Niigata

Niigata is the capital of Niigata Prefecture and sits along the Sea of Japan, positioned between the coast and mountain ranges, with the Shinano River running through the urban area. The city spreads across eight administrative districts and connects coastal zones with residential and commercial neighborhoods inland.

The city was opened in 1858 as one of five treaty ports for international trade following the agreement between the United States and Japan. During the decades that followed, the harbor developed into an important point for exchanging goods and ideas with foreign merchants.

The name means "new harbor" and points to the city's long connection to the sea and commerce. Rice paddies shape the surrounding landscape, and restaurants serve dishes featuring local Koshihikari rice alongside fresh fish from the Sea of Japan.

The Joetsu and Hokuriku Shinkansen lines connect the city to Tokyo in about two hours, and the airport offers domestic flights to several Japanese cities. Visitors who want to explore the harbor and riverbanks on foot will find wide sidewalks in districts along the coast and the Shinano.

A museum inside the train station features vending machines that dispense sake samples from the region, allowing travelers to taste over a hundred local varieties. The machines release small portions, and visitors receive a coin to insert into the machine of their choice.

Location: Niigata Prefecture

Inception: April 1, 1889

Capital city: Chūō-ku

Reference: 151009

Shares border with: Shibata, Agano, Gosen, Kamo, Sanjo, Tsubame, Nagaoka, Seiro, Tagami, Yahiko, Sado

Website: https://city.niigata.lg.jp/multilingual

GPS coordinates: 37.91619,139.03639

Latest update: December 15, 2025 05:02