Kohoku Library: Shiga Prefecture's Oldest Surviving Library in a Charming Prewar Building
Standing just steps from JR Kinomoto Station in the northern reaches of Shiga Prefecture, the Kohoku Library (江北図書館) occupies a striking 1937 Western-style wooden building that once served as the Ika District Agricultural Association office and public hall. Registered as a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property in March 2024, this beloved institution is far more than an architectural gem — it is a living testament to over 120 years of community-driven devotion to learning, and one of the rarest examples of a privately operated public library in all of Japan.
A Legacy Born of One Lawyer's Vision
The story of Kohoku Library begins in 1902, when Bunya Sugino, a successful lawyer from the village of Yogo in Ika District, established the Sugino Bunko (Sugino Library) in his hometown. Having experienced the convenience of the Great Japan Education Society's library during his student years at Tokyo Law School (now Chuo University), Sugino vowed that if he ever achieved success, he would build a library for the people of his home region.
At the time, there were only 66 libraries in all of Japan. In 1906, with the full backing of the Ika District government office, Sugino's modest book collection was formally incorporated as the Kohoku Library Foundation. The library opened on January 8, 1907, becoming one of the earliest library foundations in the country. From the beginning, the institution demonstrated progressive ideals — introducing a traveling library service (junkai bunko) in 1922 to bring books to rural schools throughout the district.
The Building: A Prewar Gem of Western-Style Architecture
The current building was constructed in 1937 as the headquarters and public assembly hall for the Ika District Agricultural Association. It is a two-story wooden structure (partly single-story) with a hipped roof covered in san-gawara (interlocking clay tiles), encompassing a building area of 255 square meters and a total floor area of approximately 455 square meters. The builder was Mitsujiro Ito, though the architect remains unknown.
The most striking feature of the exterior is the facade's sophisticated composition. The central portion of the second-floor south wall projects slightly outward, crowned with a chidori-hafu (decorative gable). Flanking this central element are four semicircular arched windows arranged in an elegant row, with five buttresses (kontrolheki) positioned between and beside them, creating a deeply shadowed and rhythmically impressive appearance that blends Western architectural vocabulary with Japanese construction traditions.
Inside, the ground floor features a corridor running along the right side of the front, with a staircase positioned at the corner. The second floor opens into a grand tatami-floored hall — originally used as the public assembly room — with a coffered ceiling (gō tenjō) of remarkable craftsmanship. The sliding doors (yon-mai hikichigai itado) separating the western Japanese-style room are framed by decorative moldings adorned with palmette motifs, demonstrating a refined attention to ornamental detail unusual in a building of this type.
Kohoku Library purchased this building in 1975 and relocated its operations here, continuing a pattern established throughout its history: rather than constructing purpose-built facilities, the library has always repurposed existing buildings, channeling its limited resources into books and services instead of infrastructure.
Why It Was Registered as a Cultural Property
In March 2024, the building was officially registered as a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building). The registration recognizes several qualities that make this structure culturally significant. The building represents an excellent example of prewar public architecture from the early Showa period, combining Western-style decorative elements — the semicircular arches and buttresses — with traditional Japanese wooden construction methods. Its deeply expressive facade, with the interplay of projecting walls, arched windows, and structural buttresses, demonstrates an architectural sophistication that is relatively rare among surviving rural public buildings of this era.
Beyond its architectural merit, the building's continuous use as a community institution — first as an agricultural association hall and then as a library — gives it an additional layer of historical and social significance as a witness to the evolving civic life of the Kohoku region.
A Rare Treasure: Japan's Privately Operated Public Library
What makes Kohoku Library truly exceptional is its status as one of only about 19 privately operated libraries in Japan. Unlike municipal libraries funded by local government budgets, Kohoku Library has been sustained for over a century through the dedication of its community. When the Ika District was absorbed into Nagahama City in 2010, the library lost the financial support it had long received from local government entities, making its continued operation even more remarkable.
The library's collection comprises approximately 49,000 volumes, of which some 10,000 date from the Meiji and Taisho eras. When the Ika District government was abolished in 1926, its official records were transferred in their entirety to Kohoku Library — a nearly complete set of district government documents that scholars consider extremely rare on a national level. In 2015, approximately 11,000 items, including military service records from the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese Wars and pre-Taisho government records, were entrusted to the Shiga University Institute of Economic and Business Research as the "Kohoku Library Collection."
In recognition of more than a century of community-driven library preservation, Kohoku Library received the Suntory Regional Culture Award in 2013.
Visiting Kohoku Library Today
Stepping through the entrance of Kohoku Library is like entering a time capsule. The nostalgic interior, with its worn wooden floors and vintage bookshelves said to date from the library's founding era, evokes the atmosphere of a prewar schoolhouse. Photography and even eating and drinking are permitted inside — a relaxed policy made possible by the library's private status.
The second-floor reading room is the undeniable highlight. The spacious tatami hall, illuminated by the row of arched windows, retains the grandeur of its former life as a public assembly hall. Tall bookshelves line the room, and through the windows, seasonal foliage provides a picturesque backdrop.
In a charming anachronism, the library still uses handwritten index cards for its catalog system rather than digital databases. Staff members locate books through experience and intuition — a practice that adds to the library's distinctive character.
A new annex called "Lib+" (Lib Plus) has been constructed adjacent to the main building, adding modern amenities including a café and flush toilets. This addition was funded through crowdfunding efforts that raised over 21.9 million yen, demonstrating the continued public enthusiasm for preserving this beloved institution.
Surrounding Attractions
Kohoku Library sits at the gateway to the historic Kinomoto-juku, one of the most atmospheric post towns along the Hokkoku Kaido (Northern Highway). Within easy walking distance, visitors can explore a wealth of cultural and historical sites.
Kinomoto Jizoin Temple, just three minutes on foot, is home to one of Japan's Three Great Jizo statues — a six-meter bronze figure that stands in the temple grounds as a replica of the secret principal image within. Known as the "Buddha of the Eyes," the temple draws pilgrims from across the country, especially during its grand festival (Dai-Enichi) each August.
The post town's main street preserves a remarkable collection of historic merchant houses, sake breweries, and soy sauce shops. Tomita Sake Brewery, founded in 1534, produces the celebrated "Shichihon-yari" sake and operates from a registered cultural property building. Yamaji Sake Brewery, established in 1532, is the fourth-oldest surviving sake brewery in Japan. Both offer tastings and sales to visitors.
The broader Kohoku (northern lake) region offers access to Lake Biwa's scenic northern shore, the historic battlefield of Shizugatake, and the atmospheric Oku-Biwako area with its quiet lakeside landscapes.
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Q＆A
- How do I get to Kohoku Library?
- The library is located just a one-minute walk from JR Kinomoto Station on the JR Hokuriku Line. From Kyoto Station, take the JR Special Rapid to Maibara, then transfer to the Hokuriku Line bound for Tsuruga; the total journey takes approximately 1 hour 40 minutes. By car, it is about 7 minutes from the Kinomoto Interchange on the Hokuriku Expressway.
- What are the library's opening hours and admission fee?
- The library is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 to 16:00, and on the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Sundays from 10:00 to 14:00. It is closed on Mondays, the 1st and 3rd Sundays, and national holidays. Admission is free.
- Can I take photos inside the library?
- Yes. As a privately operated library, Kohoku Library permits photography and even allows eating and drinking inside the building — an unusual and welcoming policy that differs from most public libraries in Japan.
- What is the significance of the building's architectural style?
- Built in 1937, the building blends Western architectural elements such as semicircular arched windows and buttresses with traditional Japanese wooden construction. This combination of styles, along with its well-preserved interior details including coffered ceilings and palmette-motif moldings, led to its registration as a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property in 2024.
- Is there a café or restaurant nearby?
- The newly built annex "Lib+" adjacent to the library includes a café. Additionally, the nearby Kinomoto post town offers several options including traditional Japanese confectionery shops and the historic Tomita Sake Brewery where you can sample the famous "Shichihon-yari" sake.
Basic Information
| Name | Kohoku Library (Former Ika District Agricultural Association Office) / 江北図書館（旧伊香郡農会庁舎） |
|---|---|
| Cultural Property Designation | National Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building), registered March 6, 2024 |
| Year Built | 1937 (Showa 12) |
| Structure | Two-story wooden building (partly single-story), clay tile roof, building area 255 m² |
| Builder | Mitsujiro Ito (architect unknown) |
| Owner | Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Kohoku Library |
| Address | 1362 Nishi-ura, Kinomoto, Kinomoto-cho, Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture 529-0425 |
| Access | 1-minute walk from JR Kinomoto Station; 7 minutes by car from Kinomoto IC (Hokuriku Expressway) |
| Hours | Tue–Sat 10:00–16:00; 2nd, 4th, 5th Sundays 10:00–14:00 |
| Closed | Mondays, 1st and 3rd Sundays, national holidays |
| Admission | Free |
References
- 江北図書館（旧伊香郡農会庁舎） — Cultural Heritage Online (bunka.nii.ac.jp)
- https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/594346
- 江北図書館 — Wikipedia
- https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B1%9F%E5%8C%97%E5%9B%B3%E6%9B%B8%E9%A4%A8
- 江北図書館について（歴史） — Kohoku Library Official Website
- http://kohokutoshokan.com/about/
- 江北図書館クラウドファンディング — Congrant
- https://congrant.com/project/kohokutoshokan/4484
- 江北図書館の新館「Lib⁺」完成 — 長浜市
- https://shigayukan.com/江北図書館の新館「lib⁺」完成/
- 100年をこえて時を刻む滋賀県最古の図書館『江北図書館』 — しがトコ
- https://shigatoco.com/toco/kohokutoshokan/
Last verified: 2026.03.27