Yasu (野洲市,Yasu-shi) is acity located inShiga Prefecture,Japan. As of 1 October 2021^[update], the city had an estimatedpopulation of 50,695 in 20695 households and apopulation density of 630 persons per km².^[1] The total area of the city is 80.14 square kilometres (30.94 sq mi).

Yasu 野洲市
City
Yasu City Hall
Flag Seal
Location of Yasu in Shiga Prefecture
Yasu Location in Japan
Coordinates:35°4′N136°2′E / 35.067°N 136.033°E /35.067; 136.033
Country	Japan
Region	Kansai
Prefecture	Shiga
Government
• Mayor	Yoshiaki Yamanaka
Area
• Total	80.15 km2 (30.95 sq mi)
Population  (October 1, 2021)
• Total	50,695
• Density	630/km2 (1,600/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+09:00 (JST)
City hall address	2100-1, Koshinohara, Yasu-shi, Shiga-ken 520-2395
Website	Official website

Yasu is located in south-central Shiga Prefecture, on the eastern shore ofLake Biwa. The city skyline is dominated byMount Mikami, also known as "Ōmi Fuji" from its resemblance toMount Fuji. Parts of the city are within the borders of theMikami-Tanakami-Shigaraki Prefectural Natural Park.

Shiga Prefecture

• Konan
• Moriyama
• Ōmihachiman
• Rittō
• Ryūō

Yasu has aHumid subtropical climate (KöppenCfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light to no snowfall. The average annual temperature in Yasu is 14.5 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1430 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 25.3 °C, and lowest in January, at around 3.1 °C.^[2]

Per Japanese census data,^[3] the population of Yasu doubled from 1960 to 2000 and has plateaued since then.

Yasu is part of ancientŌmi Province and the route of theTōsandō (later theNakasendō) highway connectingHeian-kyō with the eastern provinces passed through the area; however, there were noshukuba within the city limits. Most of the area wastenryō territory under direct control of theTokugawa shogunate in theEdo period. The minorfeudal domain ofMikami Domain controlled by a cadet branch of the Endo clan had itsjin'ya in Yasu, but its estates were widely scattered in other locations, mostly inIzumi province. The town of Yasu was established with the creation of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Yasu annexed the village of Mikami in 1942, and the villages of Shinohara and Gio in 1955, On October 1, 2004, Yasu absorbed the neighboring town ofChūzu (also fromYasu District) and was elevated to city status. Yasu District was dissolved as a result of this merger.

Mount Mikami (三上山), standing at an elevation of 432 meters, is affectionately known as "Omi Fuji (近江富士)," as referenced byMurasaki Shikibu (紫式部) in her poem: "Upon setting forth, I gaze upon Mikami's mountain; though snowless (打ち出でて　三上の山を　詠れば　雪こそなけれ　富士のあけぼの), it rivals Fuji at dawn." Historically cherished, this mountain is also known as "Mukade-yama" due to the legend of the giant centipede slain byFujiwara Hidesato (Tawara Toda). It holds a storied past with mentions in theKojiki andEngishiki, and has been celebrated in waka poetry.Matsuo Basho also composed a verse about it: "In Mikami's summer, its form is well known (三上山のみ夏知れる姿かな)."

TheMikami Shrine, situated at the mountain's base, venerates Mount Mikami as a sacred mountain. According to shrine tradition, on the 18th day of the 6th month in the 6th year ofEmperor Kōrei's reign, the deityAmanomikage-no-mikoto descended upon the summit, and the shrine priest (Mikami no Hafuri) enshrined the mountain as a divine body (Kannabi). Archaeological excavations from the Meiji to Showa periods uncovered 24 bronze bells at the foot of Mount Mikami, suggesting that rituals have been conducted in the area since ancient times.

Yasu has amayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and aunicameral city council of 18 members. Yasu contributes two members to the Shiga Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Shiga 3rd district of thelower house of theDiet of Japan.

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

Yasu has six public elementary schools and three public middle schools operated by the city government. There is one public high school operated by the Shiga Prefectural Department of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped.

 JR West –Biwako Line

• Yasu

•  National Route 8
•  National Route 477

•  Clinton Township, Michigan, United States, since 1993^[4]

• Mikami Shrine, with National Treasurehonden
• Ōiwayama Kofun Cluster, a National Historic Site
• Ōsasahara Shrine, with National Treasurehonden

• Saihei Hirose, industrialist, director ofSumitomo zaibatsu
• Kurumi Mamiya, voice actress
• Takanori Nishikawa, musician^[5]
• Kurama Tatsuya, former sumo wrestler and television personality
• Yuki Yamamoto, football player
• Teiichiro Fujita, economist and economic historian

•   Media related toYasu, Shiga at Wikimedia Commons
• Official Yasu City official website(in Japanese)
• Yasu International Association