Shiga Prefecture

is a prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan on the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Ōtsu.

## History

Shiga used to be called Ōmi Province or _Gōshū_ before Japan began using the prefectural system.

## Geography

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:
- , north of lake and centered at Nagahama
- , west of lake and centered at Imazu
- , east of lake and centered at Hikone
- , south of lake and centered at Ōtsu

### Cities

Cities in Shiga Prefecture include
- Higashiōmi
- Hikone
- Iga
- Kōka
- Konan
- Kusatsu
- Maibara
- Moriyama
- Nagahama
- Ōtsu (capital)
- Ōmihachiman
- Rittō
- Takashima
- Yasu

### National Parks

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

## Education

There are ten universities, two junior colleges, and a learning center of The Open University of Japan in Shiga.
- Shiga University (Hikone and Otsu)
- Shiga University of Medical Science (Otsu)
- University of Shiga Prefecture (Hikone)
- Shiga Junior College (Otsu)
- Shiga Bunkyo Junior College (Nagahama)
- Seian University of Art and Design (Otsu)
- Seisen University (Hikone)
- Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology (Nagahama)
- Biwako-Gakuin University (Higashiomi)
- Biwako-Gakuin College (Higashiomi)
- Biwako Seikei Sport College (Otsu)
- Ritsumeikan University (Kyoto and Kusatsu)
- Ryukoku University (Kyoto and Otsu)

## Sister states

Shiga has agreements with three states.
- Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Michigan, USA
- Hunan, People's Republic of China

## Shrines and Temples

_Takebe jinja_ is the chief Shinto shrine (_ichinomiya_) in the prefecture.

## Related pages

- Provinces of Japan
- Prefectures of Japan
- List of regions of Japan
- List of islands of Japan

## Further reading

- , 1984. Tokyo: Yamato Shobo.

## Other websites

- Shiga Prefecture official page
- go.biwako - Travel Guide of Shiga Prefecture, Japan (Biwako Visitors Bureau)
- Shiga-ken.com

## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: Shiga Prefecture
- **settlement type**: Prefectures of Japan, Prefecture
- **imagesize**: 265px
- **image flag**: Flag of Shiga Prefecture.svg
- **image seal**: Emblem of Shiga Prefecture.svg
- **image map**: Shiga in Japan.svg
- **mapsize**: 265px
- **map caption**: **Shiga Prefecture** in Japan
- **subdivision type**: List of sovereign states, Country
- **subdivision type1**: List of regions of Japan, Region
- **subdivision name1**: Kansai region, Kansai
- **seat type**: Capital
- **seat**: Ōtsu, Shiga, Ōtsu
- **parts type**: Subdivisions
- **p1**: Districts of Japan, Districts: 3
- **p2**: Municipalities in Japan, Municipalities: 19
- **leader title**: List of prefectural governors in Japan, Governor
- **leader name**: Taizō Mikazuki
- **area total km2**: 4,017
- **population total**: 1,413,610
- **population as of**: October 1, 2020
- **population density km2**: 351.9
- **timezone1**: Japan Standard Time, JST
- **utc offset1**: +09:00
- **postal code type**: Postal code
- **postal code**: 520-8577
- **area code type**: Area code
- **area code**: 25000-7
- **blank name sec2**: ISO 3166-2:JP, ISO 3166 code
- **blank info sec2**: JP-25
- **blank1 name sec2**: Address