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General Information About Niigata City

Niigata prefecture has a population of two and a half million, and is located in the middle of the west coast of Honshu, the main island of Japan. It is situated approximately 350 kilometers directly north of metropolitan Tokyo, and is connected with Tokyo via the Shinkansen (bullet train) and an expressway

The University is located in Niigata City, which has a population of one-half million, and is the center of politics, economy, and culture in Niigata Prefecture. Niigata City has a long history of interaction with various countries, such as China, South Korea, Mongolia, and Russia. Niigata City is an ever-expanding international transportation center on the west coast of Japan.

Not many foreign tourists get here but the region is famed for the quality of its rice and sake. Many Japanese families buy these items from here because of their high quality. The region is also steeped in history and tradition. The 'Snow Country' of Niigata is famous throughout Japan and has inspired countless writers, poets and artists. If you want a glimpse of rural Japan through the windows of an old one-carriage train, this is the place.

Niigata prefecture consists of four areas, Kaetsu, Chuetsu, Joetsu and Sado. Niigata prefecture has very beautiful mountains and fertile plains. Many parts of Kaetsu, Chuetsu and Joetsu areas are occupied by mountains. Even in mountainous areas, the people of Niigata prefecture have tried to make rice fields. You can see beautiful 'rice terraces' scenes, which are called Senmaida in Japanese. Senmaida means thousands of rice fields.

Niigata prefecture also has beautiful beaches. The length of the coastline is six thousand thirty-three kilometers. The length of the coastline in Niigata is longer than those of several entire countries, including Bangladesh, Kuwait and Holland. In Niigata, we can enjoy very tasty sea food, and many tourists from other districts of Japan are astonished by a great taste of our 'sushi' and 'sashimi'. In Niigata we have many beaches, and many people enjoy swimming, fishing, surfing and jet-skiing. The Sea of Japan is situated on the west of the prefecture, so we can enjoy beautiful sunsets while bathing in hot spring baths The Shinano River, crossing central parts of Niigata prefecture, is the longest river in Japan. The Shinano River has two faces.

One is the 'Mother of life' face. The river brings fertile soil, which is the source of our beautiful rice and home to many birds, animals, insects, and so on. Another face is 'the river that overflows'. Before 1990, the river took many human lives due to flooding.

After the construction of the 'Okozu waterway' and the 'Sekiya waterway', however, the Shinano river has shown a gentler side, but the people of Niigata will never forget the great hardships of our forebears.
Niigata city, the capital of Niigata prefecture, is situated at the end of the Shinano River.
The major part of Niigata, the mountains, the sea and the rivers can be seen from the top of 'Toki-messe'