is a city

Cities of Japan

||A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of...

 located in Shiga Prefecture

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 August 1, 2006, the city 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 42,154. The total area is 223.1 km².

History

Maibara was founded on February 14, 2005 upon the merging of the former towns of Maihara

Maihara, Shiga

was a town located in Sakata District, Shiga, Japan.On February 14, 2005 Maihara was merged with the towns of Ibuki and Santō, all from Sakata District, to form the new city of Maibara....

, Santō

Santo, Shiga

was a town located in Sakata District, Shiga, Japan. There was Kashiwabara-juku in Edo period.On February 14, 2005 Santō was merged with the towns of Maihara and Ibuki, all from Sakata District, to form the new city of Maibara....

, and Ibuki

Ibuki, Shiga

was a town located in Sakata District, Shiga, Japan. Mount Ibuki dominates the town.On February 14, 2005 Ibuki was merged with the towns of Maihara and Santō, all from Sakata District, to form the new city of Maibara....

 in Sakata district

Sakata District, Shiga

Sakata was a district located in Shiga, Japan. The district is currently dissolved.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 41,126 and a density of 184.34 persons per km². The total area is 223.10 km²....

. The adjacent town of Ōmi

Omi, Shiga

was a town located in Sakata District, Shiga, Japan.On October 1, 2005 Ōmi was merged into the expanded city of Maibara.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 9,663 and a density of 535.64 persons per km². The total area was 18.04 km²....

 merged with Maibara on October 1, 2005. The new city name was based on the name of Japan Railways' Maibara Station

Maibara Station

is a train station in Maibara, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. It is the southern terminus of the West Japan Railway Company Hokuriku Main Line, and the boundary of control between JR West and JR Central over the Tōkaidō Main Line....

 which many people in Japan knew as a bullet train station on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen Line.

Geography

The city is in the northeast region of Shiga Prefecture

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...

. Its area occupies 5.1% of Shiga's total land area. The west end of the city fronts Lake Biwa

Lake 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.-...

, while the mountainous east side borders on Sekigahara

Sekigahara, Gifu

is a town located in Fuwa District, Gifu Prefecture, Japan.As of July 2011, the town has an estimated population of 7,965. The total area is 49.29 km².In 1600, the Battle of Sekigahara took place here.-History:...

, Gifu Prefecture

Gifu Prefecture

is a prefecture located in the Chūbu region of central Japan. Its capital is the city of Gifu.Located in the center of Japan, it has long played an important part as the crossroads of Japan, connecting the east to the west through such routes as the Nakasendō...

.

Mt. Ibuki is in the north-eastern part of the prefecture and is Maibara's most prominent landmark and designated as one of Japan's 100 most famous peaks. The Anegawa River and Amanogawa River empty into Lake Biwa

Lake 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 about 70 percent of the city comprises forest land. The city thus boasts an abundance of water and greenery.

Tourism

Maibara is mainly served by the JR Tōkaidō Line along which you can find Kashiwabara, Ōmi-Nagaoka, Samegai, and Maibara Stations. Maibara Station

Maibara Station

is a train station in Maibara, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. It is the southern terminus of the West Japan Railway Company Hokuriku Main Line, and the boundary of control between JR West and JR Central over the Tōkaidō Main Line....

 is also a shinkansen bullet train station. From Tokyo, Maibara can be reached in about two and a half hours via bullet train.

The city has a number of major sightseeing spots:

• Mt. Ibuki - With an elevation of 1,377.4 meters, Mt. Ibuki is Shiga Prefecture's tallest mountain and a popular spot for skiing in winter and camping and hiking in the warmer months. A gondola and ski lifts carry you toward the top which affords fine views of Lake Biwa and the surrounding area. The nearest station is Omi-Nagaoka Station.
• Samegai Trout Farm - Established over a century ago, this is the largest trout farm in Asia and with many trout ponds. There is also a shallow pond where children can try catch (and release) the trout. Riverside restaurants also serve fresh trout.
• Nakasendō
  Nakasendo
  The , also called the , was one of the five routes of the Edo period, and one of the two that connected Edo to Kyoto in Japan. There were 69 stations between Edo and Kyoto, crossing through Musashi, Kōzuke, Shinano, Mino and Ōmi provinces...
  
   stage towns - The Nakasendō
  Nakasendo
  The , also called the , was one of the five routes of the Edo period, and one of the two that connected Edo to Kyoto in Japan. There were 69 stations between Edo and Kyoto, crossing through Musashi, Kōzuke, Shinano, Mino and Ōmi provinces...
  
   was an old highway linking Kyoto with Edo (present-day Tokyo). The highway had 67 stages and three of them were Kashiwabara
  Kashiwabara-juku
  was the sixtieth of the sixty-nine stations of the Nakasendō. It is located in the present-day city of Maibara, Shiga Prefecture, Japan.-History:Records of Kashiwabara-juku itself date back to the Middle Ages when it was mentioned in the Taiheiki, a historical epic of Japan. A post station was...
  
  , Samegai
  Samegai-juku
  thumb|A view of Samegai-juku from Kamo Shrine . was the sixty-first of the sixty-nine stations of the Nakasendō. It is located in the present-day city of Maibara, Shiga Prefecture, Japan.-History:...
  
   and Bamba
  Banba-juku
  was the sixty-second of the sixty-nine stations of the Nakasendō. It is located in the present-day city of Maibara, Shiga Prefecture, Japan.-History:...
  
   in Maibara city. Even today, you can see remnants of these old stage towns established for highway travelers to lodge and trade.
• Amanogawa River - In June, fireflies come out at night. Parts of the river are designated as a protected areas for fireflies.
• Lake Biwa
  Lake 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.-...
  
  - The lakeshore road is very scenic on fine days.

Festivals & events

• Samegai Baikamo Flowers - Underwater flowers which bloom in Jizogawa River
• Maibara Hikiyama Festival - Parade of ornate floats which have a small stage featuring kabuki performed by children. Early October.

External links

• Official website in Japanese