Niigata Prefecture

Niigata Prefecture (新潟県; Niigata-ken) is located on Honshu island, Japan. The capital is the city of Niigata.

History

Niigata prefecture was originally divided into Echigo Province and Sado Province until the Meiji Restoration. During the Sengoku period it was ruled by Uesugi Kenshin.

Niigata (the city) is the largest and most important city amaong the cities which faces the Sea of Japan. It has been an important seaport since the opening of Japan in the mid-1800s, especially for trade with Russia and northern Korea, and was the first port on the Sea of Japan to be opened to foreign trade.

The Etsuzankai organization, led by prime minister Tanaka Kakuei, was highly influential in bringing infrastructure improvements to Niigata in the 1960s and 1970s, including the Joetsu Shinkansen high speed rail line and Kanetsu Expressway to Tokyo.

Today, Niigata is best known for being visited by a freighter from North Korea once a month: one of the few direct contacts between the Free world and the communist country.

On October 23, 2004, the Chuetsu Earthquake struck Niigata Prefecture, causing shaking measured at Shindo 6+ at Ojiya.

Geography

Niigata prefecture stretches about 240 km along the Sea of Japan from southwest to north east, with a coastal plain between the mountains and the sea. It also includes Sado Island.

Cities

• Agano
• Gosen
• Itoigawa
• Joetsu
• Kamo
• Kashiwazaki
• Minamiuonuma
• Mitsuke
• Murakami
• Myoko (previous Arai)
• Nagaoka
• Niigata (capital)
• Ojiya
• Sado
• Sanjo
• Shibata
• Tochio
• Tokamachi
• Tsubame
• Uonuma

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each district.

Mergers and changes of municipalities

• On January 1, 2001, the town of Kurosaki in Nishikanbara District was absorbed into the city of Niigata.
• On July 7, 2003, the town of Toyoura in Kitakanbara District was absorbed into the city of Shibata.
• On March 1, 2004, the city of Ryotsu and the towns of Aikawa, Hamochi, Hatano, Kanai, Mano, Ogi and Sawata and the villages of Akadomari and Niibo in Sado District merged to form the city of Sado. Sado District was thereby dissolved.
• On April 1, 2004, the towns of Suibara and Yasuda and the villages of Kyogase and Sasakami in Kitakanbara District merged to form the city of Agano.
• On November 1, 2004, the towns of Muika and Yamato in Minamiuonuma District merged to form the city of Minamiuonuma.
• On November 1, 2004, the towns of Horinouchi and Koide and the villages of Hirokami, Irihirose, Sumon and Yunotani in Kitauonuma District merged to form the city of Uonuma.
• On January 1, 2005, the town of Yasuzuka and the villages of Maki, Oshima and Uragawara in Higashikubiki District, the towns of Itakura, Kakizaki, Ogata and Yoshikawa and the villages of Kiyosato, Kubiki, Nakagou and Sanwa in Nakakubiki District and the town of Nadachi in Nishikubiki District were absorbed into the city of Joetsu.
• On March 19, 2005, the city of Itoigawa and the towns of Nou and Oumi in Nishikubiki District merged to form the new city of Itoigawa. Nishikubiki District was thereby dissolved.
• On March 21, 2005, the city of Niitsu, Shirone and Toyosaka, the towns of Kameda, Kosudo and Yokogoshi in Nakakanbara District and the town of Nishikawa and the villages of Ajikata, Iwamuro, Katahigashi, Nakanokuchi and Tsukigata in Nishikanbara District were absorbed into the city of Niigata.
• On April 1, 2005, the town of Myokokogen and the village of Myoko in Nakakubiki District were absorbed into the city of Arai. Arai changed its name to Myoko at the same time. Nakakubiki District was thereby dissolved.
• On April 1, 2005, the town of Oguni in Kariwa District, the village of Yamakoshi in Koshi District, the town of Nakanoshima in Minamikanbara District and the towns of Koshiji and Mishima in Santo District were absorbed into the city of Nagaoka. Koshi District was thereby dissolved.
• On April 1, 2005, the city of Tokamachi, the towns of Matsudai and Matsunoyama in Higashikubiki District and the town of Kawanishi and the village of Nakasato merged to form the new city of Tokamachi. Higashikubiki District was thereby dissolved.
• On April 1, 2005, the towns of Kanose and Tsugawa and the village of Kamikawa and Mikawa in Higashikanbara District merged to form the town of Aga.
• On May 1, 2005, the towns of Nishiyama and Takayanagi in Kariwa District were absorbed into the city of Kashiwazaki.
• On May 1, 2005, the town of Shiunji and the village of Kajikawa in Kitakanbara District were absorbed into the city of Shibata.
• On May 1, 2005, the city of Sanjo, the town of Sakae and the village of Shitada in Minamikanbara District were absorbed into the city of Sanjo.

Economy

Niigata is the principal rice growing region of Japan based on quality rather than quantity. Although rice production is widespread throughout Japan, Niigata accounts for 70% of the total value of the rice harvest. The most prized variety of rice is Niigata Koshihikari.

The prefecture is famous as the original home of the ornamental carp known as koi, and the best-quality koi are still considered to come from the farms of Niigata.

It is also very famous for its sake alcohol, which is some of the best in Japan.

Industrial production in Niigata includes a variety of machinery manufacturing, and particularly manufacturing of household and kitchen goods.

Demographics

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Culture

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Tourism

http://www.pref.niigata.jp/sougouseisaku/kokusai/english/sightseeing/event.html

Prefectural symbols

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Miscellaneous topics

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External link

• Official Niigata Prefecture website (requires Macromedia Flash plugin)

See also: Niigata Prefecture, 19th century, 2000