I provide guided tours of Hikone.
During tours, you may hear a bell ringing to announce the time. This bell, located on the side of Mt. Hikone-yama, has been telling time in the castle town since the Tokugawa period (1603–1867). It rings five times a day: 6:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m. Hikone Castle is still an integral part of the lives of city residents.
I’m doing what I can so that Hikone Castle will be inscribed as a World Heritage Site, its traditional value will be preserved, and the sound of this bell will reach people around the world.

I started watercolor painting seven years ago as a way to enjoy my retirement.
In a Hikone Castle painting/drawing contest last October, I received an award for one of my works. Unexpectedly, a Hikone craft beer company used it as one of their labels for a product that aims to support the castle’s inscription as a World Heritage Site. This is an honor, and I am very surprised and delighted.
The contest goes back more than half a century. It is one of events that everyone can participate in to build momentum toward inscription. I’m going to continue making paintings related to Hikone Castle.
My heart continues to be uplifted by people’s efforts toward its World Heritage inscription, and I’m doing my little part as well.

Japan will soon decide to nominate Hikone Castle, and we are now at the critical moment to achieve our long-cherished goal.
It is very encouraging and gratifying to see that Hikone City is not working alone, but is joining together with the prefecture of Shiga and surrounding municipalities.
The Tokugawa period (1603–1867) was a time when samurai, who had previously fought in wars, became rulers and maintained a long period of peace. The value of Hikone Castle is being the best example of how the governance system worked at that period. Now is the time for it to gain global recognition and connect to the future.
Along with everyone else, I will offer my best, albeit modest, efforts toward this goal!

The Hikone Chamber of Commerce and Industry encourages its member establishments to promote Hikone Castle’s inscription as a World Heritage Site. They can do so by, for example, placing stickers on company vehicles and flying banners. My company is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year and has installed a 4-meter-wide banner on our company building, which can be seen from National Route 8.
We are determined to do what we can to become a company that will not be affected by the pandemic, aiming for inscription in 2024.
We look forward to working together with everyone.

I would like for Hikone Castle to be recognized by the world.
The castle clearly retains the traits of governance system created by the samurai during the Tokugawa period (1603–1867), a time of continuous peace.
In order to have it inscribed on World Heritage List, our business organization is actively working to raise awareness through wide-area cooperation. We also have produced videos to share the castle’s Universal Value. The enthusiasm of everyone living in the community will be a major force for its inscription. I also think that it’s important to provide hospitality to our visitors, cherishing the opportunity.

Trying to Inscribe Hikone Castle on World Heritage List Creating and Displaying Ichiban Shibori Beer POP Advertising
In December 2021, Kirin Brewery concluded a comprehensive partnership agreement with Shiga Prefecture. Based on this agreement, Kirin created three types of point of purchase (POP) advertising for Ichiban Shibori beer (draft beer mugs, cans, and bottles) to promote Hikone Castle’s inscription on the World Heritage List in 2024.
We will continue to support the castle’s inscription with our Kirin Beer Shiga Plant’s Ichiban Shibori.

To launch a joint project for Hikone Castle’s inscription on the World Heritage List in 2024, the Hikone Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Young Entrepreneurs Group (Hikone YEG) and Junior Chamber International Hikone (Hikone JC) have joined forces for the first time under the name Takurami.
Using our experience and wisdom as young businesspeople who love our community, we are holding the Hikone Castle World Heritage Festival 2022 to build momentum among citizens and our regional consortium. We hope it will start a movement in the consortium for the castle’s World Heritage inscription.
Our regional consortium consists of 23 organizations, including chambers of commerce and industry, associations of commerce and industry, and tourism organizations in five cities (Hikone, Nagahama, Omihachiman, Higashiomi, and Maibara) and four towns (in the districts of Echi and Inukami), the Omi Tourism Board, and Biwako-no-moto DMO.

■Junior Chamber International Hikone (Hikone JC)
Established July 1953
FY 2022 President: YOKOTSU Yuki (37). Slogan: Brave and Bold— For the Community’s Future!
No. of Members: 31 (as of April 1, 2022)
Between 20 and 40 years old

■Hikone Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Young Entrepreneurs Group (Hikone YEG)
Established October 1981
FY 2022 President: MATSUSHITA Kazumasa (41). Slogan: YEG, Connecting to the Future With Smiles
No. of members: 86 (as of April 1, 2022)
Between 25 and 45 years old

"I am a third-year university student who graduated from Hikone Higashi High School, which is located near Hikone Castle.
I participated in an internship program at the prefectural government and was involved in setting up an Instagram page for two weeks to disseminate information about Hikone Castle to promote its World Heritage inscription.
While I was familiar with Hikone Castle during my high school years, throughout my internship I was reminded of everything great about it and wanted to convey this to more people.
From the younger generation, I would like to send out an enthusiastic message of support for Hikone Castle’s inscription. I plan to share with everyone around me the unique and wonderful characteristics of Hikone Castle.

I created “Hikone sushi rolls” and provide them for pep up Hikone Castle World Heritage Inscription.
I was raised with having been kept eyes on by Hikone Castle since my early childhood.
I have supported inscription and further as sustainable community development for the future generations!

At the annual factory direct sales event, local children and nursery school children were invited to draw their thoughts and memories of Hikone Castle on the refrigerated delivery truck using colorful magic markers.
This project was designed to encourage the local government, citizens and businesses to work together towards the inscription of Hikone Castle on the World Heritage List, as well as to deepen the love of the home of the children who will be leading Hikone in the future.
The refrigerated truck from Sennaritei is also running around the city today, carrying the children's thoughts and helping to create a sustainable city.

The Hikone UNESCO Association is working towards the inscription of the Hikone Castle on the World Heritage List. In order to get as many people as possible, from children to adults, interested in the issue, we are setting up booths at events held in the city, and at these booths we have panel displays about Hikone Castle and coloring-in activities featuring the logo mark. We have also created a video for children explaining the process of the inscription of the Hikone Castle on the World Heritage List. We will continue with activities like this and support the realization of the inscription of Hikone Castle on the World Heritage List.

The Hashimoto Group currently consists of eight companies, including Hashimoto Construction Co., Ltd., Hashimoto Real Estate Co., Ltd., and Hikone Beer Co., Ltd.
At the home games of the professional basketball team “Shiga Lakes” held at the Shiga Daihatsu Arena on January 27th and 28th, 2024, the two games against the Fukushima Firebonds were sponsored by the Hashimoto Group, and the message “The Hashimoto Group is supporting the inscription of Hikone Castle on the World Heritage List!” was displayed at the arena.
We hope to continue our activities to help build momentum for the inscription of the Hikone Castle as a World Heritage Site throughout Shiga Prefecture!

Resonac Corporation is a chemical manufacturer that was formed in 2023 through the merger of Showa Denko K.K. and Showa Denko Materials Co., Ltd., and it carries out its business activities at two offices near JR Kawase Station in Hikone City.
Twice a year, we hold walking events for employees and their families as a health promotion event, and in spring 2024, we held a walking event titled “Discover the Appeal of Hikone Castle”.
We asked the Hikone Volunteer Guide Association to provide guides, and we walked from the Irohamatsu parking lot to the castle keep and Genkyuen garden.
Thanks to the guides' wealth of knowledge and careful explanations, even those who had visited Hikone Castle before were able to discover new things!
We will spread the appeal of Hikone Castle to our families, colleagues and other people close to us, and continue to support the Hikone Castle's inscription as a World Heritage site!

I participated in an internship at the prefectural office and gave a lecture at Moriyama Kita High School on the theme of “Hikone Castle and World Heritage”.
I had only been to Hikone Castle once before, but I learned about the historical value of the Hikone Castle again and felt the importance of communicating this. So, in the class, we thought about the importance of spreading the appeal of Hikone Castle to the world through a quiz about Hikone Castle with the students.
I want to continue to deepen my knowledge of Hikone Castle and communicate its appeal to more people!