is a city in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 38,259 in 14761 households and a population density of 150 persons per kmò. The total area of the city is .
Maibara is located in northcentral Shiga Prefecture, on the eastern shore of Lake Biwa, and extending inland to the Ibuki Mountains and the border with Gifu Prefecture. Parts of the city are within the borders of the Biwako Quasi-National Park. Mount Ibuki is in the northeastern part of the prefecture. It is the highest peak in the prefecture. The Anegawa River and Amanogawa River pass through the city. About 70 percent of the city is forest.
Gifu Prefecture
Shiga Prefecture
Maibara has a Humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Maibara is . The average annual rainfall is with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around , and lowest in January, at around . The highest temperature ever recorded in Maibara was on 14 August 2024. The coldest temperature ever recorded was on 4 February 2012.
Per Japanese census data, the population of Maibara has seen relatively little fluctuation over the past century.
Maibara is part of ancient à Âmi Province and the route of the Tà Âsandà  (later the Nakasendà Â) highway connecting Heian-kyà  with the eastern provinces passed through the area. Maibara is home to three former post stations: Banba-juku, Samegai-juku and Kashiwabara-juku, and was the location of a port on Lake Biwa where travelers could shorten their journey by taking boat to à Âtsu-juku. During the Muromachi and Sengoku periods, the Kyà Âgoku clan domained most of à Âmi Province from their base in what is now Maibara. Most of the area came under the control of Hikone Domain during the Edo period.
With the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1,1889, the village of Irie was established. It was raised to town status on November 15, 1923, becoming the town of Maihara. On February 14, 2005 Maihara merged with the neighboring towns of Santà  and Ibuki (all from Sakata District) and was raised to city status, changing its name from "Maihara" to "Maibara" at that time. The new city name was based on the name of Japan Railways' Maibara Station which many people in Japan knew as a station on the Tà Âkaidà  Shinkansen Line.
The adjacent town of à Âmi was merged into Maibara on October 1, 2005. Maibara was struck by an F2 tornado on June 29, 2018. The tornado caused major damage to homes and injured 8 people.
Maibara has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 18 members. Maibara contributes two members to the Shiga Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Shiga 2nd district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
The economy of Maibara is centered on agriculture and light manufacturing. There are several industrial parks in the city.
Maibara has ten public elementary schools and seven public middle schools operated by the city government. There are two public high schools operated by the Shiga Prefectural Department of Education. The prefecture also operates one special education school for the handicapped.
JR Tà Âkai â Tà Âkaidà  Shinkansen
JR Tà Âkai â Tà Âkaidà  Main Line
JR West â Biwako Line
JR West â Hokuriku Main Line
Ohmi Railway â Main Line