Maibara (米原市,Maibara-shi) is acity inShiga Prefecture,Japan. As of 1 September 2021^[update], the city had an estimatedpopulation of 38,259 in 14761 households and apopulation density of 150 persons per km².^[1] The total area of the city is 250.39 square kilometres (96.68 sq mi).

Maibara 米原市
City
TheShinkansen streaks pastMount Ibuki before reachingMaibara Station.
Flag Emblem
Location of Maibara in Shiga Prefecture
Maibara Location in Japan
Coordinates:35°19′N136°17′E / 35.317°N 136.283°E /35.317; 136.283
Country	Japan
Region	Kansai
Prefecture	Shiga
Government
• Mayor	Koya Sumida
Area
• Total	250.39 km2 (96.68 sq mi)
Population  (September 1, 2021)
• Total	38,259
• Density	150/km2 (400/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address	3-3 Shimotara, Maibara-shi, Shiga-ken 521-8501
Climate	Cfa
Website	Official website

Maibara is located in northcentral Shiga Prefecture, on the eastern shore ofLake Biwa, and extending inland to the Ibuki Mountains and the border withGifu Prefecture. Parts of the city are within the borders of theBiwako Quasi-National Park.Mount Ibuki is in the northeastern part of the prefecture. It is the highest peak in the prefecture. The Anegawa River and Amanogawa River pass through the city. About 70 percent of the city is forest.

Gifu Prefecture

• Ibigawa
• Ōgaki
• Sekigahara

Shiga Prefecture

• Hikone
• Nagahama
• Taga

Maibara has aHumid subtropical climate (KöppenCfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Maibara is 13.5 °C (56.3 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,810 mm (71 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.3 °C (77.5 °F), and lowest in January, at around 2.1 °C (35.8 °F).^[2] The highest temperature ever recorded in Maibara was 36.4 °C (97.5 °F) on 14 August 2024.^[3] The coldest temperature ever recorded was −12.2 °C (10.0 °F) on 4 February 2012.^[3]

Per Japanese census data,^[5] the population of Maibara has seen relatively little fluctuation over the past century.

Maibara is part of ancientŌmi Province and the route of theTōsandō (later theNakasendō) highway connectingHeian-kyō with the eastern provinces passed through the area. Maibara is home to three formerpost stations:Banba-juku,Samegai-juku andKashiwabara-juku, and was the location of a port on Lake Biwa where travelers could shorten their journey by taking boat toŌtsu-juku. During theMuromachi andSengoku periods, theKyōgoku clan domained most of Ōmi Province from their base in what is now Maibara. Most of the area came under the control ofHikone Domain during theEdo period.

With the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1,1889, the village of Irie was established. It was raised to town status on November 15, 1923, becoming the town ofMaihara. On February 14, 2005 Maihara merged with the neighboring towns ofSantō andIbuki (all fromSakata District) and was raised to city status,^[6] changing its name from "Maihara" to "Maibara" at that time. The new city name was based on the name of Japan Railways'Maibara Station which many people in Japan knew as a station on theTōkaidō Shinkansen Line.

The adjacent town ofŌmi was merged into Maibara on October 1, 2005. Maibara was struck by an F2 tornado on June 29, 2018. The tornado caused major damage to homes and injured 8 people.

Maibara has amayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and aunicameral city council of 18 members. Maibara contributes two members to the Shiga Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Shiga 2nd district of thelower house of theDiet of Japan.

The economy of Maibara is centered on agriculture and light manufacturing. There are severalindustrial parks in the city.

Maibara has ten public elementary schools and seven public middle schools operated by the city government. There are two public high schools operated by the Shiga Prefectural Department of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped.

 JR Tōkai –Tōkaidō Shinkansen

• Maibara

 JR Tōkai –Tōkaidō Main Line

• Kashiwabara -Ōmi-Nagaoka -Samegai -Maibara

 JR West –Biwako Line

• Maibara

 JR West –Hokuriku Main Line

• Maibara -Sakata

 Ohmi Railway –Main Line

• Maibara

•  Meishin Expressway
•  Hokuriku Expressway
•  National Route 8
•  National Route 21
•  National Route 365

• Amanogawa River — In June, fireflies come out at night. Parts of the river are designated as a protected areas for fireflies.
• Kamaha Castle ruins, National Historic Site
• Kyōgoku clan ruins, sites related to the Sengoku-period Kyōgoku clan, a National Historic Site
• Lake Biwa — The lakeshore road is very scenic on fine days.
• Mount Ibuki — With an elevation of 1,377.4 meters, Mount 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 visitors to the top which affords fine views of Lake Biwa and the surrounding area. The nearest station is Omi-Nagaoka Station.
• Nakasendō stage towns — TheNakasendō was an old highway linking Kyoto with Edo (present-day Tokyo). The highway had 67 stages and the three in Shiga wereKashiwabara-juku,Samegai-juku andBanba-juku in Maibara city. Even today, you can see remnants of these stage towns established for highway travelers to lodge and trade.
• Samegai Trout Farm — Established over a century ago, this is the largest trout farm in Asia and with many ponds. There is a shallow pond where children can try catch (and release) the trout. Riverside restaurants serve fresh trout.
• Tokugen-in,bodaiji of theKyōgoku clan, rulers of most of Ōmi province in theMuromachi period, and National Historic Site

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

• Maibara City official website(in Japanese)