Shiga Prefecture

Shiga Prefecture (滋賀県, Shiga-ken) is a landlocked <a href="/facts/Prefectures_of_Japan/qfbjCbfH">prefecture</a> of Japan located in the <a href="/facts/Kansai_region/ubuBp4Au">Kansai region</a> of <a href="/facts/Honshu/Rp7Ew35d">Honshu</a>. Shiga Prefecture has a population of 1,398,972 as of 1 February 2025 and has a geographic area of 4,017 km2 (1,551 sq mi). Shiga Prefecture borders <a href="/facts/Fukui_Prefecture/a2UC9P13">Fukui Prefecture</a> to the north, <a href="/facts/Gifu_Prefecture/3IRVpFjh">Gifu Prefecture</a> to the northeast, <a href="/facts/Mie_Prefecture/1j7qCW8b">Mie Prefecture</a> to the southeast, and <a href="/facts/Kyoto_Prefecture/v9q4S8Sk">Kyoto Prefecture</a> to the west.
<a href="/facts/%C5%8Ctsu/Dw7V3nK7">Ōtsu</a> is the capital and largest city of Shiga Prefecture, with other major cities including <a href="/facts/Kusatsu,_Shiga/AYUPxgs1">Kusatsu</a>, <a href="/facts/Nagahama,_Shiga/wX5qmzkr">Nagahama</a>, and <a href="/facts/Higashi%C5%8Dmi/Vfd1MW34">Higashiōmi</a>. Shiga Prefecture encircles <a href="/facts/Lake_Biwa/IB6WYWEw">Lake Biwa</a>, the largest <a href="/facts/Freshwater_lake/YP0xxn0E">freshwater lake</a> in Japan, and 37% of the total land area is designated as <a href="/facts/List_of_national_parks_of_Japan/mdpesMlv">Natural Parks</a>, the highest of any prefecture. Shiga Prefecture's southern half is located adjacent to the former capital city of <a href="/facts/Kyoto/gUWtvjfd">Kyoto</a> and forms part of <a href="/facts/Greater_Kyoto/zqt5ybo1">Greater Kyoto</a>, the fourth-largest <a href="/facts/Metropolitan_area/IKeV26lu">metropolitan area</a> in Japan. Shiga Prefecture is home to <a href="/facts/%C5%8Cmi_beef/1LTqQrrY">Ōmi beef</a>, the <a href="/facts/Eight_Views_of_%C5%8Cmi/JhdBQllp">Eight Views of Ōmi</a>, and <a href="/facts/Hikone_Castle/oumMgSgS">Hikone Castle</a>, one of four <a href="/facts/List_of_National_Treasures_of_Japan_(castles)/Hug6gdVc">national treasure castles</a> in Japan.

Shiga Prefecture open-in-new

Shiga Prefecture