is a prefecture in the Chūbu region of

Honshu , historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island s ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

. Niigata Prefecture has a population of 2,227,496 (1 July 2019) and is the fifth-largest prefecture of Japan by geographic area at . Niigata Prefecture borders Toyama Prefecture and Nagano Prefecture to the southwest,

Gunma Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Gunma Prefecture has a population of 1,937,626 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 6,362 km2 (2,456 sq mi). Gunma Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture and Fuku ...

to the south, Fukushima Prefecture to the east, and Yamagata Prefecture to the northeast. Niigata is the capital and largest city of Niigata Prefecture, with other major cities including Nagaoka, Jōetsu, and Sanjō. Niigata Prefecture contains the Niigata Major Metropolitan Area centered on Niigata with a population of 1,395,612, the largest

metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region that consists of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories sharing industries, commercial areas, transport network, infrastructures and housing. A metro area usually ...

on the

Sea of Japan The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea, i ...

coast and the twelfth-largest in Japan. Niigata Prefecture is part of the historic Hokuriku region and features Sado Island, the sixth largest island of Japan in area following the four main islands and Okinawa Island.

History

Until after the

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...

, the area that is now Niigata Prefecture was divided into Echigo Province (on the mainland) and

Sado Province was a province of Japan until 1871; since then, it has been a part of Niigata Prefecture. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Sado''" in . It was sometimes called or . It lies on the eponymous Sado Island, off the coast of Niigata Prefec ...

. During the

Sengoku period The was a period in History of Japan, Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615. The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the Feudalism, feudal system of Japan under the ...

, the Nagao clan, who were at times vassals to the Uesugi, ruled a fief in the western part of modern Niigata from Kasugayama Castle. The most notable member of the Nagao clan was Nagao Kagetora, later and better known as Uesugi Kenshin. He unified the leaders of Echigo Province and became its sole ruler. By taking the surname Uesugi, he also became the head of the Uesugi clan and effectively brought their realm under his control. The city of Niigata is now the third largest Japanese city facing the Sea of Japan, after

Fukuoka is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since anc ...

and

Kitakyushu is a city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2019, Kitakyushu has an estimated population of 940,978, making it the second-largest city in both Fukuoka Prefecture and the island of Kyushu after the city of Fukuoka. It is one o ...

. It was the first Japanese port on the Sea of Japan to be opened to foreign trade following the opening of Japan by Matthew Perry. It has since played an important role in trade with

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...

and

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic ...

. A freighter from

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...

visits Niigata once a month, in one of the few forms of direct contact between Japan and that country. The

Etsuzankai was a Japanese politician who served in the House of Representatives from 1947 to 1990, and was Prime Minister of Japan from 1972 to 1974. After a power struggle with Takeo Fukuda, he became the most influential member of the ruling Liberal ...

organization, led by the politician

Kakuei Tanaka was a Japanese politician who served in the House of Representatives from 1947 to 1990, and was Prime Minister of Japan from 1972 to 1974. After a power struggle with Takeo Fukuda, he became the most influential member of the ruling Liberal ...

, was highly influential in bringing infrastructure improvements to Niigata Prefecture in the 1960s and 1970s. These included the

Jōetsu Shinkansen The is a high-speed shinkansen railway line connecting Tokyo and Niigata, Japan, via the Tōhoku Shinkansen, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). Despite its name, the line does not pass through the city of Joetsu or the hi ...

high-speed rail line and the Kanetsu Expressway to Tokyo. On October 23, 2004, the Chūetsu earthquake struck Niigata Prefecture and was measured at Shindo 6+ at Ojiya. On January 9, 2006, a heavy winter storm struck the prefecture and its neighbors. At least 71 people died and more than 1,000 were injured. Also in 2006, a massive tsunami and earthquake damaged homes and caused casualties in the maritime areas of Niigata Prefecture, especially near Sado Island. On July 16, 2007, another

earthquake An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, fr ...

hit the area. Niigata Prefecture hosts the Fuji Rock Festival, an annual event held at the Naeba ski resort. The three-day event, organized by Smash Japan, features more than 200 Japanese and international musicians. It is one of the largest outdoor music events in Japan, with more than 100,000 people attending in 2005.

Geography

Niigata Prefecture stretches about along the

, from the southwest to the northeast, with a coastal plain between the mountains and the sea. It also includes Sado Island. Niigata Prefecture could be placed in either the Hokuriku or the Kōshinetsu, both of which are considered parts of the Chūbu region. The prefecture is generally divided into four geographical areas: in the south, in the center, in the north, and Sado Island. The mouth of the

Shinano River The , known as the in its upper reaches, is the longest and widest river in Japan and the third largest by basin area (behind the Tone River and Ishikari River). It is located in northeastern Honshu, rising in the Japanese Alps and flowing ...

, the longest river in Japan, is located in Niigata Prefecture. As of 1 April 2014, 25% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely Bandai-Asahi, Chūbu-Sangaku, Nikkō, and Oze National Parks; Echigo Sanzan-Tadami and Sado-Yahiko-Yoneyama Quasi-National Parks; and thirteen Prefectural Natural Parks. NiigataCityOpenData_kuusatsu002.jpg, Port of Niigata in Niigata City NiigataCityOpenData denen005.jpg, Echigo Plain Myokousan_from_hiutiyama_1996_6_29.jpg,

Mount Myōkō is an active stratovolcano in Honshu, Japan. It is situated at the southwest of Myōkō city, Niigata Prefecture, and a part of Jōshin'etsu-kōgen National Park. Mount Myōkō is listed as one of 100 Famous Japanese Mountains, and together w ...

Senkakuwan_20170416-2.jpg, Senkakuwan in Sado Island Find47 Niigata-Hasagi-trees of winter (Odiya City)-m.jpg, Paddy fields and mountains in Ojiya in winter

Cities

Twenty cities are located in Niigata Prefecture:

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each

district A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivision ...

Mergers

List of Governor of Niigata Prefecture (from 1947)

* Shohei Okada (岡田正平) - from 15 April 1947 to 29 April 1955 * Kazuo Kitamura (北村一男) - from 30 April 1955 to 30 November 1961 * Toichiro Tsukada (塚田十一郎) - from 7 December 1961 to 28 March 1966 * Shiro Watari (亘四郎) - from 8 May 1966 to 30 April 1974 * Takeo Kimi (君健男) - from 1 May 1974 to 19 April 1989 * Kiyoshi Kaneko (金子清) - from 4 June 1989 to 9 September 1992 * Ikuo Hirayama (平山征夫) - from 25 October 1992 to 24 October 2004 *

Hirohiko Izumida is a Japanese politician who was the Governor of Niigata Prefecture between 2004 and 2016. Personal history * September 15, 1962: Born in Kamo in Niigata Prefecture. * 1981: Graduated from Sanjo High School. * 1987: Graduated from Kyoto Univ ...

(泉田裕彦) - from 25 October 2004 to 24 October 2016 *

Ryuichi Yoneyama is a Japanese politician and a former Governor of Niigata Prefecture. Prior to entering politics, Yoneyama worked as a radiology researcher at the University of Tokyo Hospital and was also trained as a lawyer. Early life and education Ryuichi ...

(米山隆一) - from 25 October 2016 to 27 April 2018 *

Hideyo Hanazumi is a Japanese politician serving as the Governor of Niigata Prefecture, following his election in June 2018. Prior to his election, Hanazumi served as a vice commandant in the Japan Coast Guard and as Vice Governor of Niigata. Governor of N ...

(花角英世) - from 12 June 2018 to present

Economy

Agriculture, forestry and fishing

The major industry in Niigata Prefecture is agriculture. Rice is the principal product, and among the prefectures of Japan Niigata is second only to

Hokkaidō is Japan, Japan's Japanese archipelago, second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost Prefectures of Japan, prefecture, making up its own List of regions of Japan, region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; th ...

in rice output. The area around Uonuma is known for producing the Koshihikari variety, widely considered to be the highest-quality rice produced in Japan. Rice-related industries are also very important to the prefectural economy. Niigata Prefecture is known throughout Japan for its high-quality

sake Sake, also spelled saké ( ; also referred to as Japanese rice wine), is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Despite the name ''Japanese rice wine'', sake, and in ...

, senbei, mochi, and arare. In

production, the prefecture comes third after Gunma and

Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the c ...

prefectures. The prefecture was also the place of origin of the ornamental carp known as koi. Niigata Prefecture produces the highest volume of azaleas and cut lilies in Japan, and is increasing the production of cut flowers and flower bulbs. Along with Toyama Prefecture, it produces the highest volume of tulips in the country.

Mining and manufacturing

Crude oil Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological formations. The name ''petroleum'' covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crude ...

is produced in Niigata Prefecture, although Japan relies heavily on petroleum imported from other countries. Kerosene heaters are also produced for use in the cold Niigata winters. Kinzan, on Sado Island, was an active gold mine until it was closed in 1989. Sanjō and Tsubame produce 90 percent of all the silverware made in Japan. The two cities are second after

Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...

in the production of scissors, kitchen knives, and

wrench A wrench or spanner is a tool used to provide grip and mechanical advantage in applying torque to turn objects—usually rotary fasteners, such as nuts and bolts—or keep them from turning. In the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zeal ...

es. Niigata Prefecture may have been the first area in Japan to produce knitted textiles, although the earliest products may have been imported from China. A

nuclear power plant A nuclear power plant (NPP) is a thermal power station in which the heat source is a nuclear reactor. As is typical of thermal power stations, heat is used to generate steam that drives a steam turbine connected to a generator that produces ...

, which formerly had the highest energy output in the world, is located in the tiny village of

Kariwa is a village located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. , the village had an estimated population of 4,578 in 1613 households, and a population density of 174 persons per km². The total area of the village was . Geography Kariwa is located in centra ...

. It has been closed since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.

Demographics

In the Census of 2003, Niigata ranked as the 14th most populous.

Culture

Food

Niigata is known for the following regional specialities: * Uonuma Koshihikari rice * '' Shōyu'' (soy sauce) and ''Yofu'' (western-style) '' katsudon'' * '' Shōyu

sekihan Red bean rice, called ''patbap'' () in Korean, ''sekihan'' () in Japanese, and ''hóngdòu fàn'' () in Chinese, is an East Asian rice dish consisting of rice cooked with red beans. East Asian varieties China Hóngdòu fàn (红豆饭) is a ...

'' * '' Noppe stew'' * ''Wappa-meshi'' (seafood and rice steamed in a

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, ...

basket) * ''Sasa- dango'' ( mochi balls filled with red bean paste, seasoned with mugwort and wrapped in

leaves) * '' Poppo-yaki'' (steamed bread flavored with brown sugar) * ''Hegi-soba'' (

soba Soba ( or , "buckwheat") is a thin Japanese noodle made from buckwheat. The noodles are served either chilled with a dipping sauce, or hot in a noodle soup. The variety ''Nagano soba'' includes wheat flour. In Japan, soba noodles can be found ...

from the Uonuma and Ojiya areas, which uses a special kind of seaweed) * " Tsubame- Sanjō

ramen is a Japanese noodle dish. It consists of served in a broth; common flavors are soy sauce and miso, with typical toppings including , nori (dried seaweed), menma (bamboo shoots), and scallions. Ramen has its roots in Chinese noodle di ...

" (ramen made using thick

udon Udon ( or ) is a thick noodle made from wheat flour, used in Japanese cuisine. It is a comfort food for many Japanese people. There are a variety of ways it is prepared and served. Its simplest form is in a hot soup as with a mild broth called ...

-style noodles) *

Tochio was a city located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on June 1, 1954. As of 2003, the city had an estimated population of 23,855 and the density of 116.41 persons per km². The total area was 204.92 km². On January ...

'' aburage'' (aburaage is called "aburage" in

) * ''Kirazu'' (dishes using '' okara'') * ''Kakinomoto'' (edible chrysanthemums) * ''

Kanzuri is a type of Japanese fermented chili paste manufactured in Niigata Prefecture. Originally a traditional condiment from the Jōetsu region, the name "kanzuri" was trademarked in 1966 by the Kanzuri, Co. Ltd. of Myōkō, the sole maker of the pr ...

'' (a fermented paste from Myōkō made by leaving chili peppers exposed on snow, then adding salt,

yuzu Yuzu (''Citrus junos'', from Japanese or ) is a citrus fruit and plant in the family Rutaceae of East Asian origin. Yuzu has been cultivated mainly in East Asia, though recently also in New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Italy, and France. ...

, and kōji mold) * '' Yasuda yogurt''

Niigata in popular culture

* '' Snow Country'' (1947): a novel by Nobel laureate Yasunari Kawabata set in Yuzawa * "Niigata Snow": a track on the LP ''Aida'', released by Derek Bailey in 1980 * ''

Kura Rúben de Almeida Barbeiro (born August 21, 1987 in Leiria), better known as KURA, is a Portuguese electro house music DJ and producer. Kura has released tracks through labels such as Hardwell's Revealed Recordings, Flashover Recordings, M ...

'': a film and TV series (1995) based on the 1993 book by Tomiko Miyao, an award-winning period piece about a Niigata family and its sake brewery * ''

Blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when ...

'' (1996): a

manga Manga ( Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is ...

about high school girls, set in Niigata City, adapted as a film in 2001 * '' Whiteout'': an action film based on a novel published in 1995 * ''

United States of Tara ''United States of Tara'' is an American television comedy-drama created by Diablo Cody, which aired on Showtime from 2009 to 2011. The series follows the life of Tara ( Toni Collette), a suburban artist and mother coping with dissociative ide ...

'' (2011): a comedy-drama series on Showtime; Kate is about to embark on a trip to teach English in Niigata when a flight attendant tells her that the only thing she will hopefully find in Niigata is "a life lesson and a bullet train back to

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.46 ...

Tourism and sports

Much of the tourism in Niigata centers around

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee ( ...

, especially in the alpine areas of Myōkō and Yuzawa, and going to onsen. Sado Island off the west coast of Niigata is accessible via ferry (taking one to two and a half hours) from Naoetsu or Niigata City. Professional sports clubs include Albirex Niigata, a

J-League The , known as the for sponsorship reasons, is the top level of the system. Founded in 1992, it is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football. Contested by 18 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the J ...

Division 1 Football Club, and

Niigata Albirex BB Niigata Albirex BB, formally Niigata Albirex Basketball, is a Japanese basketball club. It is based in Nagaoka, Niigata. Outline The club was founded in 1954 as the company team of Daiwa Securities, a Tokyo-based securities brokerage. In ...

, a BJ (Basketball Japan) League team. Naebatop.jpg, Naeba ski resort in Yuzawa Iyahiko-jinja_1.JPG, Yahiko Shrine Hotokusan_Inari_Taisha_Shrine_06.jpg, Hotokusan-inaritaisha shrine Hasegawa Family Residence.jpg, Hasegawa Family Residence Izumozaki_cityscape.jpg,

Izumozaki is a town located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 4,190, and a population density of 94.4 persons per km². The total area of the town was . Geography Izumozaki is located in a coastal region of central ...

juku ''Gakushū juku'' ( ja, 学習塾; see cram school) are private, fee-paying schools that offer supplementary classes often in preparation for key school and university entrance exams. The term is primarily used to characterize such schools i ...

(Japanese historical highway Hokkokukaido) Matunoyama_spa_Hinanoyado_Titose_roten.jpg, Matsunoyama Onsen Tubame_spa_kawara_no_yu_2008.jpg, Tsubame Onsen Sado_Shukunegi.jpg, Shukunegi district in Sado Island (Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings) 矢島経島たらい舟_-_panoramio.jpg, Tarai Bune in Sado Island Bigswan stadium.jpg, Bigswan Stadium

Festivals

Nagaoka_Festival_Fireworks_2015_Phoenix_20150802

* Tokamachi Snow Festival- February * Murakami Taisai – July 6–7 * Iwafune Taisai – October 18–19, in Murakami * Niigata Festival – August * Niigata General Dancing Event -September 21–25 * Shirone Kite Festival – June * Sanjo Kite Festival – June * Nagaoka Festival (with fireworks) – August * Niigata Tanrei Sake-no-Jin - March * Echigo-Tsumari Festival - August and September (every third year)

Education

Universities

* Niigata University * Niigata University of International and Information Studies * Niigata Sangyo University (Niigata Industrial University) *

Niigata University of Health and Welfare Niigata University of Health and Welfare is a private university in Niigata, Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered ...

Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Sciences is a private university in Niigata, Niigata, Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, ...

Niigata Institute of Technology is a private university in Kashiwazaki, Niigata, Japan. It was established in 1995. External links Official website Educational institutions established in 1995 Private universities and colleges in Japan Universities and colleges in ...

* Niigata University of Management * Niigata College of Nursing * Nippon Dental University * Nagaoka University *

Nagaoka University of Technology , abbreviated as Nagaoka Gidai, is a national technology university founded in 1976 in Nagaoka, Niigata, Japan. It is one of only two Universities of Technology, a form of university in Japan, the other being Toyohashi University of Technology ...

* Nagaoka Institute of Design *

International University of Japan The is a private university located in Minamiuonuma city in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. IUJ is the first graduate university in Japan, not offering undergraduate degrees, and one of the few Japanese universities which offers all courses in En ...

* Keiwa Gakuen University Updated Japan Niigata Pref Map (1)

Transport

Rail

JR East The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and is the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters ar ...

** Hokuriku Shinkansen **

Shin'etsu Line The Shinetsu Main Line ( ja, 信越本線, ) is a railway line, consisting of three geographically separated sections, operated by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) in Japan. It was originally one continuous line connecting and via . S ...

Hakushin Line The is a Japanese railway line which runs between and stations in the cities of Niigata and Shibata in Niigata Prefecture. It is part of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) network. Basic data *Operators, distances: ** East Japan Ra ...

** Yahiko Line ** Echigo Line ** Jōetsu Line ** Uetsu Line ** Ban'etsu West Line ** Tadami Line ** Iiyama Line ** Yonesaka Line *

JR West , also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) companies and operates in western Honshu. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka. It is listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, is a constituent of the TOPIX Large70 index, and i ...

** Hokuriku Shinkansen ** Ōito Line *Hokuetsu Express ** Hokuhoku Line * Echigo Tokimeki Railway **

Myōkō Haneuma Line The (ETR) is a Japanese third-sector railway operating company established in 2010 to operate passenger railway services on the sections of the JR East Shinetsu Main Line and JR West Hokuriku Main Line within Niigata Prefecture when they were ...

Nihonkai Hisui Line The (ETR) is a Japanese third-sector railway operating company established in 2010 to operate passenger railway services on the sections of the JR East Shinetsu Main Line and JR West Hokuriku Main Line within Niigata Prefecture when they were ...

Roads

Expressways

*E17 Kanetsu Expressway *E18 Jōshinetsu Expressway *E8 Hokuriku Expressway *E49

Ban-etsu Expressway The is a national expressway in the Tōhoku region of Japan. It is owned and operated by East Nippon Expressway Company. Naming The name is a kanji acronym consisting of characters found in the former names of the provinces linked by the exp ...

*E7

Nihonkai Tōhoku Expressway Nihonkai (日本海) may refer to: * Sea of Japan The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from t ...

National highways

* Route 7 (Niigata—Shibata—Murakami— Sakata— Akita— Noshiro—

Hirosaki is a city located in western Aomori Prefecture, Japan. On 1 April 2020, the city had an estimated population of 168,739 in 71,716 households, and a population density of . The total area of the city is . Hirosaki developed as a castle town fo ...

— Aomori) * Route 8 (Niigata—Nagaoka—Kashiwazaki—Jōetsu— Toyama—

Kanazawa is the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 466,029 in 203,271 households, and a population density of 990 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . Overview Cityscape File:もて� ...

—

Tsuruga is a city located in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 66,123 in 28,604 households and the population density of 260 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . Geography Tsuruga is located in cen ...

—

) * Route 17 (Nagaoka—Ojiya—Minamiuonuma— Takasaki— Nihonbashi of Tokyo) * Route 18 (Jōetsu—Myōkō— Nagano— Karuizawa— Takasaki) * Route 49 (Niigata— Aizuwakamatsu— Kōriyama— Iwaki) * Route 113 (Niigata— Arakawa— Nan'yō— Shiroishi— Sōma) * Route 116 (Niigata—Tsubame—Izumozaki—Kashiwazaki) * Route 117 (Ojiya—Tōkamachi— Iiyama) * Route 148 (Itoigawa— Ōmachi) * Route 252 * Route 253 * Route 289 * Route 290 * Route 291 * Route 292 * Route 345 * Route 350 ( Sado Island) * Route 351 * Route 352 * Route 353 * Route 402 * Route 403 * Route 404 * Route 405 * Route 459 * Route 460

Ports

*Niigata Port – Ferry route to Sado Island (Ryotsu), Tsuruga, Akita, Otaru and

Tomakomai is a city and port in Iburi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the largest city in the Iburi Subprefecture, and the fourth largest city in Hokkaido. As of 29 February 2012, it had an estimated population of 174,216, with 83,836 house ...

, with International Container hub port *Ryotsu Port – Ferry route to Niigata *Ogi Port - Ferry route to Naoetsu *Naoetsu Port in Joetsu - Ferry route to Ogi *Iwafune Port in Murakami- Ferry route to Awashima

Airports

* Niigata Airport * Sado Airport

Notable individuals

Politics and military

* Masako, Empress of Japan, former registered domicile (Honseki) was Murakami * Uesugi Kenshin (1530–1578), daimyō in the Sengoku period * Naoe Kanetsugu (1559–1620), samurai in the Sengoku period * Horibe Yasubei (1670–1703), samurai in the Edo period * Hachirō Arita (1884–1965), foreign minister, from Sado Island *

Maejima Hisoka Baron , born , was a Japanese statesman, politician, and businessman in Meiji-period Japan. Maejima founded the Japanese postal service, and is known as , or "Father of the Postal System". Early life Maejima was born as Ueno Fusagorō, in ...

(1835–1919), founder of the Japanese postal service, from Joetsu *

Masuda Takashi Baron , was a Japanese industrialist, investor, and art collector. He was a prominent entrepreneur in Meiji, Taishō and early Shōwa period Japan, responsible for transforming Mitsui into a '' zaibatsu'' through the creation of a general ...

(1848–1938), creation of a general trading company,

Mitsui Bussan is one of the largest ''sogo shosha'' (general trading companies) in Japan; it is part of the Mitsui Group. History The company was established in 1876 with 16 members including the founder, Takashi Masuda. As Japan's international trading w ...

. established a newspaper, Nihon Keizai Shimbun. from Sado Island *

Kita Ikki was a Japanese author, intellectual and political philosopher who was active in early Shōwa period Japan. Drawing from an eclectic range of influences, Kita was a self-described socialist who has also been described as the "ideological fath ...

(1883–1937), nationalist author and intellectual, from Sado Island * Sakae Ōsugi (1885-1923), anarchist, lived in Shibata * Honma Masaharu (1887–1946) World War II lieutenant-general executed by the United States for war crimes committed in the Philippines * Hitoshi Imamura (1886–1968) World War II General in the Imperial Japanese Army, from Shibata high school * Isoroku Yamamoto (1884–1943), commander of the Japanese Imperial Navy, from Nagaoka * Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975), Chinese political and military leader, served in the Imperial Japanese Army from 1909 to 1911 in Joetsu (Takada) * Ba Maw (1893-1977), Burmese political leader, active during the interwar and World War II, lived in Minamiuonuma (Ichiuchi) *

(1918–1993),

prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...

, from Kashiwazaki *

Hisashi Owada is a Japanese former jurist, diplomat and law professor. He served as a judge on the International Court of Justice from 2003 until June 7, 2018, and was President of the Court from 2009 to 2012. He is the father of Empress Masako and the fathe ...

(born 1932), diplomat and father of Crown Princess Masako, from Shibata *

Makiko Tanaka is a Japanese politician. She is the daughter of former Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka and his official wife Hana. Early life Tanaka attended high school at Germantown Friends School in the United States and graduated from Waseda University. She s ...

(born 1944), first female foreign minister, from Kashiwazaki

Arts and culture

* Zeami Motokiyo (1363– 1443), aesthetician, actor, and playwright, exile to Sado Island * Ryōkan (1758–1831), Zen Buddhist monk and poet, from Izumozaki *

Etsu Inagaki Sugimoto , also known as Etsu Inagaki Sugimoto, was a Japanese American autobiographer and novelist. Biography She was born in Nagaoka in Echigo Province (which means "Behind the Mountains") in Japan, now part of Niigata Prefecture. Her father had o ...

, (1874–1950), autobiographer and novelist, Professor of literature and taught Japanese language, culture and history at Columbia University, from Nagaoka * Yaichi Aizu (1881–1956), poet, calligrapher and historian, from Niigata City *

Kokei Kobayashi was a Japanese ''Nihonga'' painter. He was friends with Tamako Kataoka (1905–2008). He was a student of Kajita Hanko. He was awarded the Order of Culture. Works File:Kobayashi Fruit.jpg, ''Fruit'' (1910) File:Kobayashi Ideyu.jpg, ''In the ...

(1883–1957), Nihonga painter, from Joetsu * Mimei Ogawa (1882–1961), author of short stories, children's stories, and fairy tales, from Joetsu * Koganei Yoshikiyo (1859–1944), anatomist and anthropologist, from Nagaoka *

Kyusaku Ogino was a Japanese medical doctor specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. His natural father's family name was Nakamura, but Kyusaku was adopted by the Ogino family in 1901. Ogino studied infertility and developed a method to estimate the fe ...

(1882-1975), doctor specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, Niigata Takeyama Hospital *

Kinichiro Sakaguchi was a Japanese Agricultural chemistry, agricultural chemist and microbiologist. He was born in Niigata prefecture. He is the inventor of the ''Sakaguchi flask'', a round-bottom long-neck shake flask. In Jōetsu, Niigata, a sake museum has a part o ...

(1897 – 1994), agricultural chemist and microbiologist, from Joetsu * Takashi Amano(1954-2015), photographer and aquarist, from Niigata * Tetsuji Morohashi(1883– 1982) chief editor of the Dai Kan-Wa jiten, a comprehensive dictionary of Chinese characters, from Sanjo *

Tetsuo Harada is a Japanese-France, French artist based in France, well known for his monumental direct carving sculptures on granite and marble. In the 1990s he came to many recognition with his "Earth Weaving" theme, binding nations in fraternity with gra ...

(born 1949 Niitsu-shi), sculptor working in Paris France *

Tsuchida Bakusen was the art-name of a Japanese painter in the ''Nihonga'' style, active during the Taishō and early Shōwa eras. His birth name was . Biography He was born on Sado island in Niigata Prefecture into a wealthy and influential family. His yo ...

(1887–1936), Japanese painter, from Sado * Fubō Hayashi (1900–1935), novelist from Sado Island * Inoue Enryō (1858–1919), Buddhist philosopher, from Nagaoka *

Junzaburō Nishiwaki was a contemporary Japanese poet and literary critic, active in Shōwa period Japan, specializing in modernism, Dadaism and surrealism. He was also a noted painter of watercolors. Between 1960 and 1966, Nishiwaki received 7 nominations for the N ...

(1894–1982), Japanese poet and literary critic, from Ojiya * Daigaku Horiguchi (1892-1981), poet and translator of French literature, from Nagaoka * Makoto Aida (born 1965), Artist, from Niigata City *

Donald Keene Donald Lawrence Keene (June 18, 1922 – February 24, 2019) was an American-born Japanese scholar, historian, teacher, writer and translator of Japanese literature. Keene was University Professor emeritus and Shincho Professor Emeritus of Japane ...

(born 1922), Japanese scholar, historian, teacher, writer and translator of Japanese literature, Honorary Citizen of Kashiwazaki * Kodo (taiko group), Based in Sado Actors, Actresses, Singers *

Ken Watanabe is a Japanese actor. To English-speaking audiences, he is known for playing tragic hero characters, such as General Tadamichi Kuribayashi in ''Letters from Iwo Jima'' and Lord Katsumoto Moritsugu in '' The Last Samurai'', for which he was nom ...

(born 1959), stage, TV and film actor, from Uonuma * Princess Tenko (born 1959), magician, from Joetsu * Mina Fujii (born 1998), actress *

Mikie Hara is a Japanese gravure idol and actress. Her debut role was in '' Cutie Honey: The Live'' as the lead role of Honey Kisaragi/Cutie Honey. History Filmography TV Drama Films References External links * 1987 births Living ...

(born 1987), gravure idol and actress, from Murakami *

Fumika Baba '' Weekly Playboy'', January 22, 2014 is a Japanese actress and model. She was scouted on a local street when she was in high school, and started working as a model for the local free newspaper, ''Niigata Bishōjo Zukan''. Baba was also part of a ...

(born 1995), actress and model, from Niigata City * Maya Kobayashi (born 1979), journalist and newscaster, from Ojiya *

Mao Kobayashi (actress) was a Japanese freelance newscaster and actress. She was also one of Fuji TV's weathercasters. Early life and education Kobayashi was born in 1982 in Ojiya, Niigata, the younger of two children. Her family moved between Saitama, Saitama and ...

(born 1982), newscaster and former actress, from Ojiya * Miyuki Koizumi (born 1982), Model *

Kazuyuki Sekiguchi is a Japanese musician, best known for playing the bass guitar for Southern All Stars.Riantrisnanto, Rully.Band Lawas Southern All Stars Kembali Ramaikan Permusikan Jepang (in Indonesian), June 26, 2013. As a solo artist, he has played ukulel ...

(born 1955), bass player for the rock group Southern All Stars, from Agano * Makoto Ogawa (born 1987), former member of Morning Musume, actor and model, from Kashiwazaki * Koharu Kusumi (born 1992), former member of Morning Musume, actor and model, from Washima * Hitomi Saito (born 1981), former singer of leader of Melon Kinenbi, from Niigata City *

Suneohair is the performing name of Kenji Watanabe. He is best known for his contributions to the soundtrack of the anime adaptation of ''Honey & Clover'' and ''Honey and Clover II'', for which he provided the ending themes and . He has also provided the ...

(born 1971), singer, from Nagaoka * Yasuyuki Okamura (born 1965), from Niigata Higashi High School *

Double (singer) Double is the stage name for Japanese R&B singer (born March 14, 1975). Double used to be the name for the two member R&B group consisting of Takako and her sister Sachiko (1973 - 1999). After the death of Sachiko, Takako started her solo career ...

, Japanese R&B singer * Negicco, based in Niigata City, Niigata *

NGT48 NGT48 (read "N.G.T. Forty-eight") is a Japanese girl group produced by Yasushi Akimoto. NGT48 is named after Niigata City of Niigata Prefecture, where the group is based. The group performs at the NGT48 Theater which is located in the fourth fl ...

based on Niigata City, Niigata * Rina Sawayama, singer and model, born in Niigata City, Niigata Pop culture, manga, voice actors *

One (manga artist) One (stylized as ONE) or Tomohiro is the pseudonym of a Japanese manga artist, who is best known for his web manga series ''One-Punch Man'', which was later remade into a digital manga illustrated by Yusuke Murata. ''One'' serializes the ''One ...

(1986), mangaká, from Niigata City * Yoshifumi Kondō (1950–1998), animator, from Gosen * Hiroyuki Yamaga (born 1962), anime director and producer, and a founding member of the animation studio Gainax, from Niigata City * Daisuke Hirakawa (born 1973), voice actor *

Ryō Hirohashi is a Japanese voice actress affiliated with Aoni Production. She mainly voices young girls and young boys. She is known for voicing Miles "Tails" Prower in the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series. Biography Hirohashi was born in Niigata Prefecture, he ...

(born 1977), voice actress, from Nagaoka * Yoko Ishida (born 1973), singer, from Niigata City *

Rumi Kasahara is a Japanese voice actress affiliated with Aoni Production. She voiced roles in a bunch of titles in the 1990s including '' Pretty Sammy'' OVA and TV series, ''Moeyo Ken'', '' Hell Teacher Nube'', ''Princess Nine'', and ''Sakura Diaries''. In v ...

(born 1970), voice actress, from Itoigawa * Makoto Kobayashi (born 1958), manga artist, from Niigata City *

Közi Közi is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter and DJ. He is best known as one of the guitarists for the 1990s visual kei rock band Malice Mizer. After they went on indefinite hiatus in 2001, he formed the industrial rock duo Eve of Destiny a ...

(born 1972), rock musician *

Haruo Minami , (born ; July 19, 1923 – April 14, 2001) was an enka singer in postwar Japan. Early life He was born Bunji Kitazume (北詰文司 ''Kitazume Bunji'') in Nagaoka, Niigata, Japan. Career In 1939, at the age of 16, Bunji debuted as a performer ...

(1923–2001), enka singer, from Nagaoka *

Hitomi Nabatame is a Japanese actress and singer who is affiliated with Ken Production. She sang the opening themes for ''Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu'' under the name "Miran Himemiya and Chocolate Rockers". Filmography Anime ;2003 *'' Maburaho'' (Yūna Miyama ...

(born 1976), voice actress, from Sado Island *

Tatsuyuki Nagai is a Japanese anime storyboard artist and director. He made his full directorial debut in 2006 with '' Honey and Clover II'', after which he had directed 2007's '' Idolmaster: Xenoglossia'', 2008's ''Toradora!'', 2009's ''A Certain Scientific Rai ...

(born 1976), anime director *

Kazuto Nakazawa is a Japanese character designer and director of numerous anime series and video games who also goes by the pseudonym . His directorial work includes ''Parasite Dolls'', the anime sequence in '' Kill Bill: Volume 1'', and the Moondrive segmen ...

(born 1968), animator * Kenichi Suzumura (born 1974), voice actor *

Kiriko Nananan is a Japanese manga artist from Tsubame, Niigata. Nananan is famous for her realistic ''josei'' work featuring understated artwork with a sense of detachment. In addition, she has affiliated herself with the "La nouvelle manga" movement. Her firs ...

(born 1972), manga artist, from Tsubame *

Yukari Nozawa is a Japanese actress and voice actress who is affiliated with Seinenza Theater Company. Live appearances TV drama *'' Chūgakusei Nikki'' *''Oshin'' Voice roles Anime television series *''A Spirit of the Sun'' (Mrs Xia) *'' AD Police'' (Nan ...

(born 1957), actor and voice actor * Takeshi Obata (born 1969), manga artist, from Niigata City * Etsushi Ogawa (born 1969), manga artist * Ikue Otani (born 1965), voice actress, from Kashiwazaki * Ango Sakaguchi (1906–1955), novelist and essayist, from Niigata City * Daisuke Sakaguchi (born 1973), voice actor, from Kashiwazaki *

Shuichi Shigeno is a Japanese manga artist famous for creating ''Initial D''. Shigeno has also created '' Bari Bari Densetsu'', ''Dopkan'', and ''Tunnel Nuketara Sky Blue'' ("First Love in Summer") all prior to the manga that would make him famous in 1995. ...

(born 1958), manga artist, from Tōkamachi *

Bin Shimada Bin Shimada ( ja, 島田敏, Shimada Bin; born November 20, 1954) is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narratorDoi, Hitoshi.Shimada Bin. ''Seiyuu Database''. July 17, 2010Archivedby WebCite July 20, 2010. affiliated with the talent management fir ...

(born 1954), voice actor, from Niigata City *

Kunio Shimizu (17 November 1936 – 15 April 2021 ) was a Japanese playwright. Niigata is his hometown, which is located on the Japan Sea. At Tama University of Fine Arts Shimizu was a professor working in the Moving Images and Performing Arts Department. Lif ...

(1936–2021), playwright from Niigata *

Motoei Shinzawa is a Japanese mangaka, manga artist born June 10, 1958, in Kashiwazaki, Niigata, Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. His debut manga was ''Highschool! Kimen-gumi, Sannen Kimen-gumi'', published in ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' beginning in 1980. A ...

(born 1958), manga artist, from Kashiwazaki *

Yōko Sōmi is a Japanese actress and voice actress. She was born in Niigata Prefecture. She and fellow voice actor Akio Ōtsuka married on February 11, 2005, but they divorced three years later. Filmography Anime Drama CDs Video games Dubbing Li ...

(born 1965), voice actress * Rumiko Takahashi (born 1957), manga artist, from Niigata City *

Kazuya Tsurumaki Kazuya Tsurumaki (鶴巻和哉 ''Tsurumaki Kazuya'') is a Japanese anime director. He was born on February 2, 1966, in the city of Gosen, located in the Niigata Prefecture. He is the protégé of Hideaki Anno, and a longtime animator at Gai ...

(born 1966), animator, from Gosen * Hajime Watanabe (born 1957), animator *

Nobuhiro Watsuki , better known by his pen name , is a Japanese manga artist. He is best known for his samurai-themed series '' Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story'' (1994–1999), which has over 70 million copies in circulation and a sequel he is cur ...

(born 1970), manga artist, from Nagaoka * Hiroki Yagami (born 1967), manga artist, from Kashiwazaki * Akiko Yajima (born 1967), voice actress, from Kashiwazaki * Kimio Yanagisawa (born 1948),

artist, from Gosen *

Keiko Yokozawa , better known by the stage name , is a Japanese voice actress. She is most known for the roles of Dorami (''Doraemon''), Mami Sakura (''Esper Mami''), Benio Hanamura ('' Haikara-san ga Tōru''), and Sheeta (''Castle in the Sky''). Filmography ...

(born 1952), voice actress, from Niigata City

Sports

* Shiro Saigo(1866 – 1922), Judo, lived in Aga (Tsugawa), lived in 1869-1882 * Haguroyama Masaji (1914–1969),

sumo wrestler A , or, more colloquially, , is a professional sumo wrestler. follow and live by the centuries-old rules of the sumo profession, with most coming from Japan, the only country where sumo is practiced professionally. Participation in official t ...

from Nakanokuchi who was '' yokozuna'' for 12 years and three months; an all-time record * Shohei Baba (1938–1999), Japanese

professional wrestler Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...

, from Sanjō * Sawao Kato (born 1946), winner of 12 Olympic medals in gymnastics * Killer Khan (born 1947), professional wrestler, from Tsubame *

Ayumu Hirano is a Japanese Olympic champion and three-time Olympic medalist snowboarder and Olympic skateboarder. He won the silver medal in the superpipe in 2013 Winter X Games XVII at the age of 14, becoming the youngest medalist in X Games history, an ...

(born 1998), snowboarder, from Murakami *

Ayana Onozuka is a Japanese freestyle skier. She won a bronze medal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics , ''Zharkie. Zimnie. Tvoi'') , nations = 88 , events = 98 in 7 sports (15 disciplines) , athletes = 2,873 , opening = 7 February 2014 , closing = 23 ...

(born 1988), freestyle skier, from Minamiuonuma * Kentaro Minagawa (born 1977), alpine skier, from Yuzawa * Junko Hoshino (born 1989), freestyle skier, from Nagaoka * Reruhi Shimizu (born 1993), ski jumper, from Myoko * Mai Nakamura (born 1979), swimmer, from Nagaoka *

Gōtoku Sakai is a professional footballer who plays as a full back for Vissel Kobe. Born in the United States but raised in Japan, where he represented internationally. Club career Early career Sakai was born in New York to a German mother and a Japanese ...

(born 1991), footballer (2015– Hamburger SV), from Sanjo * Yujiro Takahashi (born 1981),

from Niigata City.

Notes

References

* Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005)
''Japan encyclopedia.''
Cambridge:

Harvard University Press Harvard University Press (HUP) is a publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University, and focused on academic publishing. It is a member of the Association of American University Presses. After the retir ...

.
OCLC 58053128

External links

Niigata Prefecture Official Website

Niigata Prefecture Official Website
{{Authority control Chūbu region Hokuriku region Prefectures of Japan