]

Cities in Shiga Prefecture include

National Parks [change]

National Parks are established in about 37% of the total land area of the prefecture.[4]

Education [change]

University of Shiga Prefecture

There are ten universities, two junior colleges, and a learning center of The Open University of Japan in Shiga.[5]

Sister states [change]

Shiga has agreements with three states.[6]

Shrines and Temples [change]

Takebe jinja is the chief Shinto shrine (ichinomiya) in the prefecture. [7]

Related pages [change]

References [change]

Further reading [change]

  • Shiga-ken hyakka jiten (滋賀県百科事典?, trans., Encyclopedia Shiga), 1984. Tokyo: Yamato Shobo.

Other websites [change]


Coordinates: 35°7′N 136°4′E / 35.117°N 136.067°E / 35.117; 136.067