Nagahama Overview
General Information
Population:
As of 2020, the population stands at approximately 113,636.
Area:
The total area is 68,102 hectares, with 37,276 hectares covered by forests, making up about half of the city’s area.
Access & Local Geography
Access to nagahama:
Located about 60 kilometers from Kyoto and Nagoya, Nagahama is centrally located for convenient access.
By train, Nagahama is on the JR Hokuriku Main Line, just a few stops north of JR Maibara Sta. on the JR Tokaido and JR Biwako lines. By Shinkansen bullet train, Maibara Sta. is the nearest stop, just 10 minutes by local train to Nagahama Sta. You may also transfer from Shinkansan to local/express trains at JR Tsuruga Sta. on the JR Hokuriku Line a bit further to the north.
By car, there are a few Nagahama exits along the Hokuriku Expressway, just north from the Maibara Junction on the Meishin Expressway.
Local City Transit:
For travel within the city, especially from the city center to the north, the JR Hokuriku Line is available. In areas without train services, taxis or limited bus routes provide convenient alternatives. Also, consider rental bicycle service available at each JR station or your accommodation.
Nagahama Geography
The City of Nagahama covers a wide area, from the historic city center, to lakeside communities in the west, the foothills of Mt. Ibuki to the east, and remote villages in the nature of Shiga’s deep north.
For your convenience, we organize the various sites and accommodations listed on this site according to 5 general regions: Deep North, Northwest, Northeast, Downtown, and South.
Climate
Generally characterized by a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters, Nagahama, being at the northernmost tip of Shiga Prefecture, is also affected by the Sea of Japan.
The unique geography also brings occasional heavy snowfall in winter, more akin to the snowscapes of Fukui and Ishikawa, our neighbors to the north, than to our southern Kyoto neighbor which has a more typical subtropical climate.
We typically have a month-long pre-summer rainy season in June, followed by hot and humid summers, similar to most of central Japan. Typhoon season is typically from mid-summer to early autumn, yet the area is less prone to severe typhoons than southern Japan.
Useful Visitor Services
From bicycle rentals to full English guided tours, learn more about all the various services provided to help you enjoy your Nagahama visit!