About Be Wa

Our Background

Be Wa Shiga

The name “Be Wa” is a play on Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest lake, in Shiga Prefecture. But the name is transformed to the English “be” and the well-known Japanese “wa” ( 和 ), which has various meanings, but predominantly “Japanese” and also “peace” or “harmony“. “Wa” can also mean a ring or circular shape, which we feel reflects Shiga’s natural ring of culture surrounding Lake Biwa, or in the alternate “wa” meaning, encapsulates a focal ring around all of Japan, and even the world.

Our goal with Be Wa is to share places and events around Shiga that we feel will be of interest to the international community, especially to those visiting or living here. Ideally located in the geographic center of Japan, Shiga is just north of Kyoto, and west of Nagoya. Lake Biwa offers a relaxing getaway for Kyoto residents, and Shiga also has many historic sites, traditional trades and crafts, agricultural attractions, and much more.

Be Wa was conceived and organized by local business, 3Chroma.

The small 3Chroma team, with the help of local friend, Belinda Kyle, is currently producing all the content and posts for Be Wa. We also try to provide Japanese translations for many of our articles for our Japanese friends who either wish to brush up on English or are simply interested to see their community from an outside perspective.

Be Wa is not a profit-based organization, but if you are interested in volunteering or contributing to the project, then by all means, drop us a line.

Be Wa Shiga

Be Waとは滋賀県にある日本最大の湖である琵琶湖をもじった名称です。琵琶の「び」は英語の「be」に、そして「わ」は様々な意味を持ちますが通常は日本らしい、平和、協調などを表す漢字である、「和」になぞらえました。 また、「和」」は「輪」と同じ読みであることから、琵琶湖の周りをぐるりと囲む文化や生活を表す、それは日本いや世界までをもをぐるりと繋ぐ大きな「和・輪」の意味をこめました。

このページの目的は滋賀の魅力的な場所やイベントを滋賀に住んでいる、又は訪問する予定のある外国人に紹介することです。 素晴らしいことに滋賀は日本列島のど真ん中、京都のすぐ北東そして名古屋の西に位置しています。 京都など街に住む人々が喧噪から離れゆっくり過ごせる琵琶湖をはじめ、歴史的観光名所や伝統工芸、農業文化などなど滋賀にはたくさんの魅力があふれています。

Be Waは3Chromaという滋賀県のウェブサイト作成会社によって始動しました。

友人であるベリンダ・カイルと一緒となって3Chromaは現在、Be Waに全ての記事をアップしています。 英語を勉強したい方や外国人の視点から滋賀を見てみたい人のためにも、出来る限り日本語の訳もつけていきたいと思います。

当ページは現在無償で運営しております。このプロジェクトに貢献したい方がいらっしゃいましたら是非ご連絡ください。

Our Team

Pete Leidy

Pete Leidy

Be Wa site designer and one of our article authors. If you find any mistakes on the site, or have ideas how to make it better; get in touch with Pete.

Belinda Kyle

Belinda Kyle

Be Wa author, long time Shiga resident, cafe connoisseur and specialist in local arts & crafts. If you live here and get out much, you probably already know Belinda. If not, then you’re missing out!

Takako Matsui-Leidy

Takako Matsui-Leidy

Our resident translator. We’re lucky to have Takako helping us not only in providing bilingual translation, but also in assisting our outings and events with much appreciated logistical support.
日本語でのご質問等はこちらにご連絡ください。

Contact Us

Comments, questions or advice are always welcome. Be Wa is a work-in-progress and we’re constantly working on making it better. If you have any ideas or want to get involved in the project, be sure to let us know. ( 日本語でもどうぞ )


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