TokyoOsakaSHIGAShiga, the often-skipped prefecture when it comes to traveling in the Kansai region, may well surprise you with just as many worthy attrac-tions as its neighbors in Western Japan.For those of you who are already well-versed with Japan’s endless discoveries, you may have heard of Shiga’s crowning jewel of nature, the majestic Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest lake, or the prefecture’s historic pride, Hikone Castle, which can boast of being one of the only ve castles in Japan designated as National Treasures. However, today we are going to get o the beaten track and explore deeper into what this wonderful prefecture has to oer.If you follow me on my social media, you will know that I am an avid seasonal ower chaser. Being a tropical-born Malaysian, I am end-lessly fascinated by the myriads of oral surprises that pop up when you least expect it in Japan. While most travelers probably are familiar with Instagram cliches of cherry blossoms, hydrangea and the like, here’s a true rare seasonal gem you may have not yet heard of: baikamo.Baikamo is so rare that it was my very rst time seeing it, and after a quick googling I learned that in English it is called “Water Crowfoot.” ese tiny, adorable white petals bloom out of an alga-like cluster from May to August yearly, and only grow in the clearest streams. One of the best places to enjoy Baikamo is Samegai-juku, an old post town along the Nakasendo which connected Edo (now Tokyo) to Kyoto, in Maibara City. Expect a taste of authentic local life in Samegai-juku, where residents still carry out their daily lives little changed from the past in this charming little town, while enjoying its natural setting, including the very famous water running from the very stream those beautiful baikamo grow in. I couldn’t help but dip my ngers into the clear stream and was very surprised to nd that in the mid-summer heat, the water was ice-cold!Next day’s rst destination is Biwako Hakodateyama, one of the many ski resorts in the prefecture as Shiga is one of the top destinations for skiing in the Kansai region. Come summer time, the resort turns into a oral paradise that is full of shutter opportunities at every corner you turn.First of all, a gondola ride takes you up to an elevation of 630 meters, where a breathtaking panoramic view of Lake Biwa and lush green paddy elds unfold before your eyes. And then, a path lined with rainbow-colored wind chimes greets you with its soothing jingle, signaling that the summer time is here. As you walk further up, you sigh at the magnicent display of rainbow-like curtains – called Takashima Chijimi – swaying gently in the cool breeze, slowly revealing a stunning vista that makes you wonder if you have, indeed, walked into an Instagram wonderland. And, indeed, Biwako Hakodateyama is just such a place.Take a moment to appreciate the grandeur of Lake Biwa which stretches beyond the horizon, seeming vast as the ocean. On a clear, sunny day, this gorgeous view is denitely one memory that you will cherish for a long time! Finally, we are coming to the legendary Shirahige-jinja Shrine that recent-ly often makes the top of Instagram’s explore page when it comes to scenic destinations. While you are likely to stumble across many other oating torii gates if you look hard beyond the most iconic one in Miyajima of Hiroshima Prefecture, Shirahige’s picturesque torii standing tall in Lake Biwa, is one with lots of historical signicance.Access to the shrine is not so easy, especially with public transport, but you may be delighted to know that since you have come all the way here, at least as a reward you will be blessed with longevity for praying at the shrine, as the deity enshrined here is Sarutahiko no Mikoto, who is known as a god with a long white beard (which is called “Shirahige” in Japanese, hence the name of the shrine), and will bestow the divine favor of granting visitors the blessing of long life.Hopefully, we all live long enough to be able to return to Shiga Prefecture many more times to explore the endless hidden charms it has to oer.A Photogenic StrollThrough Shigaatt-japan.net/en/archives/9644Samegai-juku (Maibara city) 米原市 醒ヶ井宿 Written by Cheesie: Originally from Malaysia, she has visited all 47 prefectures of Japan and has been introducing the various regional charms of Japan to the world. Full text of Cheesie’s two-day trip report in Shiga is available on the website!*Only shooting is done without wearing a mask, with careful attention to surroundings.Baikamo梅花藻att. KANSAI 2021–226SHIGA PREFECTURE
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