What to know
Omi Hachiman (近江八幡, Ōmihachiman) is a city in Shiga Prefecture known for its well-preserved old town and canal, where visitors can enjoy traditional boat cruises through the historic streetscape. The city rose to prominence during the feudal era as the base of the Omi merchants, whose trade activities were famous across the country and brought them great wealth.
The town was originally developed in the late 1500s when a nephew of Toyotomi Hideyoshi built a castle there. The castle was demolished only a decade later after Hideyoshi ordered his nephew to commit ritual suicide for allegedly plotting a coup; however, the town prospered as a business hub partly due to its location along two of the most important trade routes of the era: the Nakasendo Highway connecting Kyoto with Tokyo (then Edo) and the shipping route linking the Sea of Japan via Lake Biwa to Kyoto.
The Omi merchants amassed vast fortunes during the Edo Period (1603-1868) and expanded their operations to sell goods across the land. Today, the town's mercantile history is reflected in the old town, where numerous buildings once served as merchants' homes and shops.
Most of Omi Hachiman's attractions are located across three adjacent areas, which can roughly be defined as follows:
Excavated to serve both as a moat to protect the castle and as a transport route connecting the town to Lake Biwa, the canal is Omi Hachiman's most unique and picturesque area.