Partners Information: Shiga Prefecture is perhaps most well-known for being home to Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest freshwater lake, but did you know it also boasts many locations that have featured in anime or live-action adaptations?
Here are 5 place to consider for your next visit.
1. Miidera Temple (Rurouni Kenshin, live-action adaptation)
Miidera Temple is the head temple of the Tendaijimon Buddhist sect. It became a Japan Heritage site in 2015, and is home to more than 100 National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties.
Movies are also often filmed there, including the recently released live-action adaptation of the popular anime ‘Rurouni Kenshin’.
2. Hachiman-bori Canal (Rurouni Kenshin, live-action adaptation)
Hachiman-bori Canal connects the charming merchant town of Omihachiman to Lake Biwa. Before the days of modern transportation, it provided transport and helped turn the city into a trade powerhouse.
These days, preserved white-walled storehouses and traditional houses still line the canal, and you can take a leisurely boat cruise to experience the atmosphere of a bygone era. It is also a spot often used for filming TV shows and movies, and was recently featured in the live-action adaptation of the popular anime Rurouni Kenshin.
3. Poké Lid (Pokémon series Gyarados)
Poké Lids are covers for utility holes that feature designs from the popular anime Pokémon, with each cover featuring an original design that can’t be found anywhere else in the world.
Two of these Poké Lids have now been installed in Otsu City, marking the first Poké Lids in the Kansai region. Both lids feature the Pokémon Gyarados and can be found on the banks of Lake Biwa, with plans to place a Poké Stop close by in the future.
4. Rosa & Berry Tawada (Shaun the Sheep)
Rosa & Berry Tawada is an English garden located in Maibara. In 2019 Shaun the Sheep Farm Garden was opened, creating a space for adults and children alike to enjoy the world of the classic series. It features a farm house, barn, Farmageddon Tower & Stage, event house and a café serving themed treats.
5. Former Kaigake Elementary School
The former Kaigake Elementary School stopped being used for teaching in 2001 and is often used as a setting for TV shows and movies.
It is especially popular with fans of the anime ‘Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions’ as the school the main characters attended was modelled after this, but it’s worth a visit for anyone interested in wandering around what used to be a real-life school.
More information
All images © Biwako Visitors Bureau
