Shiga Prefecture

is a prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan on the island of Honshu.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Shiga-ken" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 853; "Kansai" at  p. 477; JETRO, Shiga Prefecture, Regional Information ; retrieved 2012-4-6. The capital is the city of Ōtsu.Nussbaum, "Ōtsu" at p. 765.

 History 
Shiga used to be called Ōmi Province or Gōshū before Japan began using the prefectural system.Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" at p. 780.

 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.Japan Ministry of the Environment, "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture"; retrieved 2012-3-14.

 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.  
"Nationwide List of Ichinomiya," p. 1 ; retrieved 2012-3-14.

Related pages
 Provinces of Japan
 Prefectures of Japan
 List of regions of Japan
 List of islands of Japan

References

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