Taking advantage of Hachiman-bori Canal's geographical advantage, Omi merchants adopted a trade scheme called 'Shokoku Sanbutsu Mawashi (circulation of goods among regions)' in which they shipped local goods (tatami straw mats, mosquito nets, rice, rice wine and others) via land and water and returned with goods from other regions, which in turn were shipped elsewhere, and through this cycle contributed to industrial development in various parts of the country.
近江商人は八幡堀の地の利を活かし、地場産物（畳表、蚊帳、米、酒など）を陸路や水路を利用して各地へ搬出し、各地の産物を持ち帰り、再び各地へ送り出すといった「諸国産物回し」と呼ばれる商法によって、各地の産業振興に貢献した。