Niigata Prefecture

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"Niigata, Japan" redirects here. For the city, see Niigata (city).

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Niigata Prefecture
新潟県
Prefecture
Japanese transcription(s)
 • Japanese 新潟県
 • Rōmaji Niigata-ken
137px
Echigo Plain
137px
Ski resort in Myoko (ja)
137px
Futatsugame in Sado Island
137px
Tsukioka Onsen (ja)
137px
Kiyotsu Gorge
137px
Yahiko Shrine
Flag of Niigata Prefecture
Flag		 Official logo of Niigata Prefecture
Seal
Anthem: Niigata kenminka
Location of Niigata Prefecture
Country  Japan
Region Chūbu (Kōshinetsu) (Hokuriku)
Island Honshu
Capital Niigata
Subdivisions Districts: 9, Municipalities: 30
Government
 • Governor Hideyo Hanazumi
Area
 • Total 12,584.18 km2 (4,858.78 sq mi)
Area rank 5th
Population (July 1, 2023)
 • Total 2,131,009
 • Rank 14th
 • Density 170/km2 (440/sq mi)
GDP[1]
 • Total JP¥ 9,185 billion
US$ 84.3 billion (2019)
ISO 3166 code JP-15
Website www.pref.niigata.lg.jp

Niigata Prefecture (新潟県 Niigata-ken?) is a prefecture in the Chūbu region of Honshu of Japan.[2] Niigata Prefecture has a population of 2,131,009 (1 July 2023) and is the fifth-largest prefecture of Japan by geographic area at 12,584.18 km2 (4,858.78 sq mi). Niigata Prefecture borders Toyama Prefecture and Nagano Prefecture to the southwest, Gunma Prefecture 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.[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.

History

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See also: Historic Sites of Niigata Prefecture

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File:Linsenji 1.jpg
Rinsenji Temple, the family temple of Uesugi

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.

The Etsuzankai organization, led by the politician Kakuei Tanaka, was highly influential in bringing infrastructure improvements to Niigata Prefecture in the 1960s and 1970s. These included the Jōetsu Shinkansen 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 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

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Map of Niigata Prefecture
     Government Ordinance Designated City      City      Town      Village
File:Nagaoka from the sky.jpg
Niigata Prefecture in winter from the sky
Ten-Ken cliff of Oya-Shirazu, Itoigawa

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.

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.[5]

Cities

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See also: List of cities in Niigata Prefecture by population

Twenty cities are located in Niigata Prefecture:

Name Area (km2) Population Map
Rōmaji Kanji
25x25px Agano 阿賀野市 192.74 41,204
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25x25px Gosen 五泉市 351.91 48,458 51x51px
25x25px Itoigawa 糸魚川市 746.24 41,333
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Jōetsu		 上越市 973.81 189,430
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25x25px Kamo 加茂市 133.72 25,971 51x51px
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Kashiwazaki		 柏崎市 442.03 81,836
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25x25px Minamiuonuma 南魚沼市 584.55 55,354
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25x25px Mitsuke 見附市 77.91 39,908
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25x25px Murakami 村上市 1,174.26 58,300
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25x25px Myōkō 妙高市 445.63 31,374
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Nagaoka		 長岡市 891.06 266,539
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Niigata (capital)		 新潟市 726.45 797,591
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25x25px Ojiya 小千谷市 155.19 34,704 51x51px
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Sado		 佐渡市 855.26 55,474
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Sanjō		 三条市 431.97 95,706
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25x25px Shibata 新発田市 533.1 96,236 51x51px
25x25px Tainai 胎内市 264.89 28,495 51x51px
25x25px Tōkamachi 十日町市 590.39 53,333 51x51px
25x25px Tsubame 燕市 110.96 77,382 51x51px
25x25px Uonuma 魚沼市 946.76 35,027 51x51px

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district:

Name Area (km2) Population District Type Map
Rōmaji Kanji
25x25px Aga 阿賀町 952.89 10,386 Higashikanbara District Town 51x51px
25x25px Awashimaura 粟島浦村 9.78 353 Iwafune District Village 51x51px
25x25px Izumozaki 出雲崎町 44.38 4,190 Santō District Town 51x51px
25x25px Kariwa 刈羽村 26.27 4,578 Kariwa District Village 51x51px
25x25px Seirō 聖籠町 37.58 14,025 Kitakanbara District Town
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25x25px Sekikawa 関川村 299.61 5,291 Iwafune District Village 51x51px
25x25px Tagami 田上町 31.71 11,481 Minamikanbara District Town 51x51px
25x25px Tsunan 津南町 170.21 9,349 Nakauonuma District Town 51x51px
25x25px Yahiko 弥彦村 25.17 7,824 Nishikanbara District Village 51x51px
25x25px Yuzawa 湯沢町 357.29 7,926 Minami-Uonuma District Town 51x51px

Mergers

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Main article: List of mergers in Niigata Prefecture

List of governors of Niigata Prefecture (from 1947)

Economy

Agriculture, forestry and fishing

File:400dpi (800x538) 魚沼産コシヒカリ 航空写真.jpg
Paddy fields in Minamiuonuma

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

File:史跡佐渡金山 - panoramio.jpg
Ruins of Kitazawa Flotation Plant, Sado gold mine

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.

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 in the production of scissors, kitchen knives, nail clippers and wrenches.

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, which formerly had the highest energy output in the world,[citation needed] is located in the tiny village of Kariwa. It has been closed since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.[6]

Demographics

File:Niigata prefecture population pyramid in 2020.svg
Niigata prefecture population pyramid in 2020
Historical population
Year Pop. ±% p.a.
1880 1,546,338 —    
1890 1,693,727 +0.91%
1903 1,780,123 +0.38%
1913 1,911,308 +0.71%
1920 1,776,474 −1.04%
1925 1,849,807 +0.81%
1930 1,933,326 +0.89%
1935 1,995,777 +0.64%
1940 2,064,402 +0.68%
1945 2,389,653 +2.97%
1950 2,460,997 +0.59%
1955 2,473,492 +0.10%
1960 2,442,037 −0.26%
1965 2,398,931 −0.36%
1970 2,360,982 −0.32%
1975 2,391,938 +0.26%
1980 2,451,357 +0.49%
1985 2,478,470 +0.22%
1990 2,474,583 −0.03%
1995 2,488,364 +0.11%
2000 2,475,733 −0.10%
2005 2,431,459 −0.36%
2010 2,374,450 −0.47%
2015 2,305,098 −0.59%
2020 2,227,496 −0.68%
source:[7]

In the Census of 2003, Niigata ranked as the 14th most populous.[citation needed]

Culture

Niigata Geishas

Food

File:Hegisoba 001.jpg
Hegisoba

Niigata is known for the following regional specialities:

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: 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.

Professional sports clubs include Albirex Niigata, a J-League Division 1 Football Club, and Niigata Albirex BB, a BJ (Basketball Japan) League team.

  • 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-juku (Japanese historical highway Hokkokukaido)

  • Matunoyama spa Hinanoyado Titose roten.jpg

    Matsunoyama Onsen

  • Tubame spa kawara no yu 2008.jpg

    Tsubame Onsen

  • 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

File:Nagaoka Festival Fireworks 2015 Phoenix 20150802.jpg
Nagaoka Festival (with fireworks)
File:Takada castle ruins.JPG
Night cherry blossoms and Takada castle
  • 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)[8]

Education

Universities

File:Updated Japan Niigata Pref Map (1).png
Transport Map of Niigata Prefecture
Red= Expressway, Green= Shinkansen, Black= Railway

Transport

File:Niigata Station Building, Bandai Square and Bus Terminal August2023.jpg
Niigata Station

Rail

Roads

Expressways

National highways

Ports

  • Iwafune Port in Murakami- Ferry route to Awashima
  • Naoetsu Port in Joetsu - Ferry route to Ogi
  • Niigata Port – Ferry route to Sado Island (Ryotsu),[9] Tsuruga, Akita, Otaru and Tomakomai, with International Container hub port
  • Ogi Port - Ferry route to Naoetsu
  • Ryotsu Port – Ferry route to Niigata

Airports

Notable individuals

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Politics and military

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
  • Yaichi Aizu (1881–1956), poet, calligrapher and historian, from Niigata City
  • Kokei Kobayashi (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 (1882-1975), doctor specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, Niigata Takeyama Hospital
  • Kinichiro Sakaguchi (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 (born 1949 Niitsu-shi), sculptor working in Paris France
  • Tsuchida Bakusen (1887–1936), Japanese painter, from Sado
  • Fubō Hayashi (1900–1935), novelist from Sado Island
  • Inoue Enryō (1858–1919), Buddhist philosopher, from Nagaoka
  • Junzaburō Nishiwaki (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 (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

Pop culture, manga, voice actors

Sports

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Niigata-ken" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 711, p. 711, at Google Books
  3. ↑ Nussbaum, "Niigata" at p. 711, p. 711, at Google Books
  4. ↑ Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" at p. 780, p. 780, at Google Books
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Statistics Bureau of Japan
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

References

External links

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