Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture, Kansai Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Nagahama (長浜市, Nagahama-shi) is a city located in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 November 2021, the city had an estimated population density of 120 persons per km². The total area of the city is 680.79 square km (262.85 sq mi).

Geography Nagahama is located on the northern shore of Lake Biwa and occupies most of the northern portion of Shiga Prefecture. It is generally bounded by the Ibuki Mountains to the east, the Nosaka Mountains to the north and Lake Biwa to the south. The city is the second largest in the prefecture in terms of land area, after Takashima. The inland areas of the city are noted for very heavy snow accumulation in winter

Neighboring municipalities Shiga Prefecture • Maibara • Takashima; Gifu Prefecture • Ibigawa; Fukui Prefecture • Tsuruga • Echizen.

Demographics Per Japanese census data, the population of Nagahama has remained relatively stable over the past 70 years.

History Nagahama is part of ancient Ōmi Province and has been settled since at least the Yayoi period. During the Sengoku period, the area was contested between the Kyogoku clan, Azai clan and Asakura clan. The city centre was developed and renamed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi when Hideyoshi moved the centre of his administration from Odani Castle. Kunitomo (国友), the north-east of the city centre, had been known for the production of arquebuses and guns since 1544. The settlement was originally called Imahama (今濱), but Hideyoshi renamed it "Nagahama", taking one kanji from the name of his overlord, Oda Nobunaga. It is not related to the area of the same name in Fukuoka City and same name town in Ehime Prefecture. In the Edo period, it was largely under the control of Hikone Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate; however, the jin'ya of Ōmi-Miyagawa Domain, a 13,000 koku feudal holding under a cadet branch of the Hotta clan was located in what is now south-eastern Nagahama. After the Meiji restoration, the town of Nagahama was established within Sakata District, Shiga with the creation of the modern municipalities system.

On April 1, 1943, Nagahama annexed the neighboring villages of Kamiteru, Rokusho, Minamigori, Kitagori, Nishikuroda and Kanda to form the city of Nagahama. On February 13, 2006, the towns of Azai and Biwa (both from Higashiazai District) were merged into Nagahama. 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.

The current city thus consists of areas once within three former districts; Sakata District, Higashiazai District and Ika District.

Government Nagahama has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 26 members. Nagahama contributes four members to the Shiga Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Shiga 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy The economy of Nagahama is centered on agriculture and light manufacturing.

Education Nagahama has 23 public elementary schools and ten public middle schools and two combined elementary/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 two special education schools for the handicapped.

International schools: • Colégio Sun Family - Brazilian primary school

Transport: Rail JR West – Hokuriku Main Line • Nagahama - Torahime - Kawake - Takatsuki - Kinomoto - Yogo

JR West – Kosei Line • Nagahama - Ōmi-Shiotsu

Transport: Road • Hokuriku Expressway • National Route 8 • National Route 303 • National Route 365.