The New International Encyclopædia/Biwa

BIWA, bē'wȧ. A beautiful lake in the southern part of the island of Nippon, Japan (Map: Japan, E 6). It is about 36 miles long, 12 miles in width, and lies at an altitude of about 400 feet. The western shore is mountainous and the eastern is low. There are several small islets in the lake, and fish are found in abundance. Biwa is connected by several canals with the inlet of Osaka, and supplies water-power to the mills and factories in Kyoto.