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SEP-NOV 2018

vol.1

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9

10

SEPTEMBER

11

OCTOBERN OV E M B E R

BIWAKO BIENNALE 2018

TUKUROHI, ATSUSHI FUJIWARA,
PHOTOGRAPH EXHIBITIONTREE CANOPY TRAIL OPENING

Ancient townscapes and contemporary art meet in the old town of
Omihachiman for this internationalart festival. Around 77 groups ofartists from around the world will
exhibit their works in buildings
filled with histor y, such as houses from the Edo period(1603-1867), a former sake brewery, and more.

It is the distance itself makes us
try to connect. The Shiga-born
photographer Atsushi Fujiwara
has been continuing to chasesuch dreams of humans. His
latest work, Semimaru, and thethree preceding collections will be on display. Enjoy his
journey for connection.

DATE From Sat., September 15th to Sun., November 11th *Closed Tue.
TIME 10am-5pm
PLACE Old city area of Omi Hachiman (12 Nagahara-cho Naka, Omi Hachiman,
Shiga and its vicinities)
ADMISSION ￥2,200 (￥2,000), University Students and Vocational School Students
and High School Students ￥1,500 (￥1,300), Junior High School Students andyounger for Free
*Prices in brackets () are for presales
TEL 0748−36−3766(Information center “OGA SHOTEN”)
ENGLISH SPOKEN
WEB https://energyfield.org/biwakobiennale/en/about/

DATE From Sat., October 6th to Sun., November 4th
TIME 9am-4:30pm
PLACE MIIDERA-Temple Kannon-do Shoin hall (246 Onjoji-cho, Otsu, Shiga)
ADMISSION Free (Separate fee for entering MIIDERA-Temple: ￥600, JuniorHigh School Students ￥300, Elementary School Students ￥200)
TEL 090−2496−7072
ENGLISH SIGNAGE
WEB http://fuji-field.jp/tukurohi/

A new outdoor exhibit has
opened at the Lake Biwa
M u s e u m . T h e Tr e e C a n o p y
Tr a il l e t s v i s i to r s w a lk hi g hamong the treetops, granting
an unparalleled view of L ake
Biwa, and giving visitors the chance to get up close andpersonal with Japan’s largest lake and the surroundingf o r e s t. T he op e ning of thi s ne w inte r a c tive s p a c e innature creates a new symbol for the museum.

KIZASHI ~BEYOND~

Special Exhibition“SCATTERED LIGHT - CIRCULATION”
EXHIBITIONYA S U H I R O WATA R A I<<E AG D U R U E A R T H E N WA R E ( PA R T I A L )>>2 017 ( R E F E R E N C E WO R KS )A contemporar y ar t exhibition
with roots in Shiga prefecture
being held by THE MUSEUM OF
M O D E R N A R T, S H I G A . T h e
ex h i b i t i o n’s t h e m e i s “ C i t yStreets and Circulation,” and it
will be based on introducing theworks of three young ar tists
connected to Shiga.

“Masters of Beauty Who Were Charmed by Shigaraki”
From modern ceramic master
Kenkichi Tomimoto, to painterand sculptor Taro Okamoto,many ar tists have visited
ceramic town Shigaraki. Why
not seek out new charm in thep ot te r y of Shiga r a k i a s you tr a c e the s te p s of the s efamous artists.
DATE From Sat., October 6th to Thu., December 20th
TIME 9:30am-5pm (Admission until 4:30pm)
PLACE The Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park (2188-7 Chokushi Shigaraki-cho,
Koka, Shiga
ADMISSION ￥700 (￥560), University Students and High School Students ￥500 (￥400),
Junior High School Students and younger for Free
*Prices in brackets () are for groups of 20 or more
TEL 0748-83-0909
WEB https://www.sccp.jp/*Free Wi-Fi in the Shigaraki Exhibition
Hall of Industrial Ceramics

DATE From Sat., September 22nd to Sun., October 21st
TIME 10am-5:30pm
PLACE Around Kurokabe Square in Nagahama (Main location: 7-1 Omiya-cho,Nagahama / Satellite location: 22-37 Motohama-cho, Nagahama)
ADMISSION FreeTEL 077-522-2111
WEB http://www.shiga-kinbi.jp/“ISHIN-DENSHIN Try Starting with Body”
EXHIBITIONA n exhibition on the theme of“body.” The expressions by eightcreator s, brought from theircoming face-to-face with the bodyand the sensation of body, reveal
the fundamental experience of thehuman body. A display featuring painting, sculpture, photography,order-made wheelchairs and more.
DATE From Sat., September 22nd to Sun., November 25th
TIME 11am-5pm
PL ACE First location: Borderless Ar t Museum NO-MA (16 Nagahara-cho
Kami, Omi Hachiman, Shiga), Second location: Okumura Residence (8 Nagaharacho Kami, Omi Hachiman, Shiga)
ADMISSION ￥300 (￥250), University Students and High School Students￥250 (￥200), *Junior High School Students or younger, and a single
attendant of those with disabilities may enter for free.
*Prices in brackets ( ) are for groups of 20 or more
TEL 0748-36-5018
WEB http://www.no-ma.jp/

DATE Opens on Sat., November 3rd
TIME 9:30am-5pm (Admission until 4:30pm)
PLACE Lake Biwa Museum (1091 Oroshimo-cho, Kusatsu, Shiga)
ADMISSION Free（exhibits requires a ticket）
TEL 077-568-4811
ENGLISH BROCHURE
WEB http://www.biwahaku.jp/

THE 14TH HIGASHIOMICASTLE
Telling the histor y of the feudal lords

RED ARMOR
The valor of the Ii clan’s red armor

NINJA

ARTS AND CULTURE FESTIVAL
A play based on the classic Rakugo
spoken comedy tale “Rice bowl in
the well.” It paints a picture of life in
the Edo period (1603-1867) full ofhumor in a tale overflowing with the
wa r m th of h u m a n k i n d n e s s . T h e
c e n te r i n t h e c i t y w i l l d i s t r i b u tetickets, so you must make a reservation in advance.

Masters of Skill and Knowledge

LOCAL CUISINE / EVENTDATE Sun., November 18th
TIME From 2pm
PLACE Yokaichi Arts and Cultural Center (1-50 Aoba-cho, Higashiomi, Shiga)
ADMISSION Free (Reservation ticket required)* Tickets distributed at: Yokaichi Ar ts and Cultural Center, Notogawa
Communit y Center, etc.
TEL 0748-24-5672 (Higashiomi Ar ts and Culture Festival Executive
Commit tee Of fice)WEB http://www.city.higashiomi.shiga.jp/

NOH THEATER PERFORMANCEOTSU MATSURI FESTIVAL
One of three lake province
festivals star ted at the TENSON-JINJA Shrine in the Edo
period (1603-1867). The main
event of this festival is theparade of 13 decorated Hikiyama
floats through the city. Chimaki and hand towels, whichwere purified to ward off evil in advance, are thrown downfrom the floats to viewers, and each float has a karakuri
ningyo mechanical puppet on show.
DATE Yamatate (Building floats): Sun., September 30th, Festival Eve: Sat.,
October 6th, Festival: Sun., October 7th
TIME Yamatate: 8:30am-3pm, Festival Eve: Evening-9pm, Festival: 9am-5:30pm
PLACE TENSON-JINJA Shrine(3-3-36 Kyo-machi, Otsu, Shiga)
ADMISSION Free
ENGLISH BROCHURE
TEL 077‐525‐0505
ENGLISH SPOKEN
WEB http://www.otsu-matsuri.jp/home/“MATSUKAZE”

The traditional per forming ar to f N o h c a m e to Ja p a n f r o mChina in the Nara period( 710 -7 9 4 ) a s S a n g a k u a n d
fur ther developed by Kan'ami
a n d Z e a m i. “ M a t s u k a z e ” i sthou gh t to b e a n a da p t a tio n by Z e a mi o f a n o r igina lstory created by Kiami.
DATE Sat., November 24th
TIME Doors open: 1:30pm, Performance start: 2pm, Performance end: 4:30pm
PLACE Otsu Traditional Performing Arts Center (246-24 Onjoji-cho, Otsu,
Shiga)ADMISSION Advanced sale S seats: ￥5,500 (At the door: ￥6,000), Advanced
sale A seats: ￥5,000 (At the door: ￥5,500)
TEL 077-527-5236
WEB http://www.dentogeinokaikan.net/*Available at Otsu Traditional Performing Ar ts Center, or Katata Station
Tourist Information (077-573-1000)*No refunds

ABOUT SHIGAFUKUIAs Shiga prefecture is located in almost the exact center of Japan, and blessed with thelargest lake, Lake Biwa, there are plenty of places to see and things to do. Visiting thetemples and shrines, the old Kaido road, and the historical buildings and streetscapes
gives you a chance to get a taste for the varied culture of Shiga. And the culturallandscape and food culture created from the harmony between the plentiful water resources
and lifestyle of the people are sure to impress any visitor. Let’s discover Shiga together.

GIFU

Lake
Biwa

AICHI

ACCESS to SHIGA
Approx.

100min.

SHIGA

KYOTO

JR OTSU Sta.
OSAKA

KANSAI INTL AIRPORT

MIE
NARA

BIWAICHI

Approx.

-Cycling around Lake Biwa-

A trip around all 200 km of Lake Biwa’s circumference by bicycle is called BIWAICHI. It has
wide-open lakeside areas aplenty, but head up to the northern area of Lake Biwa, and it
reveals its peaceful, quiet side. The roadway is dotted with areas where you can feel life as
it once was, and precious locations of historical heritage. Sakura cherry blossoms, thegreen verdure of summer, the autumn-colored foliage... the face of Lake Biwa changes withthe seasons. BIWAICHI is more than just a circuit of the lake, we recommend spending two
to three days taking-in the sights, sounds and sentiment of the lake.

BIWAICHI

Cyclist Monument

Approx. 193km

KINOMOTO

MAKINONAGAHAMATAKASHIMA

HIKONEKATATAOMIHACHIMANOTSUBIWAKO OHASHI Brg

BEST SHOT!!

Omi Hachiman-bori

KONGOURIN-JI Temple

TENNEI-JI Temple

PUBLISHING : Shiga Prefecture / 2018.9

Metasequoia Tree LineSHIRAHIGE-JINJA Shire

http://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp

BIWAKO VISITORSBUREAUBIWAICHIRENTAL CYCLE

https://en.biwako-visitors.jp

http://biwaichi-cycling.com/en/

100min.

JR KANSAI AIRPORT Sta.

JR OTSU Sta.

JR KYOTO Sta.
Approx.

Approx.

150min.

JR TOKYO Sta.

OMI BEEF — the ultimate in local cuisine
Omi Beef is acknowledged as one of the three finest wagyu beef varieties in Japan. It
has a long history stretching back nearly 400 years, when it was specially prepared forshogun and daimyo nobles. Prepared from Japanese black cattle that have been
carefully nurtured over many years, Omi Beef boasts an exceptionally smooth andfine-grained texture complemented by mild fat with a hint of sweetness, which produces
a wonderful aftertaste. Restaurants in the prefecture offer Omi Beef steaks as well as
Omi Beef in traditional Japanese dishes such as sukiyaki and shabu-shabu.

10min.

A cultural asset boasting
400 years of history
This castle cannot be excluded when talking of Japanese
history and culture. It began as a castle base for military
protection, but came to serve as a symbolic castle
residence as it adapted to the times.

Following the history of
HIKONE-JO Castle
The construction of HIKONE-JO Castle was started in 1604, four years
after the Battle of Sekigahara between the eastern army spearheaded by
Tokugawa Ieyasu and the western army led by Ishida Mitsunari. Achieving
victory, Tokugawa Ieyasu set about keeping watch on OSAKA-JO Castle,
which was home to Toyotomi Hideyori, a son of Toyotomi Hideyoshi—theman Ishida Mitsunari worked for. There, Tokugawa Ieyasu placed his trustin Ii Naomasa, his head chief retainer, gave him charge of the Hikone
region, and ordered a castle to be built there to govern the area. Ii Naomasa
died of his wounds from the Battle of Sekigahara and the position andcastle construction was left to his eldest son, Ii Naotsugu. After that, thegreater part of the castle and the surrounding castle town were completed
in 1622 by Naotsugu’s younger brother, Naotaka.
HIKONE-JO Castle has a variety of practical features for protection andbat tle, including the TENBIN YAGUR A Turret (photo 1), which is builta r o u n d a c o r r i d o r b r i d g e d e s i g n e d to b e d r o p p e d d ow n i n ti m e s of
emergency, and the NISHINOMARU Three-Story YAGURA Turret (photo2) which is built on top of a stone wall over 10 m in height. In order for
the Edo Shogunate, led by the Tokugawa clan, to bring about an era ofpeace after the total eradication of the Toyotomi clan, a main palace tohouse the daimyo and for administration was constructed at the foot of
the c a stle. Ad ditio na lly, a s thi s lo c atio n wa s to b e c o me a plac e fo rsocial intercourse for the daimyo, GENKYU RAKURAKUEN Building wasconstructed to hold tea ceremonies, etc. These additions reflect how
the castle and sur roundings change d to suit the time s. V isitor s canenjoy matcha green tea (with japanese confectionery, ¥500) in HOSHODAI
Teahouse (photo 3), erected in GENK YUEN Garden (photo 4). Let yourimagination run as you gaze upon the magnificent scenery in the same
way the daimyo did and think of the history of the HIKONE-JO Castle.

城

HIKONE-JO Castle has around 400 years of history since its construction toserve as the residence of the Ii clan — daimyo feudal lords who governedthe Hikone region — in the Edo period (1603-1867). Although many Japanese
castles were burned down in battles or dismantled, HIKONE-JO Castle isone of just a few that remain as they stood at their construction centuries
ago. The tenshu (castle tower), tsuke-yagura (connecting tower), andtamon-yagura (hall turrets) are important cultural assets, listed as “nationaltreasures” of especially high cultural and academic value. Together withother castles, such as World Heritage site HIMEJI-JO Castle, it is known
as one of the five national treasure castles of Japan. In addition to all thefundamental elements you might expect of a more modern Japanese castle,
the construction is replete with ingenious features to keep enemies out, suchas nobori-ishigaki (tall stone walls) and ohorikiri (dry moat). But the castle is
not all about battles and fortifications. The daimyo’s residence KEYAKIGOTEN Palace, now called GENKYU RAKURAKUEN Building, next to themagnificent Japanese garden, GENKYUEN Garden, reveal the elegant
lifestyle that the daimyo enjoyed in the years of peace that followed.
In particular, Naosuke the 13th generation, a chief minister of theEdo period famous for signing the Harris Treaty with the US,
until becoming daimyo at age 32, was very interested in tea
ceremony and martial arts, and tried a variety of culturalarts while residing here.

1st generation, Ii Naomasa
朱漆塗仏二枚胴具足

2nd generation, Ii Naotaka
朱漆塗燻韋威縫延腰取二枚胴具足

4th generation, Ii Naooki
朱漆塗朽葉糸威縫延腰取二枚胴具足

9th generation, Ii Naoyoshi
朱漆塗紅糸威縫延胸腰取二枚胴具足

Kacchu refers to the set of armor and helmet worn to protect
oneself in battle. The Ii clan troops are known for theircharacteristic vermillion red armor, worn by the head of
the clan down to the retainer. This is the Ii clan’s red armor:“Ii no Akazonae.” The kacchu armor of Ii Naomasa, wholive d in the S e n g o k u w a r r i n g s t a t e s p e r i o d ( a r o u n d1467-1573), had a unified design from the shoulder tothe forearm making it practical and easy to maneuverin during battle, and the helmet and chest armor were ofa s i m p l e a n d u n o r n a m e nte d d e s i g n. In th e s e c o n dgeneration of the Ii clan’s reign in the Hikone domain,
Naotaka’s armor featured a single horizontal stripe ofleather, the face ma sk had te eth a nd a mou stache,a n d t h e h e l m e t was adorned with golden horn-likedaitentsuki crests on the sides—an imposing figure
indeed! By the fourth generation, peace had continued
for some time, such that Naooki’s kacchu armor wasin c re dib l y o r n a m e nt a l. And in the 13th generation,
Naosuke’s kacchu armor was designed to emphasize his
exc e l l e n t physique. T he Ii clan’s red armor continued
unchanged through the Edo period (1603-1867), and the fully
red Akazonae style was handed down to future ages as asymbol of strong troops.
13th generation, Ii Naosuke

朱漆塗紅糸威縫延腰取二枚胴具足

NISHINOMARU Three-StoryYAGURA Turret

2

TENSHU Castle tower

HOSHODAI Teahouse

TENBINYAGURA Turret

3

1

GENKYUEN Garden

Masters of Skill and Knowledge

4

Hikone Castle Museum(Main Palace)鎧忍The valor of the Ii clan’s
red armor

RAKURAKUEN
Building

Using strange abilities to execute assassinations... the image of ninja thathas spread around the world is in fact mostly hyperbole that spread throughkabuki theater plays, books, manga and movies from the Edo period(1603-1867) onward. The basis of the modern interpretation is the people
called shinobi who operated in the villages of Koka in Shiga prefecture and
Iga in Mie prefecture from the Muromachi period (1336-1573) into the Edo
period. Their true missions were to return home safely with information. They
were elite groups, possessing skills and information-gathering techniquesthat far-exceeded the everyday knowledge of the time.
The villages were surrounded by highways that broughti n i n fo r m a t i o n a n d g o o d s , l e a d i n g to c u l tu r a ldevelopment, and many temples of Tendaishu
and Shugendo religion that taught reading andwriting. This allowe d the village s to produce many
people well versed in the pen and the sword, and thelegends that they were active on battlefields near and far
are still passed down to this today.

REL ATED LOCATIONS
Shiga Prefectural

1 Hikone Castle Museum

1 TENBIN YAGURA Turret

2 NISHINOMARU Three-StoryYAGURA Turret

2 Azuchi Castle Archaeological Museum

TEL 0749-22-6100
ADDRESS 1-1 Konki-cho, Hikone, Shiga
OPEN 8am-5pm (Admission until 4:30pm)
CLOSED Open every day (closed Dec.25-31), the museum
may be temporarily closed
ADMISSION ￥500, Junior High School and Elementar y
School Students ￥250, younger children enter for free
SMOKING No (Smoking area available)
WEB http://hikone-castle-museum.jp/

TEL 0749-22-6100
ADDRESS 1-1 Konki-cho, Hikone, Shiga
OPEN 8:30am-5pm
CLOSED Open every day
ADMISSION ￥800, Junior High School and Elementary School Students ￥200, younger children enter for free
*HIKONE-JO Castle and GENKYUEN Garden set: ￥1,200, Junior High School and Elementary School Students ￥350
SMOKING No (Smoking area available)
WEB http://www.hikoneshi.com/jp/castle/
ENGLISH BROCHURE

3 HOSHODAI Teahouse

4 GENKYUEN Garden

3 Omi Hachiman-bori

4 Koka Ninjutsu Village

This museum has a collecThis museum opened in
Waterways flow through thisThis village, surroundedtion and exhibition centered1992 as the core facility ofcastle town opened byby a virgin forest at theo n ove r 4 5,0 0 0 pie c e s of
the “OMI FUDOKI NO
Toyo to m i H i d e t s u g u , thefoothills of the SUZUK A
traditional ar twork andO K A” (a h i s to r i c a l p a r k ).
nephew of Toyotomi HideyMountains, is home to aancient documents, passed
In s i d e t h e r e a r e a r c h e o oshi. The charming scenery,trick-and-trap-filled karadown to Ii clan, who were
logical materials datingo f te n u s e d a s a l o c a t i o nkuri yashiki house andthe daimyo (feudal lords) offrom the Jomon period
for movies and T V, invites
shuriken throwing star
Hikone. There is a tearoom(around 14,000 BCE to 400
visitors to wander its atmopractice hall, making it
and garden remodeled toBCE ) to the Kofun pe riod
spheric streets. From sakura
the perfect place for alook like they did back in(around 200 AD to 600 AD),cherry blossoms in spring,ninja experience. Thet h e d ay, a n d a N o h t h e a te r s t a g e b u i l t i n t h e Ed o a n d a l a r g e c o ll e c ti o n of m ate r i a l s r e l ate d to O d a to snow-covered scenery in winter, every season offers valuable ninja weapons and armor on display in the
period (1603-1867), allowing you to get a glimpse of Nobunaga and AZUCHI-JO Castle on display.
something beautiful.
KOK ANINJUTSU MUSEUM are also a must-see!
the lifestyles and culture of days gone by.

ENGLISH BROCHURE

TEL 0748-46-2424
ADDRESS 6678 Shimotoira Azuchi-cho, Omihachiman, Shiga
OPEN 9am-5pm (Admission until 4:30pm)
CLOSED Mon. (Next business day if Mon. is a public holiday),may closed for maintenance and New Year holidays
ADMISSION ￥450 (Additional exhibitions: ￥500), University
Students and High School Students ￥300 *Special exhibitions
may require additional fees.
SMOKING No (Smoking area available)
WEB http://www.azuchi-museum.or.jp
ENGLISH BROCHURE

TEL 0748-33-6061 (Omi Hachiman Tourist information)
ADDRESS Takakai-cho, Omihachiman, Shiga
OPEN 9am-5pm (Omi Hachiman Tourist information)
CLOSED Open every day
ADMISSION FreeSMOKING Yes
WEB http://www.omi8.com/annai/hachimanbori_info.htm

TEL 0748-88-5000
ADDRESS 394 Oki Koka-cho, Koka, Shiga
OPEN 10am-5pm (Admission until 4pm)
CLOSED Mon.
ADMISSION ￥1,030, High School and Junior High SchoolStudents ￥820, Elementary School Students ¥730, Children(Age 3-5) ￥520
SMOKING No
WEB http://koka.ninpou.jp/

ENGLISH SPOKEN