"Niigata, Japan" redirects here. For the city, see
Niigata (city).
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Niigata is the capital and largest city of Niigata Prefecture, with other major cities including
Nagaoka,
Jōetsu, and
Sanjō.[3] Niigata Prefecture contains the Niigata Major Metropolitan Area centered on Niigata with a population of 1,395,612, the largest
metropolitan area on the
Sea of Japan 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.
Until after the
Meiji Restoration, the area that is now Niigata Prefecture was divided into
Echigo Province (on the mainland) and
Sado Province.[4] During the
Sengoku period, 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 and
Kitakyushu. 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 and
Korea. A freighter from
North Korea visits Niigata once a month, in one of the few forms of direct contact between Japan and that country.
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 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 240 km (149 mi) along the
Sea of Japan, 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:
Jōetsu region (上越) in the south,
Chūetsu (中越) in the center,
Kaetsu (下越) in the north, and
Sado Island. The mouth of the
Shinano River, the longest river in Japan, is located in Niigata Prefecture.
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 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,
senbei,
mochi, and
arare. In
sake production, the prefecture comes third after
Gunma and
Kyoto 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 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.
"Niigata Snow": a track on the LP Aida, released by
Derek Bailey in 1980
Kura: 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 (1996): a
manga 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 (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."
Tourism and sports
Much of the tourism in Niigata centers around
skiing, 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.
Makiko Tanaka (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, (1874–1950), autobiographer and novelist, Professor of literature and taught Japanese language, culture and history at Columbia University, from Nagaoka