“Omihachiman no Suigo and Hachimanbori,” which was selected as the first important cultural landscape in Japan.
How about taking a leisurely trip to enjoy the beautiful nature of each season, traditional merchants’ houses and warehouses while swinging on a “Japanese-style rowing boat”, which is said to be the slowest boat in Japan?
Hachiman bori(a moat), which has contributed to the development of the town as a transportation center since the time of Hidetsugu Toyotomi in Edo period, has been beautifully revitalized and has become a peaceful scenery for people to enjoy.
Please experience the “Ship of Wish Come True”, which is popular for movie locations and weddings!
Contents
Hachiman bori is a tourist highlight that traces the history of Omihachiman!
The history of Hachimanbori begins when Hideyoshi’s adopted son, Toyotomi Hidetsugu, built Mt.Hachiman-yama Castle.
The Hachiman moat, which was built as a part of the castle’s moat and connected to Lake Biwa, became a key point of trade for merchants, and Omihachiman developed as a commercial town.
Hachiman bori was a symbol of merchants for a long time, but as time went on, traffic was replaced by land routes, and around 1965, the area was reduced to a puddle of sludge.
The administration planned to reclaim it and turn it into a parking lot, but the youth chamber and the citizens stood up and brought it back to its current beauty!
Thanks to that, Shiga has the Hachiman bori and the canal today.
Nowadays, Hachimanbori has been selected as one of the first important national sceneries, and has developed into a highlight of Omi tourism that is used for movie locations and weddings.
Please come to “Hachimanbori,” which has been exposed to a new light for more than 400 years!
After passing through the big torii of Himure Hachiman-gu Shrine and crossing the Haku-un Bridge, there are many shops and Japanese sweets shops that are popular for their baumkuchen, and the area is very crowded with tourists!
Japanese all know “Tobita-kun”, the boy who jumped out of the way.
Here in the Hachiman bori area, you can see many kinds of “Tobita-kun”.
The “Tobidashi Tobita” originated in Higashiomi City, which is next to Omihachiman City, and “Tobita-kun” in various costumes can be seen here and there around Hacchobori.
The photo is a “Tobita-kun” of old merchant style.
“Tobita-kun” holding an eel.
There are various “tobita-kun” such as “the boatman Tobita”, so please try to find them.
The “Ship of Wish Come True” is the slowest ride in Japan!
There are several boats on the Hachiman bori Tour, but the only one that uses an old-fashioned paddle boat is the “Ship of Wish Come True(Negai joju no Fune in Japanese)”.
Boarding ticket at “Gallery Space Shinmachi-hama” in Shinmachi-hama.
Hachiman City is famous for its Hachiman-gawara (roof tiles), and there are tile objects at the entrance to the gallery.
Also, when you buy a ticket, please use the Pochi bag with a five-yen coin when you visit “Onegai Jizo-sama”.
Gather again at the ticket office 10 minutes before the boarding time, and be guided by the boatman to the boarding area near the Meiji Bridge.
The wide stone steps seen in the photo were used as a unloading area for ships.
The Japanese boats used are small rowing boats that can hold six or four people.
As the boatman paddles the oars, he explains in detail the history of the Hachimanbori and the birds and plants that live in the area.
The creak of the tower and the sound of water.
You can enjoy a 35-minute boat ride with the light shining in the ripples on the water, cherry blossoms and irises in spring, small water plants and fresh greenery in summer, and autumn leaves in autumn.
It’s sure to help you relax and forget about the hustle and bustle of life!
Enjoy the streets of the trade town of Omihachiman from a boat!
Around the Meiji Bridge, you can enjoy an emotional view of the old-fashioned merchant houses and white-plastered, blackboard-walled warehouses of the Hachimanbori from a boat.
“Hachiman bori” continues to have an emotional atmosphere, but the reason why it is still able to enjoy such a beautiful landscape is because of the steady cleaning work of local residents.
A moat with no water flow can quickly become stagnant, and if left unchecked, it can give off a bad smell, so they drain the water and clean it every year.
When you put that in your mind and look at the scenery, it makes you feel even more impressed!
A rowing boat is operated by a boatman who paddles a single oar.
The length of the oar is about 4 meters.
The rhythm of the paddling and the comfortable swaying of the paddling will make you feel like you’re in a daze…
Please be careful not to miss the beautiful scenery.
By the way, the boat trip in a rowing boat takes about 35 minutes, but it may take longer depending on the weather and conditions, so please allow plenty of time for your trip.
Address: 30-1, Osugi-cho, Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture
Telephone number: 0748-36-5115
Access: 6 minutes from JR Biwako Line Omihachiman Station to Omi Railway Bus bound for Chomeidera, 3 minutes walk from Shinmachi Bus Stop.
Also, good to take a leisurely stroll along the Hachiman bori
Near the shrine gate of Himure Hachiman, the stone-paved lanes around the Shirakumo Bridge and Meiji Bridge are beautiful, and it is recommended to stroll around after a boat trip.
The sunlight filtering through the trees along the moat is gentle even in the hot summer, so you can forget about your hectic life and heal from the bottom of your heart.
The photo shows a small shopping mall called “Hachiman bori Stone-Tatami no Koji“.
This is a new tourist commercial facility that has been recreated as a traditional townhouse(machiya), with a line of shops such as Sennaritei (Omi beef), Kimura (sweetfish shop) and a variety of small goods.
This is Sukiyaki at Sennaritei, located in Ishidatami no Koji.
You can find them at the restaurant on the second floor, but on the first floor you can also find croquettes and processed Omi beef products that are perfect for souvenirs.
Sennaritei Hachiman bori
Address: 12 Osugi-cho, Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture
Telephone number: 0748-43-1129
Omihachiman, a town you want to visit again
We introduced “Hachiman bori”, which is the slowest ride in Japan, a paddle boat ride.
In Omihachiman City, you can also enjoy boat trips, such as a trip on a houseboat with an engine.
There are also many recommended spots such as a stroll along Shinmachi-dori, the Omi merchant street, so please visit.
This information is as of November 2019.
