🗺️ Yahata-guchi

Omihachiman City is located in the eastern shore area of Lake Biwa in the central part of Shiga Prefecture. This area is picturesque, rich in lake resources, and deeply influenced by both old and new Western cultures. Hachiman City has a long history; about 430 years ago, after the death of Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's nephew, Hidetada, built Hachiman-yama Castle to support the revitalization of the Lake Eastern region, attracting many merchants from Omi to conduct business here, thus developing Hachiman-yama Castle into a prosperous commercial city. Today, the Hachiman-kuchi area and the southeastern shore of Lake Biwa in Omihachiman have been designated as important cultural landscapes and cultural properties of Japan. Among them, Hachiman-bori is a canal that surrounds Hachiman-yama Castle and flows into Lake Biwa. This moat, dug by Hidetada during the castle's construction, allowed cargo ships traveling to and from Lake Biwa to dock, and was thus known as Hachiman-ura at the time, serving as a vital route for economic exchanges and material circulation for the local people. The white-walled warehouses lining both sides of Hachiman-bori reflect beautifully on the shimmering river surface, resembling a historical landscape painting of a water town, often used as a filming location for Japanese period dramas. Notably, the animated work "Rurouni Kenshin" was filmed at Hachiman-bori. Taking a sightseeing boat is the standard way to tour Hachiman-bori. Cherry blossoms and irises are planted along both banks, allowing visitors to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery while sitting on a yakatabune (a traditional houseboat). If you want to take a complete tour of the waterways, it is recommended to ride on a hand-rowed yakatabune, slowly navigating through the intricate network of large and small waterways among the reeds. You can sit on what is said to be the slowest boat in Japan, listening to the boatman's calls and the sound of the oars, quietly enjoying the gentle breeze and the rippling water. The castle town surrounding Hachiman-bori also has many wonderful sights. Numerous buildings designed by American missionary and architect William Merrell Vories, old residences of Omi merchants, and well-preserved old streets all have high viewing value, making it very suitable to allocate ample time for a leisurely stroll and exploration.

430 years ago, the hometown of the Omi merchants was a once-prosperous town. You can take a pleasure boat to experience the refreshing stroll through the water town. It is recommended to leisurely walk through the historic streets of the castle town, which has many wonderful attractions.