Higashiōmi, Shiga Prefecture, Kansai Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Higashiōmi (東近江市, Higashiōmi-shi) is a city located in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. The city has an estimated population density of 290 persons per km². The total area of the city is 388.58 square km (150.03 sq mi).

Geography Higashiōmi is located in east-central Shiga Prefecture, with a small shoreline the eastern shore of Lake Biwa, and extending inland to the Suzuka Mountains and the border with Mie Prefecture. Parts of the city are within the borders of the Suzuka Quasi-National Park.

Neighboring municipalities Shiga Prefecture • Ōmihachiman • Hikone • Kōka • Ryūō • Hino • Aishō • Taga; Mie Prefecture • Inabe • Komono.

History Higashiōmi is part of ancient Ōmi Province. Portions of the area were under the control of Yamakami Domain, a 13,000 koku fudai territory during the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate. With the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889, the town of Yōkaichi was established within Gamō District, Shiga. Yōkaichi merged with the villages of Hirata, Ichinobe, and Tamano in Gamō District, and Misono and Takebe from Kanzaki District and was elevated to city status on August 15, 1954. The city of Higashiōmi was established on February 11, 2005, from the merger of Yōkaichi with the towns of Eigenji and Gokashō (both from Kanzaki District), and the towns of Aitō and Kotō (both from Echi District).

On January 1, 2006, the town of Notogawa (from Kanzaki District), and the town of Gamō (from Gamō District) were merged into Higashiōmi.

Government Higashiōmi has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 25 members. Higashiōmi, together with the town of Ryūō, contributes three members to the Shiga Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Shiga 2nd district and Shiga 4th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy The economy of Higashiōmi is centered on agriculture and light manufacturing. There are several industrial parks in the city. Murata Manufacturing, Kyocera, Panasonic, Suntory and Toppan have large factories in the city.

Education Higashiōmi has 22 public elementary schools and ten public middle schools operated by the city government. There are five public high schools operated by the Shiga Prefectural Department of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped. The Biwako-Gakuin University, a private's university with associated junior college, is also located in Higashiōmi.

Transport: Rail JR West – Biwako Line • Notogawa

Ohmi Railway – Main Line • Gokashō - Kawabe-no-mori - Yōkaichi - Nagatanino - Daigaku-mae - Kyocera-mae - Sakuragawa - Asahi Ōtsuka - Asahino

Ohmi Railway – Yōkaichi Line • Yōkaichi - Shin-Yōkaichi - Tarōbōgū-mae - Ichinobe - Hirata

Transport: Road • Meishin Expressway • National Route 8 • National Route 307 • National Route 421 • National Route 477

Local attractions • Eigen-ji, noted Rinzai Zen temple • Hyakusai-ji, noted Tendai temple, National Historic Site • Yōkaichi Kite Festival.