Database: Omi

The province of Ōmi's name carries the meaning, "freshwater lake near the capital." As the phrase implies, the region extends around Lake Biwa, the closest such lake to Kyoto (not to be confused with Tōtōmi Province's Lake Hamana, which gives that province's name its meaning of "distant freshwater lake"). Bordered by Wakasa and Echizen to the north and by Mino and Ise to the east, Ōmi province was an important logistics and shipping hub, where goods from the Sea of Japan and the Tōkaidō region were shipped across Lake Biwa, unloaded at Ōtsu, and then delivered to Kyoto, the capital.

The looming presence of Mount Hiei stood between Ōmi and Kyoto, and Enryaku-ji held the ports of Ōtsu, Sakamoto, and Katada (all at the foot of the mountain). Enryaku-ji also held sway over several manors in the area, helping them to maintain great influence in the province. On the other hand, the Kutsuki valley and the Kōga township (also known as "Koka") were located in the mountainous regions to the west and south. These were separated from Lake Biwa by those mountains and occupied by mostly independent lords who ruled over small fiefs tucked away in individual valleys. The Kōga were particularly independent, and their region became known as a ninja area, just like Iga.