 Most viewed - Best of Shiga Prefecture |
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"Shirahige" means white beard, and so people pray here for long life and longevity. The shrine is dedicated to a god named Sarutahiko.62 views
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The torii in the water is perfectly aligned with the torii on land and the shrine's main worship hall.62 views
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Final stop for the day was here at Shirahama Beach. "Shirahama" means white sand beach.62 views
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Approaching Matsubara Beach in Hikone.62 views
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Tokaido Road: Tsuchiyama (Koka)62 views
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Omi-Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi 近江八景): Returning Boats at Yabase62 views
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Nagahama Castle as seen from Lake Biwa.62 views
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Lake Biwa Museum in Kusatsu.62 views
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Top of Otsu Prince Hotel has nice views.62 views
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Bianca is Lake Biwa's largest tourist boat.62 views
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Lake Nishinoko, an attached lake in Omi-Hachiman.62 views
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Ground staff wore bright yellow T-shirts with the Lake Biwa logo on the back.61 views
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Omi-Maiko is Lake Biwa's most famous and popular beach. Well-known for white sands and green pine trees. In summer, people from Kyoto come here to swim and sun bathe.61 views
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June 7, 2011 (Day 4): Imazu is the birthplace of the Lake Biwa Rowing Song in 1917 when Kyoto University rowers lodged here and sang the new song they had created.61 views
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Trees on a sandbar, a haven for birds.61 views
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Rough waves.61 views
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Matsubara Beach in Hikone, a rest stop.61 views
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Isakiji temple holds a Buddhist ritual on Aug. 1 where participants jump off the plank into the lake 7 meters below. They do it to wash away bad luck and build up courage.61 views
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About 100 meters offshore are two large rocks in the lake. They appear above the surface only when there is a water shortage. This little shrine with two rocks are for praying for rain. 二ツ石61 views
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Mt. Ibuki in winter as seen from Hikone.61 views
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Hikone Port61 views
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Posing at Imazu, a nice lakeside town. In June, they hold a choir contest for the Lake Biwa Rowing Song. More photos of Imazu here.60 views
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Tokaido Road: Tsuchiyama (Koka)60 views
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Tokaido Road: Minakuchi (Koka)60 views
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Tokaido Road: Minakuchi (Koka)60 views
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Tokaido Road: Minakuchi (Koka)60 views
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Tokaido Road: Ishibe (Konan)60 views
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Tokaido Road: Ishibe (Konan)60 views
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Tokaido Road: Kusatsu60 views
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Nakasendo Road: Samegai (Maibara). The 61st station on the Nakasendo. One of ten Nakasendo stations in Shiga.60 views
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South Basin60 views
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Otsu waterfront60 views
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Seta River in Otsu, Lake Biwa's only outflowing river.60 views
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Lake Nishinoko reed beds.60 views
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Tea ceremony and koto (Japanese harp) performance.59 views
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Rowing to Hotel Laforet beach.59 views
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Rowing along western Lake Biwa.59 views
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A busload of tourists even stopped to gawk at the spectacle of rowers around the torii.59 views
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Rowing away from Kaizu-Osaki.59 views
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The sliced-off peak flew high in the air and fell into Lake Biwa. It became Chikubushima. And the undisputed highest mountain in Shiga became Mt. Ibuki in Maibara.59 views
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Rowing past Miyagahama Beach in Omi-Hachiman.59 views
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Tokaido Road: Tsuchiyama (Koka)59 views
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Tokaido Road: Minakuchi (Koka)59 views
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Tokaido Road: Minakuchi (Koka)59 views
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Tokaido Road: Minakuchi (Koka)59 views
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Tokaido Road: Ishibe (Konan)59 views
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Tokaido Road: Kusatsu59 views
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Tokaido Road: Kusatsu59 views
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Tokaido Road: Kusatsu59 views
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We love (heart) Shiga banners (rectangular and square) in various sizes. Free downloads. 200 x 44 px59 views
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Shirahige-no-Hama Beach and Lake Biwa in Takashima, Shiga Prefecture.59 views
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Lake Biwa pearl mussel.59 views
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The lead boat (normally a fishing boat) leads the way.58 views
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Too bad the rowers didn't have time to visit the island. It might tire them though as there are a lot of steps to climb.58 views
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These blue boat landing decks are portable and were brought here by truck.58 views
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Matsubara Beach in Hikone, a rest stop.58 views
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Tokaido Road: Minakuchi (Koka)58 views
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Tokaido Road: Ishibe (Konan)58 views
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Tokaido Road: Kusatsu58 views
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Chikubushima and Mt. Ibuki as seen from Imazu.58 views
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Shirahige-no-Hama Beach in Takashima. I know they did some filming here for the NHK Taiga Drama "Go" where she rides on horseback. 白ひげの浜58 views
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Rio Grande58 views
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Jens Chr. Kolberg from FISA. Leader of the rowing group. FISA is the Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron, the International Rowing Federation which is the governing body for international Rowing. 57 views
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People also pray at the shrine for finding a good marriage partner, conceiving a child, academic excellence (passing college entrance exams), and water/boating safety.57 views
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Leaving Satsuma Beach.57 views
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Tokaido Road: Ishibe (Konan)57 views
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Taiko drummers send off the rowers.56 views
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Visit to Kuwano Rowing Boat Factory in Katata.56 views
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Cormorant birds (those white specks are the birds) break off tree branches to make nests, and their acidic droppings damage the trees. However, it seems the cormorant population is decreasing and the island is showing more greenery than before.56 views
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Sitting on the tatami mat for a long period can be trying.56 views
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June 10, 2011 (Day 7): Satsuma Beach in Hikone. Someone camped here overnight to watch over the boats.56 views
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56 views
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56 views
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Tokaido Road: Ishibe (Konan)56 views
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Tokaido Road: Kusatsu56 views
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View of Takeshima, an island with many shapes. Near Hikone.56 views
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View of Lake Biwa and Otsu. Omi Ohashi Bridge in the background. The towering building is Otsu Prince Hotel.56 views
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Hotel New Otani in Tokyo used to be the site of the Ii clan's residence. They were warlords from Hikone in Shiga Prefecture.55 views
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Dragon boat drummer.55 views
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Rowing past Nagahama Dome, a sports and event complex.55 views
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Takeshima is a small island with only Nichiren Buddhist temple and the priest's family living on the island. Accessible by boat from Hikone, Shiga Prefecture.55 views
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Passing by Isakiji temple.55 views
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Marker and sign indicating the site of the Ii clan residence in Edo (Tokyo) during the feudal era.54 views
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Beach in front of Hotel Laforet.54 views
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Nagahama Port54 views
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Tokaido Road: Kusatsu54 views
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Omi-Maiko is famous for Japanese pine trees lining the beach.53 views
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My video of the the group rowing from Nagahama to Hikone (Satsuma) on June 9, 2011.53 views
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Tokaido Road: Ishibe (Konan)53 views
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Heading for Chikubushima island.52 views
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Rowing past Hikone View Hotel and the Japan Center for Michigan Universities or JCMU (green roof).52 views
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Takeshima means "Island of Many Views" because it looks dramatically different from different angles.52 views
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Preparing to leave Satsuma Beach.52 views
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Approaching Satsuma Beach.51 views
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An unusual sight indeed.50 views
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Leaving Sugaura.50 views
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Passing by Chikubushima Pier. On the island at the center of the photo, there is a light brown, rectangular monument dedicated to the "Lake Biwa Rowing Song" which mentions Chikubushima.50 views
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Ground crew awaits rowers at Nagahama Port.50 views
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Participants from each country came up and gave thanks or sang a song.50 views
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Chikubushima is home to Hogonji Temple (Shingon Buddhist Sect) first built in 724 as ordered by the Emperor to worship the Goddess Benzaiten. It includes buildings that are National Treasures.49 views
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Nagahama Castle (photos here) can be seen on the left.49 views
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Lunch in Nagahama (Restaurant North Pole).49 views
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Omi Ohashi Bridge near Seta Rowing Club. (Not to be confused with a larger Biwako Ohashi Bridge more north.)48 views
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Satsuma Beach in Hikone.48 views
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Leaving Sugaura.47 views
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Front side of Chikubushima is a complex of temples and shrines.47 views
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Rowing to Hikone.47 views
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Manhole card for Toyosato's manhole.47 views
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Heading for Sugaura, a small lakeside town in northern Lake Biwa.46 views
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Steep stairs inside Hikone Castle tower.46 views
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Leaving Satsuma Beach.46 views
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Cormorant birds fly above Chikubushima, their favorite home.45 views
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Heading for Nagahama.45 views
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In summer, Matsubara Beach is popular with swimmers and a fireworks display offshore sees huge crowds filling the beach.44 views
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Approaching Isakiji temple.44 views
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Lead boat43 views
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Setagawa River boat cruise modeled after the Ichiban-Maru paddlewheel steamboat which cruised on Lake Biwa in the 19th century.43 views
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Rowing off Maibara in northern Shiga. The tall white tower belongs to an elevator manufacturer for testing their elevators. Maibara is best known for Mt. Ibuki and Shiga's one and only shinkansen bullet train station.42 views
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Motoki Kyo, chairman of the Seta Rowing Club, is the MC.42 views
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Seta Rowing Club await the returning boats.40 views
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“Biwako Nagahama Kannon House” (びわ湖長浜 KANNON HOUSE)40 views
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Manhole card for Kusatsu's manhole.37 views
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Adjacent room shows a video about Nagahama Kannon.36 views
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Manhole card for Ritto's manhole.35 views
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The museum is small, but nice. It has only one medium-size room divided into the kannon exhibition space and a mini theater showing a video about Nagahama.34 views
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The city of Nagahama boldly opened a little museum in Ueno, Tokyo called “Biwako Nagahama Kannon House” (びわ湖長浜 KANNON HOUSE) on March 21, 2016.34 views
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The small exhibition space is enclosed by a wooden, temple-like fence modeled after a Kannon-do (観音堂) or small kannon worship hall. The wood is hinoki cypress from Nagahama.34 views
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Manhole card for 's manhole.34 views
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It exhibits one precious kannon Buddha statue (Goddess of Mercy) brought over from Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture. The exhibit changes every two months so Tokyoites can see six different kannon statues from Nagahama every year.33 views
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This Kannon is from Sonju-in temple (尊住院) in Nagahama’s Kawamichi-cho district.33 views
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Manhole card collecting is becoming popular in Japan. Shiga has 8 different manhole cards. You need to go to each city and know where to get the card. 33 viewshttp://www.gk-p.jp/mhcard/?pref=25#mhcard_result
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Manhole card for Hikone's manhole. Shows Hiko-nyan.33 views
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At Seta Rowing Club. The rowers went back to the hotel to freshen up for the farewell party in the evening.31 views
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Manhole card for Hikone's manhole.31 views
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Lunch on the boat.29 views
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Staff directing rowers to the small canal leading to the Seta Rowing Club.29 views
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Seta Rowing Club members and host stand in front to accept thanks and messages.29 views
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Manhole card for Kusatsu's manhole.29 views
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The FISA flag is given to the Canadian host of next year's FISA World Rowing Tour.28 views
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This part of Seta River has numerous rowing club houses, most are affiliated with universities.27 views
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Later in the evening (still June 11, 2011), a Farewell party was held at Seta Rowing Club. I attended and took these pictures and videos.27 views
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Farewell party at Seta Rowing Club. They first showed the video I took on June 9 when they rowed from Nagahama to Hikone.27 views
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Leaving the Scenic Water Channel boat pier.26 views
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The tall building is Otsu Prince Hotel. Japan's Prince Hotel chain has Shiga roots as the company founder was from Shiga.26 views
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Approaching Seta-no-Karahashi Bridge, a historic landmark although the bridge has been rebuilt a few times.26 views
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Jens Chr. Kolberg from FISA conducted the closing ceremony.26 views
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The original Seta-no-Karahashi Bridge was one of the Omi Hakkei (Eight Views of Omi) made famous by Hiroshige's woodblock prints. (Omi is Shiga's old name.)25 views
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Ground crew in yellow take a break.24 views
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Heading Seta River marked by a series of bridges.24 views
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Rowing past the rowing club of Ryukoku University, based in Kyoto.23 views
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This FISA flag has flown at all the World Rowing Tours. It was time to fold it up and give it to the host of next year's FISA World Rowing Tour.23 views
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Silent outboard motor and the pilot.22 views
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Seta River becomes more quiet and scenic downriver.22 views
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The boat ride passes by rape blossoms, and in April, cherry blossoms.21 views
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Rowing past the rowing club of Ritsumeikan University.21 views
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Shiga has been pursuing a reed expansion program to increase reed fields around Lake Biwa and in attached lakes. The reeds help to clean the water and also provides refuge for fish and birds.20 views
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Smaller groups can ride hand-powered boats.20 views
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Beach in front of Hotel Laforet in Moriyama is the day's final stop.20 views
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Rowing off central Otsu.20 views
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Students from Otsu High School and Shiga University greet and cheer on the rowers from FISA. 大津高、滋賀大経済学部、滋賀大教育学部の部員たち20 views
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The large bridge is the Meishin Expressway for cars linking Nagoya and Kobe.20 views
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Rowing past Zeze Castle Park.20 views
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Approaching the Omi Ohashi Bridge.19 views
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Rowing past the rowing club of Kyoto University. One of the eight boats used for the rowing tour was borrowed this club. Their new members row around the southern half of Lake Biwa in Aug.19 views
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Heading to Hotel Laforet in Moriyama.18 views
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The Biwako Ohashi Bridge is the largest bridge in Shiga, linking Moriyama and Katata at the neck of Lake Biwa's panhandle.18 views
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Passing by Ishiyama-dera temple along the Seta River. The temple has National Treasure buildings. Also famous as the place where Lady Murasaki wrote the famous novel, Tale of Genji.18 views
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Welcome back!18 views
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The landscape becomes quite urban as they approach Otsu, Shiga's capital city.17 views
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On the right is the German restaurant, called "Würzburg." Würzburg in Germany is Otsu's sister city.17 views
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Rowers make a U-turn here on Seta River.17 views
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Rowing past the rowing club of Ritsumeikan University.17 views
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