Joetsu, Special city in Niigata Prefecture, Japan
Description
Joetsu is a city in Niigata Prefecture along the Sea of Japan coast, framed by forested mountain slopes inland. The settlement spreads between rice paddies and coastal plains, linking rural valleys with industrial harbor districts.
History
The area served as the power center of the Uesugi clan during the Sengoku period, with Kasugayama as its fortress. Later, the region developed into a trading post and officially became a city in 1971.
Culture
The name refers to the location in the historic Kōzuke and Echigo regions and reflects local identity. Visitors see Edo period settlements and traces of snow and rice traditions that shape how people live here today.
Practical
The city connects to Tokyo via the Joetsu Shinkansen high-speed line and the Kanetsu Expressway. Visitors should expect changeable weather, particularly heavy snow in winter and cooler temperatures along the coast.
Did you know?
An Austro-Hungarian major named Theodor von Lerch introduced skiing here in 1911 and organized Japan's first ski lessons. The harbor also maintains a monthly ferry service to North Korea, one of the few direct transport routes between the two countries.
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Kasugayama Castle
2.7 km
Takada Castle
4.6 km
Joetsu Aquarium
2.9 km
Rinsen-ji
2 km
Kota Shrine
2.4 km
Mount Yone
27.1 km
Fossa Magna Park
38 km
Amatsu Shrine
35.1 km
Samegao Castle
10.8 km
Mount Kurohime
44 km
浄興寺
4 km
妙高サンシャインランド
22.3 km
米山大橋
31.4 kmChâteau de Chokuminejo
19.1 km
明静院
3.7 km
Higashikubiki Hills
28.6 km
Joetsu City History Museum
4.4 km
高田郵便局
4.4 km日本海フィッシャーマンズケープ
31.8 km大池いこいの森
12.2 kmLotte Arai Resort
18.1 km
Kobayashi Kokei House
4.5 km
Kobayashi Kokei Memorial Museum of Art
4.5 km
Chōjagahara Archaeological Museum
35.5 km
Joetsu Science Museum
1.6 km
Hama Zenkō-ji
2.7 km
Naoetsu Bridge
3.1 kmJoetsu Bunka Kaikan
207 mDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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