Website www.city.maibara.lg.jp Population 40,349 (2010) | Area 250.5 km² Local time Saturday 7:13 PM | |
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Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) Weather 7°C, Wind NW at 11 km/h, 87% Humidity Points of interest Lake Biwa, Mount Ibuki, Okuibuki Ski Area, Renge‑ji Temple, Samegaijuku Museum |
Maibara (米原市, Maibara-shi) is a city in Shiga Prefecture, Japan.
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Map of Maibara, Shiga Prefecture, Japan
As of August 1, 2006, the city has an estimated population of 40,349 and a population density of 161 persons per km². The total area is 250.46 km².
History
The modern city of Maibara was established on February 14, 2005, from the merger of the towns of Maihara, Santō and Ibuki (all from in Sakata District). The adjacent town of Ōmi was merged into Maibara on October 1, 2005. The new city name was based on the name of Japan Railways' Maibara Station which many people in Japan knew as a station on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen Line.
Geography
The city is in the northeast region of Shiga Prefecture. Its area occupies 5.1% of Shiga's total land area. The west end of the city fronts Lake Biwa, while the mountainous east side borders on Sekigahara, Gifu Prefecture.
Mt. Ibuki is in the northeastern part of the prefecture. It is Maibara's most prominent landmark and designated as one of Japan's 100 most famous peaks. The Anegawa River and Amanogawa River empty into Lake Biwa and about 70 percent of the city comprises forest land. The city thus boasts an abundance of water and greenery.
Tourism
Maibara is mainly served by the JR Tōkaidō Line along which you can find Kashiwabara, Ōmi-Nagaoka, Samegai, and Maibara stations. Maibara Station serves the Shinkansen: From Tokyo, Maibara can be reached in about two and a half hours.
The city has a number of major sightseeing spots: