[Shiga ]Omi Hachiman Sightseeing Spots to Enjoy History, Elegant Streets and Gourmet Food
![[Shiga ]Omi Hachiman Sightseeing Spots to Enjoy History, Elegant Streets and Gourmet Food](https://assets.deep-exp.com/assets/img/uploads/media/686/main_front_detail.jpg)
2023-08-03
Omihachiman City, located in central Shiga Prefecture, developed as the castle town of Azuchi Castle. Known as the hometown of the Omi merchants, the city has an elegant townscape. It is also known as a filming location for movies and TV dramas, and is famous as the location for the morning drama "Asa ga Kita "and the movie "Rurouni Kenshin ". There is also a wide variety of delicious gourmet food. Here are some of the sightseeing spots in Omi Hachiman.
Author of this article
Table of Contents
- 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.
maze
![]()
This historic waterway was built by Toyotomi Hidetsugu in the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1568-1600), and boats carrying commercial goods came and went as far as Lake Biwa. The white-walled storehouses lining both ends of the canal create an elegant townscape.
Although beautiful today, during the period of rapid economic growth, the Hachiman moat became increasingly polluted and became a source of pollution. Later, it was restored to a clean appearance by volunteers, and was even selected as the nation's first Important Cultural Landscape.
![]()
If you have time, we recommend taking a rowboat to view the Hachiman moat. Especially from the end of March to the beginning of April, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of cherry blossoms in full bloom.
"Facility Information "
Facility name: Hachimanbori
Address: Osugi-cho, Omihachiman, Shiga 523-0837
Himure Hachimangu Shrine
![]()
According to tradition, the shrine has a long history, having been founded in 131 when Emperor Narimu enshrined a deity. Known locally as "Hachiman-sama ", Himure Hachiman Shrine is believed to be the guardian of Omi. "Omi Hachiman City "'s "Hachiman "comes from the name of this shrine.
The three main deities are: Emperor Ojin's divine spirit, Homudawake no Mikoto; Emperor Ojin's mother, Okinagatarashihime no Mikoto; and Empress Jingu's divine spirit, Hime no Mikami.
Today, the shrine attracts an endless stream of worshippers, who come to pray for prosperity and protection from bad luck.
![]()
Two fire festivals are held in March: the "Sagicho Festival ", in which portable shrines carrying lucky charms are built and competed with each other, and the "Hachiman Festival ", in which giant torches 10 meters high are set on fire in April.
"Facility Information "
Store Name：Himure Hachimangu Shrine
Address: 257 Miyauchi-cho, Omihachiman, Shiga 523-0828
Business hours: 8:00-17:00
Regular holiday: No mid-year break
*Fees vary for use of rest rooms. For details, check the official website.
Phone number: 0748-32-3151
Parking: Available
URL：https://himure.jp/
Shinmachi Street
This 2-kilometer street is lined with the main residences of Omi merchants who were active from the Edo period to the early modern era and amassed enormous wealth. The area has been selected as a national important traditional building preservation area, and merchant houses built between the end of the Edo period and the Meiji period still remain beautifully preserved.
"Local History Museum "and "History and Folklore Museum "are also located along this street, where you can learn about the history of Omi Hachiman.
"Facility Information "
Facility name: Shinmachi Dori (Shinmachi Street)
Address: Shinmachi-dori, Shinmachi 2-chome, Omihachiman-shi, Shiga 523-0871
La Collina Omihachiman
![]()
Opened in 2015, it is the flagship store of Shiga's leading long-established confectionery maker "Taneya ""Club Harrier ", a complex of Japanese and Western confectionery, bread, and a food court.
The main facility is covered in ivy and greenery, and is said to look like a Ghibli-like world. This includes a sweets sales area, a café, a bakery, and many other facilities.
![]()
"One of the most popular things at La Collina "is the cafe where you can enjoy freshly baked baumkuchen. These sweets are so popular that there can be a wait of over an hour on consecutive holidays!
![]()
The souvenirs available in this stylish warehouse-style building also have cute pop designs that you won't see anywhere else! Giving them as souvenirs is sure to be a lot of fun.
"Facility Information "
Store Name： La Collina Omihachiman
Address:〒523-8533 615-1 Kitanosho-cho, Omi Hachiman City, Shiga Prefecture
Hours: 9:00-18:00 (Food court 10:00-17:00)
Closed: January 1
Phone number: 0748-33-6666
Parking: Available
URL：https://taneya.jp/la_collina/
Taneya Himure Nosahi
![]()
Located near Himure Hachiman Shrine is the store of "Taneya ", a long-established Japanese confectionery manufacturer in Shiga. There is a teahouse inside the store, perfect for visiting Himure Hachiman-gu Shrine or taking a break between strolls in Omi Hachiman.
At the teahouse, visitors can enjoy sweet treats such as zenzai, anmitsu (sweet bean paste), and shaved ice, as well as a meal menu featuring mochi rice and Omi beef produced in Shiga Prefecture.
![]()
We recommend "Tubura Mochi ". These rice cakes are made from Shiga's glutinous rice, cooked, wrapped in sweet bean paste, and baked. The mochi is baked right in front of you in the store's workshop. The freshly baked savory rice cake, sweet bean paste, and azuki bean tea will soothe your tired body after a stroll through Hachiman-no-mori moat and Hachiman-gu Shrine.
"Store Information "
Store Name：Taneya Himure no Ya
Address: Himure Village, Miyauchi-cho, Omihachiman, Shiga 523-8558
Office hours: Sales 9:30 - 17:00 / Tea house (Food) 11:00 - 15:00 (LO 15:00) (Taste) 10:00 - 17:00 (LO 16:30)
Regular holiday: No mid-year break
Phone number: 0748-33-4444
Parking: Available
URL：https://taneya.jp/shop/shiga_himure_taneya
Kane Yoshikoh Yamamoto, Main Branch
![]()
Located a 3-minute walk from JR Omi Hachiman Station, this butcher store was established in 1896 and specializes in Omi beef. 1F is a butcher store and 2F is a restaurant "Tiffany "where you can enjoy Omi beef gourmet dishes.
![]()
Recommended for eating while strolling in Omi Hachiman are the cutlets and fried foods sold on the first floor. There are about 25 varieties to choose from, making it hard to make a selection. Many locals buy a variety of items in bulk.
Items using Omi beef include not only menchikatsu and croquettes, but also eggplant sandwich menchikatsu and beef cutlets, both of which are not easily found in other restaurants.
"Store Information "
Name：Kaneyoshi Yamamoto Honten
Address: 558 Takakai-cho, Omihachiman-shi, Shiga 523-0891
Business hours: 9:00-19:00 / Restaurant 11:30-15:00 and 17:00-20:00
Closed: Tuesday
Phone number: Sales 0748-33-3355 / Restaurant 0748-33-3055
URL：https://www.oumigyuu.jp/shop/honten
Nitori Sensei-tei Hachimanbori
![]()
Founded in 1957, this store specializes in Omi beef. It sells a wide range of products, including butchery, meat for sukiyaki, shabu-shabu, and yakiniku, and processed products such as sausages and hamburgers.
Built in an old-fashioned style that blends in with the streets of Omi Hachiman, "Senjotei Hachimanbori "has croquettes and processed goods on the first floor and an Omi beef restaurant on the second floor.
The fried foods sold on the first floor are perfect for eating, such as croquettes, croquettes with extra meat, and menchikatsu. Beer is also on sale, so we recommend taking a break while enjoying the delicious fried Omi beef and a beer.
"Store Information "
Name：Senjitei Hachimanbori Branch
Address: 12 Osugi-cho, Omihachiman-shi, Shiga 523-0837
Business hours: 1F 10:00-17:00 / 2F 11:00-15:00 (LO 14:30)
Closed: Tuesday
Phone number: 0748-43-1129
URL：https://www.sennaritei.jp/shop/shop_hatimanbori/
Special Historical Site Azuchi Castle Ruins
It is located in Shimotoyoura, Azuchi-cho, Omihachiman City. The castle was built as the residence of Oda Nobunaga over a period of about three years from Tensho 4 (1576), but was lost after the Honnoji Incident. Today, stonewalls, moats, and the mausoleum of Oda Nobunaga built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi remain, and the area is designated as a Special National Historic Site.
"Facility Information "
Store Name：Special Historic Site Azuchi Castle Ruins
Address: Shimotoyoura, Azuchi-cho, Omihachiman, Shiga 521-1311
Hours of operation: 24 hours
Closed: No holidays
Parking: Available
Kawara Museum
It is one of the few tile museums in the country built on the site of a former tile factory to pass on to future generations the techniques and traditions of "Hachiman Tiles "that have been handed down for more than 300 years since the Edo period.
The entire building, consisting of 10 buildings, can be considered an exhibit, and is full of tiles. They face the Hachiman moat, and their reflections on the surface of the water of the moat are beautiful. It is also located in a corner of the "Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings "selected by the government, and the 24,000 roof tiles are designed to fit in with the scenery of the surrounding old townscape. In addition, a walking path made of recycled old roof tiles has been created outdoors, and the entire site is designed to look like a garden staged with roof tiles, including a swirling river stream and the Milky Way.
The exhibits include gold leaf tiles excavated from the ruins of the residence of Lord Hideji Toyotomi, onigawara tiles made in the Edo period with various wishes and prayers, tile dolls made from clay, the material used to make roof tiles, roof tiles from various regions of Japan, and roof tiles from around the world. Onigawara and kawara dolls show the high level of skill and richness of ideas of the tile craftsmen of the Edo period.
"Facility Information "
Store Name： Kawara Museum (Kawara Museum)
Address: 738-2 Taga-cho, Omihachiman-shi, Shiga 523-0821
Opening hours: 9:00-17:00 (last admission 16:30)
Closed: Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday), the day following a national holiday, and year-end and New Year holidays
Admission: General 300 yen (group of 10 or more 250 yen), elementary and junior high school students 200 yen (150 yen)
Phone number: 0748-33-8567
Parking: None
summary
How about the sightseeing spots in Omi Hachiman? Omi Hachiman is a place where you can easily enjoy a stroll through the townscape that seems like a time slip back in time and a lot of delicious gourmet food. You can enjoy your visit whether you have a car or not!
Recommended articles
Keyword search
Category overview
Search by Area
Select Language
Select Currency
