Country Japan Prefecture Shiga Prefecture Population 122,280 (1 Aug 2011) | Region Kansai Area 149.6 km² | |
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Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) City hall address 12-34 Takada-chō, Nagahama-shi, Shiga-ken
526-8501 Website www.city.nagahama.shiga.jp Weather 7°C, Wind NW at 11 km/h, 63% Humidity Points of interest Lake Biwa, 黒壁スクエア Kurokab, Nagahama Castle, Yutaka Park, Chikubu Island | ||
Nagahama (長浜市, Nagahama-shi) is a city located in Shiga Prefecture, Japan on the northeastern shore of Lake Biwa. The city center was developed and renamed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi when Hideyoshi moved the center of his administration from Odani Castle. Kunitomo (国友), the northeast of the city center, had been known for the production of arquebuses and guns since 1544.
Contents
- Map of Nagahama Shiga Prefecture Japan
- The naming
- History
- Sightseeing
- Cuisine
- Education
- Sister cities
- Within Japan
- Outside Japan
- References
Map of Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture, Japan
As of August 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 122,280 and a population density of 180 persons per km². The total area is 680.79 km².
The current city is now historically located within three former districts; Sakata District, Higashiazai District and Ika District.
The naming
Nagahama used to be known as Imahama (今濱), but Toyotomi Hideyoshi renamed it Nagahama for Oda Nobunaga. It is not related to the area of the same name in Fukuoka City and same name town in Ehime Prefecture.
History
On April 1, 1943, the town of Nagahama from Sakata District merged with six other towns to gain city status. The last population count was conducted on December 1, 2005, and the city had a population of 63,057. The total area was 45.50 km².
On February 13, 2006, the towns of Azai and Biwa (both from Higashiazai District) were merged into Nagahama, which replaced all municipal organizations—including the old city of Nagahama itself. As a result of the city's annexation of Azai and Biwa in 2006, the total population stood at 84,410.
On January 1, 2010, the towns of Kohoku and Torahime (both from Higashiazai District), and the towns of Kinomoto, Nishiazai, Takatsuki and Yogo (all from Ika District) were merged into Nagahama. Both districts were thereby dissolved as a result of this merger.
Sightseeing
Nagahama is one of the most famous tourist cities in Shiga. Attractions to be found in the city include:
Cuisine
In addition to the usual Shiga Prefecture cuisine, most famously funa-zushi, Nagahama has a local specialty of salty-sweet cooked sōmen with mackerel (焼鯖素麺, yaki-saba sōmen), related to its historical position on the mackerel highway.
Education
International schools:
Sister cities
The following cities were once sister cities of the former city of Nagahama.