Deep Shiga you don't know - Experience local culture and traditional crafts while traveling around Lake Biwa and the Kohoku area

Ai Nishimura
Administrator of the blog "My Diary," which began in 2004. A writer who has traveled to all 47 prefectures and loves local culture and history.
Author of Shimane's "Geography, Place Names, and Maps" Mysteries (Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha), My Town is the "Number One in Japan" Dictionary (PHP Institute), and Prefectures Explained in Neko Neko Japanese History (Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha). Official blogger for Suntory Gourmet Guide, official top user for Retty, and official platinum blogger for Excite.

Fermentation culture integrated into everyday life in Nagahama and a tour of the breweries in Kinomotojuku

Nagahama City is located in the northeastern part of Shiga Prefecture, a town on the northern shore of Lake Biwa.
As a place where many roads passed through, it developed as a transportation and logistics center. In particular, the Hokkoku Kaido, which connected Edo and the Hokuriku region, was a place where many people and goods passed through, and it functioned as a place of commercial and cultural exchange.
In Nagahama, there is Kinomoto-juku, one of the many post towns that developed along the Hokkoku Kaido road.

Kinomoto-juku has long been a town where fermentation culture, including soy sauce and sake brewing, has taken root. Facing Lake Biwa, the area has moderate humidity and temperature suitable for fermentation, and the area is rich in the raw materials needed for fermentation, water and rice, which is why sake brewing and fermentation culture flourished. In addition, the area receives a lot of snow in the winter, and the wisdom of preserving food for the winter means that fermentation naturally became integrated into people's lives.
Among these, a popular pickle made at home was Narazuke, which was made using the by-products of sake brewing, "sake lees" and "mirin lees."
Narazuke can be found in Nara Prefecture and elsewhere, but they are all made in areas where sake brewing is popular. In Nagahama, where the brewing industry flourished nearby, Narazuke began to be made. Nowadays, mirin lees are hard to come by nationwide, and granulated sugar is often used instead, but in Kinomoto, mirin lees is still available, so they are made using traditional methods, and are even sold commercially under the name Kinomoto Zuke.

The "Fermentation Moms" means mothers working on fermented food in the Kinomoto area. Based in the community space "Book Cafe Scramu," they provide catering services, fermented lunches twice a month, and hold fermentation-related workshops such as miso preparation and Nara pickle making. They are promoting the charm of the area and working to revitalize culture and industry.
The fermented foods served at the cafe are prepared in the earthen floor of Myorakuji, a Shinshu Otani sect temple in Kinomoto-juku. The spacious space is used for preparing meals for memorial services and Buddhist ceremonies, and the good ventilation typical of Japanese houses makes it an ideal place for making fermented foods. Nagahama is a place where Buddhist faith is thriving (as we will discuss later), and local temples also play a role in connecting the local community. Due to this local character, residents often share recipes for fermented foods at gatherings and frequently discuss fermentation in everyday conversations. This is likely one of the reasons why the fermentation culture has not disappeared in Nagahama and has been passed down to the present day.

Mutsumi Ueda, who moved from Osaka to Kinomoto after getting married, participated in the activities of Fermentation and became fascinated with the world of fermentation, which she had never experienced before. She jumped from the city, which is full of many things, to the rural world of "making what does not exist."
Fermentation is seasonal and requires more care than you might imagine. Kinomoto's daily life is extraordinary for Mutsumi. She enjoys fermentation and learns from the wisdom of her predecessors.

You can enjoy doburoku at Happy Taro Brewery in Lake Scuola near Nagahama Station. Happy Taro, a fermentation professional and brewer, expands the world of doburoku by changing secondary ingredients depending on seasonal ingredients carefully grown by producers from around the country and on the occasional encounter, creating new flavors. Sometimes the taste is fruity, sometimes spicy, and ever-changing.
You can also sample the drinks, so it's definitely a spot you should stop by.

When you think of Shiga Prefecture, many people will think of "funa-zushi." It is a fermented food that is said to be one of the oldest sushi in Japan, and is made from Nigorobu carp that are landed in the rice fields from Lake Biwa. It is a local dish that has been fermented to prolong the seasonal flavor and enhance the preservation properties of the food by fermenting abundant ingredients.

Nagahama is a place where you can enjoy a variety of fermentation methods, both old and new. With a history as a key transportation hub, a good climate, and abundant nature, fermented foods have been passed down naturally without going against traditional methods. There is a reason for each of the methods and recipes that have been passed down in this area, and they have been carefully passed down by the people, and continue to evolve even today.
Fermented foods with a deep traditional Japanese flavor. Come experience this precious taste that takes time and effort to make in Nagahama.

Tips in Kinomoto

Book cafe Scramu

Tomita Sake Brewery

Yamaji Sake Brewery

Happy Taro Brewery

A treasure trove of historical sites and legends! Lake Yogo, a small lake northwest of Lake Biwa

When speaking of Shiga Prefecture, many people would say Lake Biwa.
There is another lake in the northern Kohoku area, Lake Yogo.
Lake Yogo is known as one of Japan's natural lakes that is especially rich in spring water, with groundwater from the surrounding mountains supplying it from the bottom of the lake. The surrounding mountains prevent wind from blowing in, and the still water reflects the beautiful natural scenery, which is why it is sometimes called the "mirror lake."

"I want to see Lake Yogo from above."
With that feeling, I headed to Shizugatake. This place is known as the site of the Battle of Shizugatake (1583), where Hashiba Hideyoshi and Shibata Katsuie fought. It is also popular as a scenic spot with a bird's-eye view of Nagahama city.
From Shizugatake, you can see the entire view of Lake Yogo, and it is a popular scenic spot from which you can see the northern shore of Lake Biwa, the lushly tree-covered Chikubushima Island, the towns of Takatsuki and Kinomoto, and even Mount Ibuki towering in the distance.

"I want to enjoy Lake Yogo up close."
For such people, we recommend a stroll along the promenade. You can also walk or cycle along the lakeside. Along the surrounding course, there is also a mountain trail to Shizugatake, so you can enjoy hiking.
To fully enjoy Lake Yogo, it's a good idea to hire a volunteer guide. Free guided tours are available mainly on Sundays from April to November.

Starting from Yogo Station, the course is 6.8km in circumference. In spring, the area is crowded with people enjoying cherry blossom viewing, and in some places, you can see a collaboration between cherry blossoms and rape blossoms. In May, the water plantains that bloom in the wetlands are in full bloom, and then the hydrangeas are in full bloom. In autumn, it is a popular spot for outings, and in winter, it is a popular spot for people who enjoy smelt fishing.
Lake Yogo currently functions as a reservoir that pumps water from Lake Biwa and supplies it to the fields while maintaining the water quality and volume. It is also home to the oldest legend in the area, "The Heavenly Maiden's Feather Robe Legend," and the rainmaking legend "Snake's Eye Stone," which is said to guarantee rain if you pray to it. You can also learn about the history of the region while being soothed by the seasonal scenery.
A stroll around Lake Yogo allows you to experience nature and the rich natural environment of the northern part of the lake. When you visit, be sure to dress and prepare appropriately for the weather and season.

Oku-Biwako Tourist Volunteer Guide Association

Lake Yogo

Shizugatake Lift