Joetsu, Special city in Niigata Prefecture, Japan
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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