Hachimanbori Canal, a retro movie theme of Rurouni Kenshin

Hachimanbori is a man-made canal that runs through the center of Omihachiman, connecting the city to Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan. In the 16th century, the Toyotomi clan, who were leaders of the city, wanted to develop the castle town by building a canal that connected to Lake Biwa. As a result, Omihachiman became the center of trade between Kyoto and Kyoto before the advent of automobiles and Japan’s famous railway system. At that time, the canal was a symbol of the separation between the common people and the nobility. The canal is almost five kilometers long and was once a symbol of the city’s status and class. The canal is a great place to see cherry blossoms and autumn leaves.