Gourmet guide of Shiga in Japan Shigaquo

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About this website

The SHIGAQUO website was born out of the concept of "Let's eat (kuou = QUO) delicious products from Shiga (SHIGA)!"
Every region of Japan has its own local specialty dishes that reflect the climate and traditions of each region.
Shiga also offers a variety of fresh, safe and delicious foods that cannot be tasted anywhere else, which are best to be enjoyed (Just give them a big bite!) in the beautiful natural environment in the prefecture!
Do not miss out on experiencing the QUALITY of SHIGA for yourself!!

Shiga Prefecture is located roughly in the middle of Japan and Lake Biwa is at its center.

Bestowed with abundant water resources, Shiga has a wide assortment of regional ingredients and dishes that are sure to impress people who eat them and make them want to say "Yummy!" from the bottom of their hearts, including traditional ingredients that have long been loved by local residents, in addition to those name-brand food products that are known throughout Japan, most notably Omi rice and Omi beef.

We highly recommend you try them for yourself and see what makes them so special.

The prefecture is quite near Kyoto and is only 2 hours away from both Kansai International Airport (KIX) and Chubu Centrair International Airport.

About this website

Shiga Prefecture is located roughly in the middle of Japan and Lake Biwa is at its center.

Bestowed with abundant water resources, Shiga has a wide assortment of regional ingredients and dishes that are sure to impress people who eat them and make them want to say "Yummy!" from the bottom of their hearts, including traditional ingredients that have long been loved by local residents, in addition to those name-brand food products that are known throughout Japan, most notably Omi rice and Omi beef.

We highly recommend you try them for yourself and see what makes them so special.

The prefecture is quite near Kyoto and is only 2 hours away from both Kansai International Airport (KIX) and Chubu Centrair International Airport.

What is "Omi"?

"Omi" is what Shiga Prefecture used to be called, which dates back more than 1,000 years. It was once the capital of Japan about 1,300 years ago.

The best-known specialty of Shiga Prefecture may be "Omi beef."
It is one of "Japan's three most prestigious brands of beef" along with Kobe beef and Matsusaka beef.
Omi beef has a long history; it is known to have been presented to the shogunate family in the Edo period (1603-1868), when it was unusual for Japanese people to eat meat.
Today, it is also exported to overseas markets and is highly appreciated there as well.

Its rich aroma and soft texture that melts in your mouth make it an unforgettable palate experience.
Do not miss out experiencing delicious Omi beef, as a steak, sukiyaki, shabu shabu, etc.

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The "new rice" season, from September through October, is the time when you can taste Omi rice at its best--just harvested and fresh for the table.

Omi rice's delicious taste is the result of the excellent natural conditions in which it has been grown, such as pure water and rich soil. Shiga Prefecture promotes environmentally-friendly farming of "safe, credible and delicious" rice while striving to protect Lake Biwa, Japan's greatest lake.

Besides koshihikari, one of the most popular, tastiest varieties of Japanese rice that is grown in large quantities in Shiga, varieties particular to the prefecture, namely "Mizu-Kagami" and "Aki-no-Uta," are also produced.

Lake Biwa is the largest lake in Japan and is an area of historical importance since ancient times.
It is also blessed with precious "lake-food" that cannot be caught anywhere else.

Shiga Prefecture has developed its own distinctive rich and delicate food culture, thanks to Biwa-masu (Biwa trout), Seta-shijimi (Seta clams) and other species indigenous to Lake Biwa, as well as peculiar fish and clams, such as Koayu (small-sized sweet fish).

The eight most representative fish species in Lake Biwa, namely Biwa-masu, Nigoro-buna, Honmoroko, Isaza, Gori, Koayu, Suji-ebi and Hasu, are collectively called "Biwa-ko Hacchin (Eight Rare Delicacies from Lake Biwa).

We strongly encourage all visitors try these rare species that cannot be tasted anywhere else.

May is the region's tea-harvesting season, when you can taste local tea with a beautiful green color at its best, freshly brewed with new leaves.

Shiga Prefecture has a climate and land features suitable for tea farming and produces high-quality Japanese tea leaves famed for their rich flavor and deep aroma, mainly in the Koka (Koga) area, which is well known for its ninja history. Tea farming in the region has a long history; it is believed to date back about 1,200 years to when the renowned Buddhist monk Saicho returned home from China with tea seeds and planted them at the base of Mt. Hiei.

In Shiga Prefecture, first-pick and second-pick tea leaves are produced in May and from June to July, respectively. If you visit a tea-producing area in the prefecture during one of these seasons, you can see how tea leaves are harvested in lush tea gardens.

Sencha (Japanese green tea made into the beverage by infusing processed whole tea leaves in hot water) is a healthy, functional, wonderful drink. Why don't you try different tea brands and compare their tastes?

Environmentally conscious farm products

"Environmentally conscious farm products" are farm products sought after by LOHAS people, who are in pursuit of a sustainable society that is friendly to both the environment and their bodies.

Produced with half or less than half the standard rate of synthetic agrochemicals

Produced with half or less than half the standard rate of chemical fertilizers (nitrogen)

Adopting environmentally-friendly technologies (e.g. for preventing release of muddy water into Lake Biwa)

Recording production processes

Shiga Prefecture certifies farm products the production processes of which meet the above four criteria as "Environmentally conscious farm products." They are marketed as safer and more credible agricultural products.