Hino, Shiga
Encyclopedia
is a town
located in Gamō District
, Shiga
, Japan
.
As of 2011, the town has an estimated population
of 22,505 and a population density
of 191 persons per km². The total area is 117.63 km².
The town was founded on March 16, 1955 following the merger of surrounding villages.
Hino is a large isolated rural area nestled beside the Suzuka Mountain Range
with the town's tallest peak being Mt. Watamuki (1,110m). The town has had a mercantile history like many other parts of Shiga which flourished during the Edo period
.
is a museum dedicated to the history of the Hino Merchants.
are ruins of a castle that is said to have once been used as a place of refuge for Oda Nobunaga
.
is a garden that displays thousands of Dahlia
during summer and autumn and offers strawberry picking around March.
is a themed campground based on Grimm's Fairy Tales
. It offers cottage and tent camping. There are many extra activities for children such as baking with a stone oven and dying fabrics.
is Hino's largest festival, and one of Shiga's biggest, held on May 2nd and 3rd every year. Large traditional floats called "hikiyama" are pulled through town. Many people from around Shiga and other prefectures come to watch this historic event.
and main JR Biwako Line, offers less options for public transportation than most areas in Shiga. However the private Ohmi Railway
company services the one and only train station in Hino, Hino Station
. Trains run on average twice every hour, with slightly more frequency during common commuting times and with less during mid afternoon. Unfortunately the station was built roughly 3km away from the town center which makes a bicycle, taxi or bus from the station a better option than the 25 minute walk. Bicycles can be rented near the station and can be taken on and off the Ohmi Train during certain times and locations making it possible to bring your own. The closest JR Train Station is Kibukawa
located on the Kusatsu Line
. It is about a 20 minute train ride from Hino Station
. Taking the Ohmi Train is usually more expensive when compared to JR, but on weekends and holidays there is an option for a "Free Ticket" which allows a rider to get on and off anywhere along the train line for the whole day at one set price of 550 yen.
Ohmi Railway
also runs buses which pick up and drop off at multiple points throughout Hino, including Hino Station
. Buses run with about the same frequency as trains, making transportation planning inconvenient but while also allowing easier transfer to or from a bus at the train station. The main bus connects Kitabata-guchi, Hino Station, and Ōmi-Hachiman Station
as well as many rural points in between. The bus takes about 50 minutes from Hino to Ōmihachiman
.
Smaller inner-town buses also operate, but taking into consideration their infrequency, time and cost when compared to the overall size and points of interest of Hino, it is usually best to either walk, ride a bicycle or scooter, or drive a car if visiting multiple destinations.
Towns of Japan
A town is a local administrative unit in Japan. It is a local public body along with prefecture , city , and village...
located in Gamō District
Gamo District, Shiga
is a district located in Shiga, Japan.As of September 1, 2011, the district has an estimated population of 35,629 and a density of 220 persons per km²...
, Shiga
Shiga Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan, which forms part of the Kansai region on Honshu Island. The capital is the city of Ōtsu.- History :Shiga was known as Ōmi Province or Gōshū before the prefectural system was established...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
As of 2011, the town has an estimated population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 22,505 and a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 191 persons per km². The total area is 117.63 km².
The town was founded on March 16, 1955 following the merger of surrounding villages.
Hino is a large isolated rural area nestled beside the Suzuka Mountain Range
Suzuka Mountains
are a mountain range running through Mie Prefecture and along the borders of Gifu and Shiga prefectures in central Japan. The tallest peak in the range is Mount Oike at...
with the town's tallest peak being Mt. Watamuki (1,110m). The town has had a mercantile history like many other parts of Shiga which flourished during the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
.
Tourism
is a German themed agricultural park offering some German import foods such as beer and cheese. There are also opportunities for making foods such as sausage and bread. Animals such as cows and horses can be seen as well as a variety of flowers.is a museum dedicated to the history of the Hino Merchants.
are ruins of a castle that is said to have once been used as a place of refuge for Oda Nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
.
is a garden that displays thousands of Dahlia
Dahlia
Dahlia is a genus of bushy, tuberous, perennial plants native to Mexico, Central America, and Colombia. There are at least 36 species of dahlia, some like D. imperialis up to 10 metres tall. Dahlia hybrids are commonly grown as garden plants...
during summer and autumn and offers strawberry picking around March.
is a themed campground based on Grimm's Fairy Tales
Grimm's Fairy Tales
Children's and Household Tales is a collection of German origin fairy tales first published in 1812 by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, the Brothers Grimm. The collection is commonly known today as Grimms' Fairy Tales .-Composition:...
. It offers cottage and tent camping. There are many extra activities for children such as baking with a stone oven and dying fabrics.
is Hino's largest festival, and one of Shiga's biggest, held on May 2nd and 3rd every year. Large traditional floats called "hikiyama" are pulled through town. Many people from around Shiga and other prefectures come to watch this historic event.
Transportation
Hino, being farther from the larger cities around Lake BiwaLake Biwa
is the largest freshwater lake in Japan, located in Shiga Prefecture , northeast of the former capital city of Kyoto. Because of its proximity to the ancient capital, references to Lake Biwa appear frequently in Japanese literature, particularly in poetry and in historical accounts of battles.-...
and main JR Biwako Line, offers less options for public transportation than most areas in Shiga. However the private Ohmi Railway
Ohmi Railway
is a Japanese private railway company which operates in Shiga Prefecture, and a member of the Seibu group since 1943. The company is named after the Ōmi Province, the former name of the present-day Shiga. The railway is nicknamed by local users because of its noisy sound.- History :Ohmi Railway is...
company services the one and only train station in Hino, Hino Station
Hino Station (Shiga)
is a train station in Hino, Shiga, Japan.-Stations next to Hino:-External links:...
. Trains run on average twice every hour, with slightly more frequency during common commuting times and with less during mid afternoon. Unfortunately the station was built roughly 3km away from the town center which makes a bicycle, taxi or bus from the station a better option than the 25 minute walk. Bicycles can be rented near the station and can be taken on and off the Ohmi Train during certain times and locations making it possible to bring your own. The closest JR Train Station is Kibukawa
Kibukawa Station
is a train station in Kōka, Shiga, Japan.-Lines:*West Japan Railway Company**Kusatsu Line*Shigaraki Kōgen Railway**Shigaraki Line*Ohmi Railway**Main Line-JR West, Shigaraki Kogen Railway:*There are 2 platforms with 3 tracks on the ground....
located on the Kusatsu Line
Kusatsu Line
The is a railway line in western Japan operated by West Japan Railway Company . It connects Tsuge on the Kansai Main Line with Kusatsu on the Biwako Line .-Stations:...
. It is about a 20 minute train ride from Hino Station
Hino Station (Shiga)
is a train station in Hino, Shiga, Japan.-Stations next to Hino:-External links:...
. Taking the Ohmi Train is usually more expensive when compared to JR, but on weekends and holidays there is an option for a "Free Ticket" which allows a rider to get on and off anywhere along the train line for the whole day at one set price of 550 yen.
Ohmi Railway
Ohmi Railway
is a Japanese private railway company which operates in Shiga Prefecture, and a member of the Seibu group since 1943. The company is named after the Ōmi Province, the former name of the present-day Shiga. The railway is nicknamed by local users because of its noisy sound.- History :Ohmi Railway is...
also runs buses which pick up and drop off at multiple points throughout Hino, including Hino Station
Hino Station (Shiga)
is a train station in Hino, Shiga, Japan.-Stations next to Hino:-External links:...
. Buses run with about the same frequency as trains, making transportation planning inconvenient but while also allowing easier transfer to or from a bus at the train station. The main bus connects Kitabata-guchi, Hino Station, and Ōmi-Hachiman Station
Omi-Hachiman Station
is a train station in Ōmihachiman, Shiga, Japan.-Lines:*West Japan Railway Company **Biwako Line *Ohmi Railway**Yōkaichi Line-History:...
as well as many rural points in between. The bus takes about 50 minutes from Hino to Ōmihachiman
Omihachiman, Shiga
is a city in Shiga Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on March 31, 1954. In the quinquennial census of 2010, it had a population of 81,730...
.
Smaller inner-town buses also operate, but taking into consideration their infrequency, time and cost when compared to the overall size and points of interest of Hino, it is usually best to either walk, ride a bicycle or scooter, or drive a car if visiting multiple destinations.
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