Omihachiman, Heritage merchant town in Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Omihachiman is a city in Shiga Prefecture that stretches from the eastern shore of Lake Biwa to the foothills of the Suzuka Mountains. The old town preserves a canal district with whitewashed 17th-century warehouses and narrow lanes lined by tall stone walls.
The settlement began as a post station on the Tosando road linking Tokyo and Kyoto. During the Edo period a local merchant founded a trading house here that specialized in textiles and medicines, opening branches in other cities.
The town takes its name from Hachiman, a Shinto deity once worshipped as a patron by merchants. Today visitors ride through the narrow canals of the old merchant quarter on traditional flat boats, guided by oarsmen dressed in historical costume.
The JR Biwako Line and Ohmi Railway connect the town to Kyoto and Osaka, with trains running roughly every thirty minutes during the day. The canal district is easy to walk, and bicycles are available for rent at several points along the water.
The Sagicho Fire Festival in March features tall figures made of straw and paper that are paraded through the lanes before being ceremonially burned. A local brewery offers handcrafted sake made using a method originally developed by the merchant houses to stay preserved during long journeys.
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