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Overview
The Omi Hino Merchant Museum stands in Okubo, Hino Town, Gamo District, Shiga Prefecture. It occupies the former main residence of the Yamanaka Hyoemon family, who were Omi Hino merchants, part of the famed Omi merchants who built nationwide trade from little more than a carrying pole. Its official name is the Hino Town Museum of History and Folklore: Omi Hino Merchant Museum. Within a dignified merchant house, visitors can encounter the life and business spirit of the Omi merchants, making it an excellent place to learn Hino's history.
Highlights
- ●A museum in the former main residence of the Omi Hino merchant Yamanaka Hyoemon family
- ●Six merchant buildings on the grounds registered as National Tangible Cultural Properties
- ●Exhibits conveying the life and business spirit of the Omi merchants
- ●A base for touching the history and streetscape of the castle town of Hino
History
The museum makes use of the former main residence of the Yamanaka Hyoemon family, who were Omi Hino merchants. In 1981, when the sixth-generation Yamanaka Hyoemon offered to provide the house as a museum of history and folklore, Hino Town opened it to the public as such. Its official name is the Hino Town Museum of History and Folklore: Omi Hino Merchant Museum. Six buildings on the grounds are registered as National Registered Tangible Cultural Properties, making the merchant architecture itself a precious cultural asset.
Access
The museum is located at 1011 Okubo, Hino Town, Gamo District, in the former castle town of Hino, which spreads at the foot of the Suzuka Mountains east of Lake Biwa. By public transport, a bus or taxi from Hino Station on the Ohmi Railway is convenient. By car, the town center can be reached from the Meishin Expressway interchange. As opening days, hours, and parking may change, it is reassuring to check official information before your visit.
Best season
Since the main aim is to leisurely view the merchant house and its exhibits, it can be enjoyed year-round in any season. The time of the spring Hino Festival, when the town comes alive, is especially rewarding, pairing the museum with the atmosphere of the castle town. As the displays are mostly indoors, it is easy to visit even on a rainy day. Be sure to check opening status and event schedules via official information in advance.
Map
35.0116, 136.2477 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Head to central Hino by bus or car from Hino Station on the Ohmi Railway
- 2Tour the former Yamanaka Hyoemon residence and exhibits at the Omi Hino Merchant Museum
- 3Take in the six Registered Tangible Cultural Property buildings and the merchant-house furnishings
- 4Stroll the streets of the castle town of Hino and enjoy local specialties
Did you know?
💡 Among the Omi merchants who traveled the whole country, those based in Hino were the Omi Hino merchants. That their main residence is opened to the public just as it was is rare, and six buildings on the grounds are designated National Registered Tangible Cultural Properties. In this museum, where the architecture itself is an exhibit, you can feel up close the business spirit of the Omi merchants, famed for the ideal of good for the seller, good for the buyer, and good for society.
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