is a

prefecture A prefecture (from the Latin ''Praefectura'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain international ...

in the

Chūbu region The , Central region, or is a region in the middle of Honshu, Honshū, Japan, Japan's main island. In a wide, classical definition, it encompasses nine prefectures (''ken''): Aichi Prefecture, Aichi, Fukui Prefecture, Fukui, Gifu Prefecture ...

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 separ ...

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 north ...

. 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 is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Toyama Prefecture has a population of 1,044,588 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,247.61 km2 (1,640.01 sq mi). Toyama Prefecture borders Ishikawa Prefecture to the ...

and

Nagano Prefecture is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,052,493 () and has a geographic area of . Nagano Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture to the north, Gunma Prefecture to the ...

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 Fukushima ...

to the south,

Fukushima Prefecture Fukushima Prefecture (; ja, 福島県, Fukushima-ken, ) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Fukushima Prefecture has a population of 1,810,286 () and has a geographic area of . Fukushima Prefecture borders Miya ...

to the east, and

Yamagata Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Yamagata Prefecture has a population of 1,079,950 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 9,325 km² (3,600 sq mi). Yamagata Prefecture borders Akita Prefecture to the north, ...

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 com ...

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, it h ...

coast and the twelfth-largest in Japan. Niigata Prefecture is part of the historic

Hokuriku region The was located in the northwestern part of Honshu, the main island of Japan. It lay along the Sea of Japan within the Chūbu region, which it is currently a part of. It is almost equivalent to Koshi Province and Hokurikudō area in pre-modern ...

and features

Sado Island is a city located on in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. Since 2004, the city has comprised the entire island, although not all of its total area is urbanized. Sado is the sixth largest island of Japan in area following the four main islands and Ok ...

, the sixth largest island of Japan in area following the four main islands and

Okinawa Island is the largest of the Okinawa Islands and the Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands of Japan in the Kyushu region. It is the smallest and least populated of the five main islands of Japan. The island is approximately long, an average wide, and has an ...

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 was an old province in north-central Japan, on the shores of the Sea of Japan. It bordered on Uzen, Iwashiro, Kōzuke, Shinano, and Etchū Provinces. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Echigo''" in . It corresponds today to Niigata ...

(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 Prefectur ...

. 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 was a Japanese samurai clan. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)"Nagao," ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 39 retrieved 2013-5-5. History The Nagao clan descend from T ...

, 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 , later known as was a Japanese ''daimyō''. He was born in Nagao clan, and after adoption into the Uesugi clan, ruled Echigo Province in the Sengoku period of Japan. He was one of the most powerful ''daimyō'' of the Sengoku period. Known as ...

. 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 ancie ...

and

Kitakyushu is a Cities of Japan, 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 Fuku ...

. 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 Matthew Langford Perry (born August 19, 1969) is an American-Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the NBC television sitcom ''Friends'' (1994–2004). As well as starring in the short-lived television series ''Stud ...

. It has since played an important role in trade with

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

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 o ...

. 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 Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...

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

Kakuei Tanaka was a Japanese politician who served in the House of Representatives (Japan), House of Representatives from 1947 Japanese general election, 1947 to 1990 Japanese general election, 1990, and was Prime Minister of Japan from 1972 to 1974. After ...

, 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 hist ...

high-speed rail High-speed rail (HSR) is a type of rail system that runs significantly faster than traditional rail, using an integrated system of specialised rolling stock and dedicated tracks. While there is no single standard that applies worldwide, lines ...

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 A winter storm is an event in which wind coincides with varieties of precipitation that only occur at freezing temperatures, such as snow, mixed snow and rain, or freezing rain. In temperate continental climates, these storms are not necessar ...

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

. 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, from ...

hit the area. Niigata Prefecture hosts the

Fuji Rock Festival is an annual rock festival held in Naeba Ski Resort, in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The three-day event, organized by Smash Japan, features more than 200 Japanese and international musicians, making it the largest outdoor music event in Japan. ...

, 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

. Niigata Prefecture could be placed in either the Hokuriku or the Kōshinetsu, both of which are considered parts of the

. The prefecture is generally divided into four geographical areas: in the south, in the center, in the north, and

. 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 g ...

, 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 is a city located in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 80,239 in 36,531 households, and a population density of 55 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . It is a popular destination for Japanese and ...

, and

Oze Oze may refer to: People * Akira Oze (born 1947), Japanese manga artist * Hiroyuki Oze (1985–2010), Japanese baseball player * Lajos Őze (1935–1984), Hungarian actor Places * Oze, Hautes-Alpes, France * Oze National Park, Japan * Oze River, ...

National Parks; Echigo Sanzan-Tadami and Sado-Yahiko-Yoneyama Quasi-National Parks; and thirteen Prefectural Natural Parks. NiigataCityOpenData_kuusatsu002.jpg,

Port of Niigata A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...

Niigata City may refer to: * Niigata Prefecture, Japan **Niigata (city), the capital of the prefecture * Albirex Niigata, the city's professional football club * Niigata Transys, a Japanese railway vehicle manufacturer * Niigata Stadium, an athletic stadium in ...

NiigataCityOpenData denen005.jpg,

Echigo Plain Echigo Plain () or Niigata Plain () is an alluvial plain that extends from central to northern Niigata Prefecture is a prefecture in the Chūbu region of Honshu of Japan. Niigata Prefecture has a population of 2,227,496 (1 July 2019) and ...

Myokousan_from_hiutiyama_1996_6_29.jpg,

Mount Myōkō is an active Active may refer to: Music * ''Active'' (album), a 1992 album by Casiopea * Active Records, a record label Ships * ''Active'' (ship), several commercial ships by that name * HMS ''Active'', the name of various ships of ...

Senkakuwan_20170416-2.jpg, Senkakuwan in

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, subdivisions o ...

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's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The la ...

in rice output. The area around

Uonuma is a city located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 35,027 in 13,289 households, and a population density of 37 persons per km2. Its total area is . The city is famous for its ''koshihikari'' rice, which comm ...

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 indee ...

senbei are a type of Japanese rice cracker. They come in various shapes, sizes, and flavors, usually savory but sometimes sweet. Senbei are often eaten with green tea as a casual snack and offered to visiting house guests as a courtesy refreshment. ...

mochi is a Japanese rice cake made of , a short-grain japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The rice is pounded into paste and molded into the desired shape. In Japan, it is traditionally ma ...

, and

arare Arare may refer to: *Norimaki Arare or Arale Norimaki, the main character in ''Dr. Slump'' media *Arare (food), a bite-sized Japanese rice cracker *Japanese destroyer Arare, a warship sunk in 1942 {{disambig ...

. In

production, the prefecture comes third after

Gunma 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 Fukushima P ...

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 ci ...

prefectures. The prefecture was also the place of origin of the ornamental

carp Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. While carp is consumed in many parts of the world, they are generally considered an invasive species in parts of ...

known as

koi or more specifically , are colored varieties of the Amur carp ('' Cyprinus rubrofuscus'') that are kept for decorative purposes in outdoor koi ponds or water gardens. Koi is an informal name for the colored variants of ''C. rubrofuscus'' ke ...

. Niigata Prefecture produces the highest volume of

azalea Azaleas are flowering shrubs in the genus ''Rhododendron'', particularly the former sections ''Tsutsusi'' (evergreen) and '' Pentanthera'' (deciduous). Azaleas bloom in the spring (April and May in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, and Octob ...

s and cut

lilies ''Lilium'' () is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs, all with large prominent flowers. They are the true lilies. Lilies are a group of flowering plants which are important in culture and literature in much of the world. M ...

in Japan, and is increasing the production of cut flowers and flower bulbs. Along with

, it produces the highest volume of

tulip Tulips (''Tulipa'') are a genus of spring-blooming perennial herbaceous bulbiferous geophytes (having bulbs as storage organs). The flowers are usually large, showy and brightly coloured, generally red, pink, yellow, or white (usually in warm ...

s 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 heater A kerosene heater, also known as a paraffin heater, is typically a portable, unvented, kerosene-fueled, space (i.e., convectional) heating device. In Japan and other countries, they are a primary source of home heat. In the United States and ...

s are also produced for use in the cold Niigata winters. Kinzan, on

, was an active

gold mine Gold Mine may refer to: * Gold Mine (board game) *Gold Mine (Long Beach), an arena *"Gold Mine", a song by Joyner Lucas from the 2020 album ''ADHD Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characteri ...

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 2. ...

in the production of

scissors Scissors are hand-operated shearing tools. A pair of scissors consists of a pair of metal blades pivoted so that the sharpened edges slide against each other when the handles (bows) opposite to the pivot are closed. Scissors are used for cutti ...

kitchen knives A kitchen knife is any knife that is intended to be used in food preparation. While much of this work can be accomplished with a few general-purpose knives – notably a large chef's knife, a tough cleaver, a small paring knife and some sort of ...

, 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 Zealan ...

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 electric generator, generato ...

, 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 centr ...

. It has been closed since the

Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster The was a nuclear accident in 2011 at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Ōkuma, Fukushima, Japan. The proximate cause of the disaster was the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, which occurred on the afternoon of 11 March 2011 and ...

Demographics

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

Culture

Food

Niigata is known for the following regional specialities: *

Koshihikari is a popular cultivar of Japonica rice cultivated in Japan as well as Australia and the United States. ''Koshihikari'' was first created in 1956 by combining 2 different strains of ''Nourin No.1'' and ''Nourin No.22'' at the Fukui Prefectur ...

rice * ''

Shōyu Soy sauce (also called simply soy in American English and soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermented paste of soybeans, roasted grain, brine, and '' Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''Asp ...

'' (soy sauce) and ''Yofu'' (western-style) ''

katsudon is a popular Japanese food, a bowl of rice topped with a deep-fried breaded pork cutlet, egg, vegetables, and condiments. The dish takes its name from the Japanese words ''tonkatsu'' (for pork cutlet) and '' donburi'' (for ''rice bowl dish'') ...

'' * ''

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 ...

'' * '' 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, bu ...

basket) * ''Sasa-

dango is a Japanese dumpling made from rice flour mixed with uruchi rice flour and glutinous rice flour. It is different from the method of making mochi, which is made after steaming glutinous rice. ''Dango'' is usually finished round shaped, thre ...

'' (

balls filled with

red bean paste Red bean paste () or red bean jam, also called adzuki bean paste or ''anko'' (a Japanese word), is a paste made of red beans (also called "adzuki beans"), used in East Asian cuisine. The paste is prepared by boiling the beans, then mashing or g ...

, seasoned with

mugwort Mugwort is a common name for several species of aromatic flowering plants in the genus ''Artemisia.'' In Europe, mugwort most often refers to the species '' Artemisia vulgaris'', or common mugwort. In East Asia the species '' Artemisia argyi'' i ...

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 i ...

from the

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

ramen is a Japanese dish, 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 ...

" (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 1, ...

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

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

chrysanthemums Chrysanthemums (), sometimes called mums or chrysanths, are flowering plants of the genus ''Chrysanthemum'' in the family Asteraceae. They are native to East Asia and northeastern Europe. Most species originate from East Asia and the center ...

) * '' Kanzuri'' (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. I ...

, and kōji mold) * '' Yasuda yogurt''

Niigata in popular culture

* ''

Snow Country is a novel by the Japanese author Yasunari Kawabata. The novel is considered a classic work of Japanese literature and was among the three novels the Nobel Committee cited in 1968, when Kawabata was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Writ ...

'' (1947): a novel by

Nobel laureate The Nobel Prizes ( sv, Nobelpriset, no, Nobelprisen) are awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Swedish Academy, the Karolinska Institutet, and the Norwegian Nobel Committee to individuals and organizations who make out ...

Yasunari Kawabata was a Japanese novelist and short story writer whose spare, lyrical, subtly shaded prose works won him the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1968, the first Japanese author to receive the award. His works have enjoyed broad international appeal an ...

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 Tomiko Miyao (April 13, 1926 December 30, 2014) was a Japanese novelist. She is best known for writing historical fiction. Many of her works were adapted into television dramas and films, most notably Onimasa, Atsuhime, and Yoshitsune. Early l ...

, 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 obs ...

'' (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 u ...

about high school girls, set in

, 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 identit ...

'' (2011): a comedy-drama series on

Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...

; 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 37.468 ...

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 (IO ...

, especially in the alpine areas of Myōkō and Yuzawa, and going to

onsen In Japan, are the country's hot springs and the bathing facilities and traditional inns around them. As a volcanically active country, Japan has many onsens scattered throughout all of its major islands. There are approximately 25,000 hot ...

off the west coast of Niigata is accessible via ferry (taking one to two and a half hours) from Naoetsu or

. Professional sports clubs include

Albirex Niigata is a professional football club based in Niigata, Japan. Formed in 1955 as Niigata Eleven SC, it was renamed Albireo Niigata FC in 1995, and Albirex Niigata in 1997. From 2023, Albirex will be playing on the J1 League, coming back to the fir ...

, 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 1 ...

, a BJ (Basketball Japan) League team. Naebatop.jpg, Naeba ski resort in Yuzawa Iyahiko-jinja_1.JPG,

Yahiko Shrine , also known as Iyahiko-jinja is a Shinto shrine in the Yahiko neighborhood of the village of Yahiko, Nishikanbara District, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It is one of the three shrines which claim the title of ''ichinomiya'' of former Echigo Pr ...

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 in ...

(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 A kite is a tethered heavier than air flight, heavier-than-air or lighter-than-air craft with wing surfaces that react against the air to create Lift (force), lift and Drag (physics), drag forces. A kite consists of wings, tethers and anchors. ...

Festival – June * Sanjo Kite Festival – June * Nagaoka Festival (with

firework Fireworks are a class of low explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large number of devices in ...

s) – August * Niigata Tanrei Sake-no-Jin - March * Echigo-Tsumari Festival - August and September (every third year)

Education

Universities

Niigata University is a national university in Niigata, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It was established in 1949 and has its major origins in Niigata Medical College (established in 1922) and in Niigata Higher School (established in 1919). It is one of the largest Jap ...

Niigata University of International and Information Studies is a private university in Niigata, Niigata is a city located in the northern part of Niigata Prefecture (). It is the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture, and one of the cities designated by government ordinance of Ja ...

Niigata Sangyo University is a private university in Kashiwazaki, 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 ...

(Niigata Industrial University) *

Niigata University of Health and Welfare Niigata University of Health and Welfare is a private university Private universities and private colleges are institutions of higher education, not operated, owned, or institutionally funded by governments. They may (and often do) receive ...

* Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Sciences *

Niigata Institute of Technology is a private university in Kashiwazaki, 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 Ja ...

Niigata University of Management is a private university in Kamo, 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 College of Nursing is a public university at Jōetsu, Niigata, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1977, and it was chartered as a university in 2002. External links Official website
Educational institutions established in 1977 Public univers ...

* 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 The is a public university A public university or public college is a university or college that is in owned by the state or receives significant public funds through a national or subnational government, as opposed to a private universit ...

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 are ...

Hokuriku Shinkansen The is a high-speed Shinkansen railway line jointly operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West), connecting Tokyo with in the Hokuriku region of Japan. The first section, between and in Nagano Pr ...

** Shin'etsu Line ** Hakushin Line **

Yahiko Line The is a Japanese railway line operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) which connects Yahiko Station in the village of Yahiko and Higashi-Sanjō Station in the city of Sanjo, both in Niigata Prefecture. The line shares its name wit ...

Echigo Line The is a railway line operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) which connects the cities of Kashiwazaki and Niigata in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The line's name is taken from the name of the ancient Echigo Province, which correspond ...

Jōetsu Line The is a major railway line in Japan, owned by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Takasaki Station in Gunma Prefecture with Miyauchi Station in Niigata Prefecture, linking the northwestern Kanto region and the Sea of Japan ...

Uetsu Line The is a railway line in the Tohoku and Chubu regions of Japan. Part of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) system, it connects Niitsu Station in the city of Niigata and Akita Station in Akita. The name "Uetsu" refers to the ancient pr ...

Ban'etsu West Line The is a railway line in Japan operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Kōriyama Station in Kōriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, and Niitsu Station in Akiha Ward, Niigata, Niigata Prefecture. The name "Banetsu" is taken fro ...

Tadami Line The is a scenic railway line in Japan operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Aizu-Wakamatsu Station at Aizuwakamatsu in Fukushima Prefecture with Koide Station at Uonuma in Niigata Prefecture. The line opened in discont ...

Iiyama Line The is a railway line in Japan linking Toyono Station in Nagano, Nagano Prefecture and Echigo-Kawaguchi Station in Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture. It is operated by East Japan Railway Company The is a major passenger railway company in Japan ...

Yonesaka Line The is a railway line in Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Yonezawa Station in Yamagata Prefecture to Sakamachi Station in Niigata Prefecture. At Yonezawa, connections to the Yamagata Shinkansen and Ōu Main L ...

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 ...

Ōito Line The is a railway line in Japan which connects Matsumoto Station in Nagano Prefecture with Itoigawa Station in Niigata Prefecture. There are two operators on the line: East Japan Railway Company (JR East) operates the section north of Minam ...

*Hokuetsu Express **

Hokuhoku Line The is a Japanese railway line in Niigata Prefecture that runs from Muikamachi in Minamiuonuma City to Saigata in Jōetsu City. It is the sole railway line operated by . Construction of the line first began in 1968 by the Japanese National ...

Echigo Tokimeki Railway 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 ...

** Myōkō Haneuma Line **

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 The , (abbreviated as , is a 4-laned national expressway in Japan. It is owned and managed by East Nippon Expressway Company and Central Nippon Expressway Company. Overview The first section was opened in 1972 by Japan Highway Public Corpo ...

*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 expr ...

*E7 Nihonkai Tōhoku Expressway

National highways

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

Akita is a Japanese name and may refer to: Places * 8182 Akita, a main-belt asteroid * Akita Castle, a Nara period fortified settlement in Akita, Japan * Akita Domain, also known as Kubota Domain, feudal domain in Edo period Japan * Akita, Kumamoto ...

— 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 is the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 278,964 in 136,457 households, and a population density of 340 people per square kilometer spread over the city's total area of ...

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

Toyama Toyama may refer to: Places and organizations * Toyama Prefecture, a prefecture of Japan located in the Hokuriku region on the main Honshu island * Toyama, Toyama, the capital city of Toyama Prefecture * Toyama Station, the main station of 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:もてな ...

—

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 central ...

—

) * Route 17 (Nagaoka—Ojiya—Minamiuonuma—

Takasaki is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 372,369 in 167,345 households, and a population density of 810 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Takasaki is famous as the hometown of th ...

—

Nihonbashi is a business district of Chūō, Tokyo, Japan which grew up around the bridge of the same name which has linked two sides of the Nihonbashi River at this site since the 17th century. The first wooden bridge was completed in 1603. The current ...

of Tokyo) * Route 18 (Jōetsu—Myōkō—

Nagano Nagano may refer to: Places * Nagano Prefecture, a prefecture in Japan ** Nagano (city), the capital city of the same prefecture *** Nagano 1998, the 1998 Winter Olympics *** Nagano Olympic Stadium, a baseball stadium in Nagano *** Nagano Universi ...

—

Karuizawa is a resort town located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 20,323 in 9897 households, and a population density of 130 persons per km². The total area of the town is . Karuizawa is one of the oldest and most ...

—

) * Route 49 (Niigata—

Aizuwakamatsu is a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 118,159 in 50,365 households, and a population density of 310 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . Geography Aizuwakamatsu is located in the west ...

—

Kōriyama is a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 322,996 people in 141760 households, and a population density of 430 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Kōriyama is designated as a core city an ...

— Iwaki) * Route 113 (Niigata— Arakawa— Nan'yō— Shiroishi— Sōma) * Route 116 (Niigata—Tsubame—Izumozaki—Kashiwazaki) * Route 117 (Ojiya—Tōkamachi—

Iiyama is a city located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 20,118 in 7372 households, and a population density of 99 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . It markets itself as "Japan's Hometown" and is ...

) * Route 148 (Itoigawa— Ōmachi) * Route 252 * Route 253 * Route 289 * Route 290 * Route 291 * Route 292 * Route 345 * Route 350 (

) * 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 is a city and port in Shiribeshi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan, northwest of Sapporo. The city faces Ishikari Bay and the Sea of Japan, and has long served as the main port of the bay. With its many historical buildings, Otaru is a popular to ...

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 households, ...

, 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 is a second class airport located northeast of Niigata Station in Niigata, Japan. History The first airport on the Sea of Japan coast of Japan was opened on an island in the Shinano River in 1929. This airport was moved to what was then the ...

Sado Airport Sado Airport ( ja, 佐渡空港) is a public aerodrome located in Sado, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. History The airport opened in 1959 as a to provide air service connecting Sado Island is a city located on in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. ...

Notable individuals

Politics and military

* Masako, Empress of Japan, former registered domicile (Honseki) was Murakami *

(1530–1578), daimyō in the Sengoku period *

Naoe Kanetsugu was a Japanese samurai of the 16th–17th centuries. The eldest son of Higuchi Kanetoyo, Kanetsugu was famed for his service to two generations of the Uesugi ''daimyōs''. He was also known by his court title, Yamashiro no Kami (山城守) or ...

(1559–1620), samurai in the Sengoku period *

Horibe Yasubei was a warrior in Japan. Yasubee was born to , a samurai of the Shibata Domain (a Han (country subdivision), ''han'' in present-day Niigata Prefecture) . When Yasubee was 13, his father lost his position and became a rōnin. Soon afterwards, Yaji ...

(1670–1703), samurai in the Edo period *

Hachirō Arita was a Japanese politician and diplomat who served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs for three terms. He is believed to have originated the concept of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. Biography Arita was born on the island of Sado ...

(1884–1965), foreign minister, from Sado Island * Maejima Hisoka (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 t ...

(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 ''The Nikkei'', also known as , is the flagship publication of Nikkei, Inc. (based in Tokyo) and the world's largest financial newspaper, with a daily circulation exceeding 1.73 million copies. The Nikkei 225, a stock market index for the Tok ...

. 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 father ...

(1883–1937), nationalist author and intellectual, from Sado Island *

Sakae Ōsugi Sakae may refer to: Places in Japan * Sakae, Chiba (Japanese: 栄町; ''sakae-machi''), a town in Chiba Prefecture * Sakae, Niigata (Japanese: 栄町; ''sakae-machi''), a town in Niigata Prefecture * Sakae, Nagano (Japanese: 栄村; ''sakae-mura'') ...

(1885-1923), anarchist, lived in Shibata *

Honma Masaharu was a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. Homma commanded the Japanese 14th Army, which invaded the Philippines and perpetrated the Bataan Death March. After the war, Homma was convicted of war crimes relating ...

(1887–1946) World War II lieutenant-general executed by the United States for war crimes committed in the Philippines *

Hitoshi Imamura was a Japanese general who served in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, and was subsequently convicted of war crimes. Early career A native of Sendai city, Miyagi Prefecture, Imamura's father was a judge. Imamura graduated from t ...

(1886–1968) World War II General in the Imperial Japanese Army, from Shibata high school *

Isoroku Yamamoto was a Marshal Admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet during World War II until he was killed. Yamamoto held several important posts in the IJN, and undertook many of its changes and reor ...

(1884–1943), commander of the

Japanese Imperial Navy The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrender ...

, from Nagaoka *

Chiang Kai-shek Chiang Kai-shek (31 October 1887 – 5 April 1975), also known as Chiang Chung-cheng and Jiang Jieshi, was a Chinese Nationalist politician, revolutionary, and military leader who served as the leader of the Republic of China (ROC) from 1928 ...

(1887-1975), Chinese political and military leader, served in the Imperial Japanese Army from 1909 to 1911 in Joetsu (Takada) *

Ba Maw Ba Maw ( my, ဘမော်, ; 8 February 1893 – 29 May 1977) was a Burmese lawyer and political leader, active during the interwar and World War II periods. Dr. Ba Maw is a descendant of the Mon Dynasty. He was the first Burma Premier ...

(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 not ...

, 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 father ...

(born 1932), diplomat and father of

Crown Princess Masako is as the consort of Emperor Naruhito, who ascended to the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019. Masako, who was educated at Harvard and Oxford, had a prior career as a diplomat. Early life and education was born on 9 December 1963 at Toranomon H ...

, 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 (c. 1363 – c. 1443), also called , was a Japanese aesthetician, actor, and playwright. His father, Kan'ami Kiyotsugu, introduced him to Noh theater performance at a young age, and found that he was a skilled actor. Kan'ami was also skill ...

(1363– 1443), aesthetician, actor, and playwright, exile to Sado Island *

Ryōkan (1758 – 6 January 1831) was a quiet and unconventional Sōtō Zen Buddhist monk who lived much of his life as a hermit. Ryōkan is remembered for his poetry and calligraphy, which present the essence of Zen life. He is also known by the name ...

(1758–1831),

Zen Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chan School (''Chánzong'' 禪宗), and ...

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 ...

, (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 Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "t ...

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 , also called Ogawa Bimei, was an author of short stories, children's stories, and fairy tales. Because he was one of the first authors to publish children's stories under his own name, Ogawa has been called Japan's Hans Christian Andersen, an ap ...

(1882–1961), author of short stories, children's stories, and fairy tales, from Joetsu *

Koganei Yoshikiyo was a Japanese anatomist and anthropologist of the Meiji period. Biography A child of an ''Echigo Nagaoka'' clansman, he graduated from East School,, which was the school existed in ''Meiji'' era in Japan. the precursor of the Tokyo Imperial Un ...

(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 ferti ...

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

Kinichiro Sakaguchi was a Japanese 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 Sake, also spelled saké ( ; als ...

(1897 – 1994), agricultural chemist and microbiologist, from Joetsu *

Takashi Amano was a professional track cyclist, photographer, designer, and aquarist. His interest in aquaria led him to create the Japanese company Aqua Design Amano. Amano was the author of ''Nature Aquarium World'' ( TFH Publications, 1994), a three- ...

(1954-2015), photographer and aquarist, from Niigata *

Tetsuji Morohashi was an important figure in the field of Japanese language studies and Sinology. He is best known as chief editor of the '' Dai Kan-Wa jiten'', a comprehensive dictionary of Chinese characters, or ''kanji''. Biography Morohashi's father was also ...

(1883– 1982) chief editor of the Dai Kan-Wa jiten, a comprehensive dictionary of Chinese characters, from Sanjo * Tetsuo Harada (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 you ...

(1887–1936), Japanese painter, from Sado * Fubō Hayashi (1900–1935), novelist from Sado Island *

Inoue Enryō was a Japanese philosopher, Shin Buddhism, Shin Buddhist priest and reformer, educator, and royalist. A key figure in the reception of Western philosophy, the emergence of modern Buddhism, and the permeation of the imperial ideology during the s ...

(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 th ...

(1894–1982), Japanese poet and literary critic, from Ojiya *

Daigaku Horiguchi was a poet and translator of French literature in Taishō and Shōwa period Japan. He is credited with introducing French surrealism to Japanese poetry, and to translating the works of over 66 French authors into Japanese. Early life Horiguch ...

(1892-1981), poet and translator of French literature, from Nagaoka *

Makoto Aida is a Japanese contemporary artist known for his provocative works of manga, painting, video, photography, sculpture, and installation. Though less well known internationally than Takashi Murakami or Yoshitomo Nara, he is recognized in Japan as ...

(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 Japan ...

(born 1922), Japanese scholar, historian, teacher, writer and translator of Japanese literature, Honorary Citizen of Kashiwazaki *

Kodo (taiko group) __NOTOC__ Kodo may refer to: Japan * ''Kōdō'' (香道), ceremonial appreciation of incense * Nippon Kodo (日本香堂), an incense company * Kodō (taiko group) (鼓童), a ''taiko'' drumming group * Kodo-kai (弘道会), a yakuza criminal orga ...

, 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 nomi ...

(born 1959), stage, TV and film actor, from Uonuma *

Princess Tenko (born ; June 29, 1959), best known under the stage name of Princess Tenko and formerly , is a Japanese pop singer turned magician specialising in grand illusions. Biography She was born Mariko Itakura in Arai, Niigata on June 29, 1959. At a yo ...

(born 1959), magician, from Joetsu *

Mina Fujii is a Japanese actress. She started her career in the entertainment industry at the age of nine. She is best known for her role in the TV adaptation of '' Bloody Monday'', ''Kyōfu'', and for appearing in TVXQ's "Dōshite Kimi o Suki ni Natte Sh ...

(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 is a Japanese model from Niigata Prefecture, Japan. As well as modelling the Paris collection, she appears in domestic adverts and national magazines. She is currently signed to Tateoka Office Co., Ltd. Appearances Shows Paris *Christian Dior *J ...

(born 1982), Model * Kazuyuki Sekiguchi (born 1955), bass player for the rock group

Southern All Stars , also known by the abbreviations and SAS, are a Japanese rock band that first formed in 1974. The band is composed of Keisuke Kuwata (lead vocals and guitars), Yuko Hara (vocals and keyboards), Kazuyuki Sekiguchi (bass), Hiroshi Matsuda (dr ...

, from Agano *

Makoto Ogawa is a Japanese singer and actress, best known as a former member of Japanese girl group Morning Musume. She joined the group in August 2001 along with fellow fifth generation members Ai Takahashi, Risa Niigaki, and Asami Konno. On March 31, 2 ...

(born 1987), former member of

Morning Musume , formerly simply and colloquially referred to as , are a Japanese girl group, holding the second highest overall single sales (of a female group) on the Oricon charts as of February 2012, with the Oricon record of most top ten singles with an ...

, actor and model, from Kashiwazaki *

Koharu Kusumi is a Japanese actress, model, television personality, singer, and voice actress. In 2005, she became the only seventh generation member of the Japanese girl group Morning Musume, a part of Hello! Project. While Kusumi was in Morning Musume, she p ...

(born 1992), former member of

, actor and model, from Washima * Hitomi Saito (born 1981), former singer of leader of

Melon Kinenbi were an all-girl Japanese pop group within Hello! Project. They were formed after they successfully passed the 2nd Morning Musume & Michiyo Heike Imotobun Audition. Melon Kinenbi is the oldest group in the history of Hello! Project not to have ...

, 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 th ...

(born 1971), singer, from Nagaoka *

Yasuyuki Okamura (born 14 August 1965) is a singer-songwriter and music producer active in the Japanese music market. Alternate pen name . He started his professional career in 1985, and is known internationally for the ''City Hunter 2'' ending theme "Super Girl" ...

(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 is a Japanese–British singer-songwriter, actress and model. Born in Niigata, Japan, she emigrated to London with her parents at age five. She is known for her musical versatility and has been labelled a "musical chameleon". In 2017, she ...

, 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-P ...

(1986), mangaká, from Niigata City *

Yoshifumi Kondō was a Japanese animator who worked for Studio Ghibli in his last years. He was born in Gosen, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. He worked as an animation director on ''Anne of Green Gables'', ''Sherlock Hound'', ''Kiki's Delivery Service'', '' Only Yest ...

(1950–1998), animator, from Gosen *

Hiroyuki Yamaga is a Japanese anime director and producer, and a founding member of the animation studio Gainax. He is best known for directing the film '' Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise'' (1987) at age 24, directing ''Mahoromatic'' (2001), ''Magica ...

(born 1962), anime director and producer, and a founding member of the animation studio

Gainax Gainax Co., Ltd. (stylized as GAINAX; ja, 株式会社ガイナックス, Hepburn romanization, Hepburn: ) is a Japanese anime studio famous for productions such as ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'', ''Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise, Roya ...

, from Niigata City *

Daisuke Hirakawa is a common masculine Japanese given name. Possible writings Daisuke can be written using different kanji characters and can mean: *大輔, "big, assist" *大介, "big, mediate" *大祐, "big, bless" *大助, "big, help" *大典, "big, law/rule ...

(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 is a Japanese singer. She is known for having performed theme songs for anime shows such as ''Prétear'', ''Ai Yori Aoshi'', the ''Ah! My Goddess'' TV series and the ''Strike Witches'' series, as well as for having sung for the Para Para Max CD ...

(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 vi ...

(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 an ...

(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 is a Japanese music genre considered to resemble traditional Japanese music stylistically. Modern ''enka'', however, is a relatively recent musical form, which adopts a more traditional musical style in its vocalism than ''ryūkōka'' music, p ...

singer, from Nagaoka * Hitomi Nabatame (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 segment ...

(born 1968), animator *

Kenichi Suzumura is a Japanese voice actor, narrator, and singer who is affiliated with and a representative of INTENTION, a voice acting company he founded in March 2012. He voiced Morley in ''Macross 7'', Hikaru Hitachiin in ''Ouran High School Host Club'', Mas ...

(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 fir ...

(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'' (Nanc ...

(born 1957), actor and voice actor *

Takeshi Obata is a Japanese manga artist that usually works as the illustrator in collaboration with a writer. He first gained international attention for '' Hikaru no Go'' (1998–2003) with Yumi Hotta, but is better known for '' Death Note'' (2003–2006) ...

(born 1969), manga artist, from Niigata City * Etsushi Ogawa (born 1969), manga artist * Ikue Otani (born 1965), voice actress, from Kashiwazaki *

Ango Sakaguchi was a Japanese writer of short stories and novels and an essayist. His real name was . Biography Born in Niigata, Sakaguchi was one of a group of young Japanese writers to rise to prominence in the years immediately following Japan's defeat i ...

(1906–1955), novelist and essayist, from Niigata City *

Daisuke Sakaguchi is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Aoni Production. He is best known for his roles in '' Mobile Suit Victory Gundam'' as Üso Ewin, ''Gintama'' as Shinpachi Shimura, '' Clannad'' as Youhei Sunohara, '' Blood Blockade Battlefront ''as Le ...

(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 (born 1958), manga artist, from Kashiwazaki * Yōko Sōmi (born 1965), voice actress *

Rumiko Takahashi is a Japanese manga artist. With a career of several commercially successful works, beginning with ''Urusei Yatsura'' in 1978, Takahashi is one of Japan's best-known and wealthiest manga artists. Her works are popular worldwide, where they have ...

(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 Gainax. ...

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

animator An animator is an artist who creates multiple images, known as frames, which give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, and video gam ...

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 is a Japanese voice actress from Kashiwazaki, Niigata. Her best-known role is as the title character Shinnosuke Nohara in the long-running anime series '' Crayon Shin-chan''. She also voices Mipple in the original ''Futari wa Pretty Cure'', S ...

(born 1967), voice actress, from Kashiwazaki *

Kimio Yanagisawa is a Japanese manga artist. His real name is pronounced the same way, but is written with the kanji . He graduated from Niigata Prefectural Muramatsu High School two years prior to Yoshifumi Kondō. After graduation, he attended Wakō University ...

(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 was one of the earliest disciples of Judo. Saigo, together with Tsunejiro Tomita, became first in history of judo to be awarded Shodan by the founder of judo Jigoro Kano, who established the kyu-dan ranking system. He was one of the Kōdōkan ...

(1866 – 1922), Judo, lived in Aga (Tsugawa), lived in 1869-1882 *

Haguroyama Masaji was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Nakanokuchi, Niigata. He was the sport's 36th '' yokozuna''. He was a ''yokozuna'' for a period of twelve years and three months dating from his promotion to that rank in May 1941 until his retire ...

(1914–1969), sumo wrestler from Nakanokuchi who was ''

yokozuna , or , is the top division of the six divisions of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers (''rikishi''), ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments. This is the on ...

'' 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 or ...

, from Sanjō * Sawao Kato (born 1946), winner of 12 Olympic medals in gymnastics *

Killer Khan Krugman, Michael. ''André the Giant: A Legendary Life'', p.48. (born March 6, 1947) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler. Popularly known as Killer Khan, he was billed from Mongolia and had numerous high-profile matches with André the G ...

(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, and ...

(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 is a Japanese alpine skier. His first international successes were at the 1996 Junior World Championships in Schwyz, with a 5th rank in Slalom, and a 9th rank in Giant Slalom. Since the 1997 Alpine Skiing World Cup he has been participating reg ...

(born 1977), alpine skier, from Yuzawa *

Junko Hoshino Junko Hoshino (born September 25, 1989) is a Japanese skier who competes in the freestyle skiing event of mogul skiing, moguls. She represented Japan in the 2014 Winter Olympics, finishing 15th in Freestyle skiing at the 2014 Winter Olympics – W ...

(born 1989), freestyle skier, from Nagaoka *

Reruhi Shimizu is a Japanese ski jumper from Myōkō, Niigata. Shimizu's debut in FIS Ski Jumping World Cup took place in November 2012 in Lillehammer Lillehammer () is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional di ...

(born 1993), ski jumper, from Myoko * Mai Nakamura (born 1979), swimmer, from Nagaoka * Gōtoku Sakai (born 1991), footballer (2015–

Hamburger SV Hamburger Sport-Verein e.V. (), commonly known as Hamburger SV () or Hamburg (), is a German sports club based in Hamburg, with its largest branch being its football section. Though the current HSV was founded in June 1919 from a merger of three ...

), from Sanjo *

Yujiro Takahashi , is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a member of Bullet Club and its sub-group House of Torture. Takahashi entered New Japan in November 2003 with an extensive amateur backgr ...

(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 retirem ...

.
OCLC 58053128

External links

Niigata Prefecture Official Website

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

History

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List of Governor of Niigata Prefecture (from 1947)

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Niigata in popular culture

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