Shiga Prefecture Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Shiga Prefecture

滋賀県

Prefecture

Japanese transcription(s)

• Japanese

滋賀県

• Rōmaji

Shiga-ken

Flag

Symbol

Country

Capital

Subdivisions

Districts: 3, Municipalities: 19

Area

• Total

4,017.38 km² (1,551.12 sq mi)

Area rank

38th

Population

(October 1, 2015)

• Total

1,412,916

• Rank

26th

• Density

351.7009/km² (910.9010/sq mi)

ISO 3166 code

JP-25

Website

Symbols

Bird

Little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

Flower

Rhododendron (Rhododendron metternichii var. hondoense)

Tree

Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)

Shiga Prefecture (滋賀県, Shiga-ken) is a special area in Japan. It is called a prefecture. Shiga is located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu. As of October 2015, about 1.4 million people lived there. The total area of Shiga Prefecture is about 4,017 square kilometers.

Shiga Prefecture shares borders with several other prefectures. To the north is Fukui Prefecture. Gifu Prefecture is to the northeast. Mie Prefecture is to the southeast. Finally, Kyoto Prefecture is to the west.

Ōtsu is the capital city of Shiga Prefecture. It is also the largest city. Other important cities include Kusatsu, Nagahama, and Higashiōmi. Shiga Prefecture is famous for Lake Biwa. This is the largest freshwater lake in all of Japan. A large part of Shiga, about 37% of its land, is protected as Natural Parks. This is the highest percentage of any prefecture in Japan.

The southern part of Shiga Prefecture is very close to Kyoto. Kyoto used to be the capital city of Japan. This area is now part of Greater Kyoto, which is the fourth-largest city area in Japan. Shiga Prefecture is also known for its special Ōmi beef. It has beautiful places called the Eight Views of Ōmi. You can also find Hikone Castle here. It is one of only four castles in Japan that are considered national treasures.

History of Shiga
Geography of Shiga
- Cities in Shiga Prefecture
- National Parks in Shiga
Education in Shiga
Sister States
Shrines and Temples
Related Pages
Images for kids
See also

History of Shiga

Before Japan started using the prefectural system, Shiga was known by different names. It was called Ōmi Province or Gōshū. These names were used a long time ago.

Geography of Shiga

Shiga Prefecture has clear borders with other areas. Fukui Prefecture is to the north. Gifu Prefecture is to the east. Mie Prefecture is in the southeast. And Kyoto Prefecture is to the west.

Lake Biwa is a very important part of Shiga. It sits right in the middle of the prefecture. The lake helps divide Shiga into four main areas:

Kohoku (湖北): This area is north of the lake. Its main city is Nagahama.
Kosei (湖西): This area is west of the lake. Its main city is Imazu.
Kotō (湖東): This area is east of the lake. Its main city is Hikone.
Konan (湖南): This area is south of the lake. Its main city is Ōtsu, which is also the capital.

Cities in Shiga Prefecture

Many cities are located within Shiga Prefecture. These include:

Higashiōmi
Hikone
Kōka
Konan
Kusatsu
Maibara
Moriyama
Nagahama
Ōtsu (This is the capital city)
Ōmihachiman
Rittō
Takashima
Yasu

National Parks in Shiga

A large part of Shiga Prefecture is made up of National Parks. About 37% of the land is set aside for these parks. This helps protect nature and wildlife.

Education in Shiga

University of Shiga Prefecture

Shiga Prefecture has many places for learning. There are ten universities and two junior colleges. There is also a learning center for The Open University of Japan. Some of the universities are:

Shiga University
Shiga University of Medical Science
University of Shiga Prefecture
Ritsumeikan University (has a campus in Kusatsu)
Ryukoku University (has a campus in Otsu)

Sister States

Shiga Prefecture has special agreements with three other states around the world. These are called "sister states." They help build friendships and cultural exchange.