Nagahama Hachimangu Shrine boasts a history of more than a thousand years, enshrining the main god of Nagahama City and having been protected by Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the feudal lord of Nagahama Castle. The Nagahama Hikiyama Festival, held here between April 14 and 16, is a designated Intangible Folk Culture Property, and sees tens of thousands of visitors flock to the city from across Japan every year. The hydrangeas here also bloom beautifully in June.