is a

prefecture A prefecture (from the Latin word, "''praefectura"'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain inter ...

in the

Chūbu region The , Central region, or is a region in the middle of Honshū, Japan's main island. In a wide, classical definition, it encompasses nine prefectures (''ken''): Aichi, Fukui, Gifu, Ishikawa, Nagano, Niigata, Shizuoka, Toyama, and Ya ...

Honshu , historically known as , is the largest of the four main islands of Japan. It lies between the Pacific Ocean (east) and the Sea of Japan (west). It is the list of islands by area, seventh-largest island in the world, and the list of islands by ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. Niigata Prefecture has a population of 2,131,009 (1 July 2023) and is the fifth-largest prefecture of Japan by geographic area at . Niigata Prefecture borders

Toyama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Toyama Prefecture has a population of 993,848 (1 January 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,247.61 km2 (1,640.01 sq mi). Toyama Prefecture borders Ishikawa Prefecture to the ...

and

Nagano Prefecture is a Landlocked country, landlocked Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,007,682 () and has a geographic area of . Nagano Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture ...

to the southwest,

Gunma Prefecture is a landlocked Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Gunma Prefecture has a population of 1,937,626 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of . Gunma Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture and Fuk ...

to the south,

Fukushima Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. Fukushima Prefecture has a population of 1,771,100 () and has a geographic area of . Fukushima Prefecture borders Miyagi Prefecture and Yamagata Prefecture ...

to the east, and

Yamagata Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. It has a population of 1,005,926 (1 February 2025) and an area of 9,325 Square kilometre, km2 (3,600 Square mile, sq mi). Its neighbours are Akita Prefectu ...

to the northeast. Niigata is the capital and largest city of Niigata Prefecture, with other major cities including Nagaoka, Jōetsu, and Sanjō. Niigata Prefecture contains the Niigata Major Metropolitan Area centered on Niigata with a population of 1,395,612, the largest

metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region consisting of a densely populated urban area, urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories which share Industry (economics), industries, commercial areas, Transport infrastructure, transport network ...

on the

Sea of Japan The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it ...

coast and the twelfth-largest in Japan. Niigata Prefecture is part of the historic

Hokuriku region The is located in the northwestern part of Honshu, the main island of Japan. It lies along the Sea of Japan and is part of the larger Chūbu region. It is almost equivalent to the former Koshi Province (Japan), Koshi Province and Hokurikudō are ...

and features

Sado Island is an island located in the eastern part of the Sea of Japan, under the jurisdiction of Sado City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan, with a coastline of . In October 2017, Sado Island had a population of 55,212 people. Sado Island covers an area of ...

, the sixth largest island of Japan in area following the four main islands and

Okinawa Island , officially , is the largest of the Okinawa Islands and the Ryukyu Islands, Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands of Japan in the Kyushu region. It is the smallest and least populated of the five Japanese archipelago, main islands of Japan. The island is ...

History

Until after the

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored Imperial House of Japan, imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Althoug ...

, the area that is now Niigata Prefecture was divided into

Echigo Province was an old provinces of Japan, old province in north-central Japan, on the shores of the Sea of Japan. It bordered on Uzen Province, Uzen, Iwashiro Province, Iwashiro, Kōzuke Province, Kōzuke, Shinano Province, Shinano, and Etchū Province, ...

(on the mainland) and

Sado Province was a province of Japan until 1871; since then, it has been a part of Niigata Prefecture. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Sado''" in . It was sometimes called or . It lies on the eponymous Sado Island, off the coast of Niigata Prefectur ...

. During the

Sengoku period The was the period in History of Japan, Japanese history in which civil wars and social upheavals took place almost continuously in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Kyōtoku incident (1454), Ōnin War (1467), or (1493) are generally chosen as th ...

, the

Nagao clan was a Japanese samurai clan. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)"Nagao," ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 39 retrieved 2013-5-5. History The Nagao clan descend fro ...

, 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 , later known as , was a Japanese ''daimyō'' (magnate). He was born in Nagao clan, and after adoption into the Uesugi clan, ruled Echigo Province in the Sengoku period of Japan. He was one of the most powerful ''daimyō'' of the Sengoku period ...

. 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 is the List of Japanese cities by population, sixth-largest city in Japan and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancient times. ...

and

Kitakyushu is a Cities of Japan, city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2019, Kitakyushu has an estimated population of 940,978, making it the second-largest city in both Fukuoka Prefecture and the island of Kyushu after the city of Fuk ...

. 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 Matthew Langford Perry (August 19, 1969 – October 28, 2023) was an American and Canadian actor, comedian, director and screenwriter. He gained international fame for starring as Chandler Bing on the NBC television sitcom ''Friends'' (1994– ...

. It has since played an important role in trade with

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

and

Korea Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...

. A freighter from

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...

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 a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan, prime minister of Japan from 1972 to 1974. Known for his background in construction and earthy and tenacious political style, Tanaka is the only modern Japanese prime minister who ...

, was highly influential in bringing infrastructure improvements to Niigata Prefecture in the 1960s and 1970s. These included the Jōetsu Shinkansen

high-speed rail High-speed rail (HSR) is a type of rail transport network utilising trains that run significantly faster than those of traditional rail, using an integrated system of specialised rolling stock and dedicated railway track, tracks. While there is ...

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 A winter storm (also known as snow storm) is an event in which wind coincides with varieties of precipitation that only occur at freezing temperatures, such as snow, mixed snow and rain, or freezing rain. In temperate continental and subarct ...

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

. On July 16, 2007, another

earthquake An earthquakealso called a quake, tremor, or tembloris the shaking of the Earth's surface resulting from a sudden release of energy in the lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from those so weak they ...

hit the area. Niigata Prefecture hosts the

Fuji Rock Festival is an annual music festival, rock festival held in Naeba Ski Resort, in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The three-day event, organized by Smash (Music promoters), Smash Japan, features more than 200 Japanese and international musicians, making it th ...

, 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

Niigata Prefecture stretches about along the

, from the southwest to the northeast, with a coastal plain between the mountains and the sea. It also includes

. Niigata Prefecture could be placed in either the Hokuriku or the Kōshinetsu, both of which are considered parts of the

. The prefecture is generally divided into four geographical areas: in the south, in the center, in the north, and

. The mouth of the

Shinano River The , known as the in its upper reaches, is the longest and widest river in Japan and the third largest by basin area (behind the Tone River and Ishikari River). It is located in northeastern Honshu, rising in the Japanese Alps and flowing g ...

, 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 is a Cities of Japan, city in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. , the city's population was 80,239, in 36,531 households. The population density was 55 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Nikkō is a popular destination for Japanese and ...

, and Oze National Parks; Echigo Sanzan-Tadami and Sado-Yahiko-Yoneyama Quasi-National Parks; and thirteen Prefectural Natural Parks. NiigataCityOpenData_kuusatsu002.jpg, Port of Niigata in Niigata City NiigataCityOpenData denen005.jpg, Echigo Plain Myokousan_from_hiutiyama_1996_6_29.jpg, Mount Myōkō Senkakuwan_20170416-2.jpg, Senkakuwan in

Find47 Niigata-Hasagi-trees of winter (Odiya City)-m.jpg, Paddy fields and mountains in Ojiya in winter

Cities

Twenty cities are located in Niigata Prefecture:

Towns and villages

These are the towns and villages in each

district A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...

Mergers

List of governors of Niigata Prefecture (from 1947)

* Shohei Okada (岡田正平) – from 15 April 1947 to 29 April 1955 * Kazuo Kitamura (北村一男) – from 30 April 1955 to 30 November 1961 * Toichiro Tsukada (塚田十一郎) – from 7 December 1961 to 28 March 1966 * Shiro Watari (亘四郎) – from 8 May 1966 to 30 April 1974 * Takeo Kimi (君健男) – from 1 May 1974 to 19 April 1989 * Kiyoshi Kaneko (金子清) – from 4 June 1989 to 9 September 1992 * Ikuo Hirayama (平山征夫) – from 25 October 1992 to 24 October 2004 * Hirohiko Izumida (泉田裕彦) – from 25 October 2004 to 24 October 2016 * Ryuichi Yoneyama (米山隆一) – from 25 October 2016 to 27 April 2018 * Hideyo Hanazumi (花角英世) – from 12 June 2018 to present

Economy

Agriculture, forestry and fishing

The major industry in Niigata Prefecture is agriculture. Rice is the principal product, and among the prefectures of Japan Niigata ranks first in rice output, followed by

Hokkaido is the list of islands of Japan by area, second-largest island of Japan and comprises the largest and northernmost prefectures of Japan, prefecture, making up its own list of regions of Japan, region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō fr ...

and Akita. The area around Uonuma is known for producing the

Koshihikari is a popular cultivar of Japonica rice cultivated in Japan as well as Australia and the United States. ''Koshihikari'' was first created in 1956 by combining 2 different strains of ''Nourin No.1'' and ''Nourin No.22'' at the Fukui Prefectura ...

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 Sake, , or saki, also referred to as Japanese rice wine, is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Despite the name ''Japanese rice wine'', sake, and indeed any East Asi ...

, senbei,

mochi A mochi ( ; Japanese ) is a Japanese rice cake made of , a short-grain Japonica rice, japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The steamed rice is pounded into paste and molded into the ...

, and arare. In

production, the prefecture comes third after

Gunma is a landlocked prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Gunma Prefecture has a population of 1,937,626 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of . Gunma Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture and Fukushima Prefecture to t ...

and

Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...

prefectures. The prefecture was also the place of origin of the ornamental

carp The term carp (: carp) is a generic common name for numerous species of freshwater fish from the family (biology), family Cyprinidae, a very large clade of ray-finned fish mostly native to Eurasia. While carp are prized game fish, quarries and a ...

known as koi. Niigata Prefecture produces the highest volume of

azalea Azaleas ( ) are flowering shrubs in the genus ''Rhododendron'', particularly the former sections ''Rhododendron sect. Tsutsusi, Tsutsusi'' (evergreen) and ''Pentanthera'' (deciduous). Azaleas bloom in the spring (April and May in the temperate ...

s and cut lilies in Japan, and is increasing the production of cut flowers and flower bulbs. Along with

, it produces the highest volume of

tulip Tulips are spring-blooming perennial herbaceous bulbiferous geophytes in the ''Tulipa'' genus. Their flowers are usually large, showy, and brightly coloured, generally red, orange, pink, yellow, or white. They often have a different colour ...

s in the country.

Mining and manufacturing

Crude oil Petroleum, also known as crude oil or simply oil, is a naturally occurring, yellowish-black liquid chemical mixture found in geological formations, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons. The term ''petroleum'' refers both to naturally occurring u ...

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

, was an active

gold mine Gold mining is the extraction of gold by mining. Historically, mining gold from alluvial deposits used manual separation processes, such as gold panning. The expansion of gold mining to ores that are not on the surface has led to more comple ...

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 is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...

in the production of

scissors Scissors are hand-operated shearing tools. A pair of scissors consists of a pair of blades pivoted so that the sharpened edges slide against each other when the handles (bows) opposite to the pivot are closed. Scissors are used for cutting var ...

kitchen knives A kitchen knife is any knife that is intended to be used in food preparation. While much of this work can be accomplished with a few general-purpose knives — notably a large chef's knife and a smaller serrated blade utility knife — there are ...

, nail clippers and

wrench A wrench or spanner is a tool used to provide grip and mechanical advantage in applying torque to turn objects—usually rotary fasteners, such as nuts and bolts—or keep them from turning. In the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand ...

es. 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 A nuclear power plant (NPP), also known as a nuclear power station (NPS), nuclear generating station (NGS) or atomic power station (APS) is a thermal power station in which the heat source is a nuclear reactor. As is typical of thermal power st ...

, which formerly had the highest energy output in the world, is located in the tiny village of Kariwa. It has been closed since the

Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster The Fukushima nuclear accident was a major nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Ōkuma, Fukushima, Japan, which began on 11 March 2011. The cause of the accident was the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, which r ...

Demographics

Niigata prefecture population pyramid in 2020

In the

Census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2020, Niigata ranked as the 15th most populous prefecture. Its population decreased by 103,000 between 2015 and 2020 and this was the second largest decline after

(157,000).

Culture

Food

Niigata is known for the following regional specialities: * Uonuma

rice * ''

Shōyu Soy sauce (sometimes called soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermented paste of soybeans, roasted grain, brine, and '' Aspergillus oryzae'' or '' Aspergillus sojae'' molds. It i ...

'' (soy sauce) and ''Yofu'' (western-style) '' katsudon'' * ''

sekihan Red bean rice, called ''patbap'' () in Korean language, Korean, ''sekihan'' () in Japanese language, Japanese, and ''hóngdòu fàn'' () in Chinese language, Chinese, is an East Asian rice dish consisting of cooked rice, rice cooked with adzuki ...

'' * '' Noppe stew'' * ''Wappa-meshi'' (seafood and rice steamed in a

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of mostly evergreen perennial plant, perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily (biology), subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family, in th ...

basket) * ''Sasa- dango'' (

balls filled with

red bean paste Red bean paste () or red bean jam, also called adzuki bean paste or ''anko'' (a Japanese word), is a paste made of red beans (also called "adzuki beans"), used in East Asian cuisine. The paste is prepared by boiling the beans, then mashing or ...

, seasoned with

mugwort Mugwort is a common name for several species of aromatic flowering plants in the genus '' Artemisia.'' In Europe, mugwort most often refers to the species '' Artemisia vulgaris'', or common mugwort. In East Asia the species '' Artemisia argyi'' ...

and wrapped in

leaves) * '' Poppo-yaki'' (steamed bread flavored with brown sugar) * ''Hegi-soba'' (

soba Soba ( or , "buckwheat") are Japanese noodles made primarily from buckwheat flour, with a small amount of wheat flour mixed in. It has an ashen brown color, and a slightly grainy texture. The noodles are served either chilled with a dipping sau ...

from the Uonuma and Ojiya areas, which uses a special kind of seaweed) * " Tsubame- Sanjō

ramen is a Chinese noodle dish popularized in Japan. It includes served in several flavors of broth. Common flavors are soy sauce and miso, with typical toppings including , nori (dried seaweed), menma (bamboo shoots), and scallions. Ramen h ...

" (ramen made using thick

udon Udon ( or ) is a thick noodle made from wheat flour, used in Japanese cuisine. There are a variety of ways it is prepared and served. Its simplest form is in a soup as with a mild broth called made from dashi, soy sauce, and mirin. It is usual ...

-style noodles) * Tochio '' aburage'' (aburaage is called "aburage" in Tochio) * ''Kirazu'' (dishes using '' okara'') * ''Kakinomoto'' (edible

chrysanthemums Chrysanthemums ( ), sometimes called mums or chrysanths, are flowering plants in the Asteraceae family. They are native to East Asia and northeastern Europe. Most species originate from East Asia, and the center of diversity is in China. Co ...

) * '' Kanzuri'' (a fermented paste from Myōkō made by leaving chili peppers exposed on snow, then adding salt,

yuzu Yuzu (''Citrus'' × ''junos'', from Japanese language, Japanese or ; ) is a citrus fruit and plant in the family Rutaceae of China, Chinese origin. Yuzu has been cultivated mainly in East Asia, though it has also recently been grown in New Z ...

, and kōji mold) * '' Yasuda yogurt''

Niigata in popular culture

* '' Snow Country'' (1947): a novel by

Nobel laureate The Nobel Prizes (, ) are awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Swedish Academy, the Karolinska Institutet, and the Norwegian Nobel Committee to individuals and organizations who make outstanding contributions in th ...

Yasunari Kawabata was a Japanese novelist and short story writer whose spare, lyrical, subtly-shaded prose works won him the 1968 Nobel Prize in Literature, the first Japanese author to receive the award. His works have enjoyed broad international appeal and ...

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 Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB color model, RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB color model, RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between Violet (color), violet and cyan on the optical spe ...

'' (1996): a

manga are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...

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 Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

Tourism and sports

Much of the tourism in Niigata centers around

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow for basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International S ...

, especially in the alpine areas of Myōkō and Yuzawa, and going to

onsen In Japan, are hot springs and the bathing facilities and Ryokan (inn), traditional inns around them. There are approximately 25,000 hot spring sources throughout Japan, and approximately 3,000 ''onsen'' establishments use naturally hot water ...

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 is a professional football club based in Niigata, Japan. Formed in 1955 as Niigata Eleven SC, it was renamed Albireo Niigata FC in 1995, and Albirex Niigata in 1997. They currently play in J1 League after being promoted from J2 League as cha ...

, a

J-League The , commonly a.k.a. shortened to the , and officially known as the for sponsorship with Meiji Yasuda Life, is the men's association football league in Japan. It is responsible for organizing Japan's major professional football tournaments, in ...

Division 1 Football Club, and Niigata Albirex BB, a BJ (Basketball Japan) League team. Naebatop.jpg, 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 ''Gakushū juku'' (; see cram school) are private, fee-paying schools that offer supplementary classes often in preparation for key school and university entrance exams. The term is primarily used to characterize such schools in Japan. Juku t ...

(Japanese historical highway Hokkokukaido) Matunoyama_spa_Hinanoyado_Titose_roten.jpg, Matsunoyama Onsen Tubame_spa_kawara_no_yu_2008.jpg, Tsubame Onsen Sado_Shukunegi.jpg, 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

Nagaoka_Festival_Fireworks_2015_Phoenix_20150802

* 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 A kite is a tethered heavier than air flight, heavier-than-air craft with wing surfaces that react against the air to create Lift (force), lift and Drag (physics), drag forces. A kite consists of wings, tethers and anchors. Kites often have ...

Festival – June * Sanjo Kite Festival – June * Nagaoka Festival (with

firework Fireworks are Explosive, low explosive Pyrotechnics, pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large numbe ...

s) – August * Niigata Tanrei Sake-no-Jin – March * Echigo-Tsumari Festival – August and September (every third year)

Education

Universities

* International University of Japan * Keiwa Gakuen University * Nagaoka University * Nagaoka University of Technology * Nagaoka Institute of Design * Niigata Sangyo University (Niigata Industrial University) * Niigata University * Nippon Dental University * Niigata College of Nursing * Niigata University of Health and Welfare * Niigata University of International and Information Studies *

Niigata University of Management is a private university in Kamo, Niigata, Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the ...

* Niigata University of Pharmacy and Applied Life Sciences * Niigata Institute of Technology

Transport

Rail

Echigo Tokimeki Railway The , officially abbreviated as ETR, is a Japanese third-sector railway operator. It was established in 2010 to operate passenger railway services on the sections of the JR East Shinetsu Main Line and JR West Hokuriku Main Line within Niigata P ...

** Myōkō Haneuma Line ** Nihonkai Hisui Line *Hokuetsu Express ** Hokuhoku Line *

JR East The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are in ...

Ban'etsu West Line The is a railway line in Japan operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Kōriyama Station (Fukushima), Kōriyama Station in Kōriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, and Niitsu Station in Akiha-ku, Niigata, Akiha Ward, Niigata (cit ...

Echigo Line The is a railway line operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) which connects the cities of Kashiwazaki and Niigata in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The line's name is taken from the name of the ancient Echigo Province, which correspond ...

** Iiyama Line **

Hakushin Line The is a Japanese railway line which runs between and stations in the cities of Niigata, Niigata, Niigata and Shibata, Niigata, Shibata in Niigata Prefecture. It is part of the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) network. Basic data *Operato ...

Hokuriku Shinkansen The Hokuriku Shinkansen () is a high-speed Shinkansen railway line connecting Tokyo with Tsuruga, Fukui, Tsuruga in the Hokuriku region of Japan. It is jointly operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and West Japan Railway Company (JR ...

Jōetsu Line The is a major railway line in Japan, owned by the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). It connects Takasaki Station in Gunma Prefecture with Miyauchi Station (Niigata), Miyauchi Station in Niigata Prefecture, linking the northwestern Kanto regi ...

** Jōetsu Shinkansen ** Shin'etsu Line ** Tadami Line ** Uetsu Line **

Yahiko Line The is a Japanese railway line operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) which connects Yahiko Station in the village of Yahiko and Higashi-Sanjō Station in the city of Sanjo, both in Niigata Prefecture is a Prefectures of Jap ...

** Yonesaka Line *

JR West , also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group (JR Group) companies and operates in western Honshu. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka. It is listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange, is a constituent of the TOPIX Large70 index, ...

Ōito Line The is a railway line in Japan which connects Matsumoto Station in Nagano Prefecture with Itoigawa Station in Niigata Prefecture. There are two operators on the line: East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and West Japan Railway Company (JR West ...

* Ainokaze Toyama Railway Line

Roads

Expressways

*E17 Kanetsu Expressway *E18 Jōshinetsu Expressway *E8

Hokuriku Expressway The , (abbreviated as , is a 4-laned national Expressways of Japan, expressway in Japan. It is owned and managed by East Nippon Expressway Company and Central Nippon Expressway Company. Overview The first section was opened in 1972 by Japan ...

*E49 Ban-etsu Expressway *E7 Nihonkai Tōhoku Expressway

National highways

* Route 7 (Niigata—Shibata—Murakami— Sakata— Akita— Noshiro—

Hirosaki is a Cities of Japan, city located in western Aomori Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 163,639 in 71,044 households, and a population density of . The total area of the city is . Hirosaki developed as a jōkamachi, ca ...

—

Aomori , officially Aomori City (, ), is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 264,945 in 136,781 households, and a population density of 321 people per squa ...

) * Route 8 (Niigata—Nagaoka—Kashiwazaki—Jōetsu— Toyama—

Kanazawa is the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture in central Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 466,029 in 203,271 households, and a population density of 990 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . Etymology The name "Kanazaw ...

— Tsuruga—

) * Route 17 (Nagaoka—Ojiya—Minamiuonuma—

Takasaki is a Cities of Japan, city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 372,369 in 167,345 households, and a population density of 810 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Takasaki is famous as th ...

—

Nihonbashi is a business district of Chūō, Tokyo, Japan, which sprung up around the bridge of the same name that has linked two sides of the Nihonbashi River at this site since the 17th century. The first wooden bridge was completed in 1603. The curre ...

of Tokyo) * Route 18 (Jōetsu—Myōkō— Nagano— Karuizawa—

) * Route 49 (Niigata—

Aizuwakamatsu is a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 118,159 in 50,365 households, and a population density of 310 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . History The area of present-day Aizuwakamatsu ...

—

Kōriyama is a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 321,938 people in 141760 households, and a population density of 425 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Kōriyama is designated as a core city and ...

— Iwaki) * Route 113 (Niigata— Arakawa— Nan'yō— Shiroishi— Sōma) * Route 116 (Niigata—Tsubame—Izumozaki—Kashiwazaki) * Route 117 (Ojiya—Tōkamachi— Iiyama) * Route 148 (Itoigawa— Ōmachi) * Route 252 * Route 253 * Route 289 * Route 290 * Route 291 * Route 292 * Route 345 * Route 350 (

) * Route 351 * Route 352 * Route 353 * Route 402 * Route 403 * Route 404 * Route 405 * Route 459 * Route 460

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), Tsuruga, Akita,

Otaru is a Cities of Japan, city and Seaports of Japan, port in Shiribeshi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan, northwest of Sapporo. The city faces Ishikari Bay and the Sea of Japan, and has long served as the main port of the bay. With its many historical ...

and Tomakomai, with International Container hub port *Ogi Port – Ferry route to Naoetsu *Ryotsu Port – Ferry route to Niigata

Airports

* Niigata Airport * Sado Airport

Notable individuals

Politics and military

* Masako, Empress of Japan, former registered domicile (Honseki) was Murakami *

(1530–1578), daimyō in the Sengoku period *

Naoe Kanetsugu was a Japanese samurai of the 16th–17th centuries. The eldest son of Higuchi Kanetoyo, Kanetsugu was famed for his service to two generations of the Uesugi ''daimyōs''. He was also known by his court title, Yamashiro no Kami (山城守) or ...

(1559–1620), samurai in the Sengoku period * Horibe Yasubei (1670–1703), samurai in the Edo period *

Hachirō Arita was a Japanese politician and diplomat who served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs for three terms. He coined the term Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, which provided an official agenda for Imperial Japan's expansionism. After the wa ...

(1884–1965), foreign minister, from Sado Island * Maejima Hisoka (1835–1919), founder of the Japanese postal service, from Joetsu * Masuda Takashi (1848–1938), creation of a general trading company, Mitsui Bussan. established a newspaper,

Nihon Keizai Shimbun ''The Nikkei'', also known as , is the flagship publication of Nikkei, Inc. (based in Tokyo) and the world's largest financial newspaper, with a daily circulation exceeding 1.73 million copies. The Nikkei 225, a stock market index for the Tokyo ...

. from Sado Island * Kita Ikki (1883–1937), nationalist author and intellectual, from Sado Island * Sakae Ōsugi (1885–1923), anarchist, lived in Shibata * Honma Masaharu (1887–1946) World War II lieutenant-general executed by the United States for war crimes committed in the Philippines *

Hitoshi Imamura was a Japanese general who served in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, and was subsequently convicted of war crimes. Finding his punishment to be too light, Imamura built a replica of his prison in his garden and confined himself ...

(1886–1968) World War II General in the Imperial Japanese Army, from Shibata high school *

Isoroku Yamamoto was a Marshal Admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet during World War II. He commanded the fleet from 1939 until his death in 1943, overseeing the start of the Pacific War in 1941 and J ...

(1884–1943), commander of the Japanese Imperial Navy, from Nagaoka * Chiang Kai-shek (1887–1975), Chinese political and military leader, served in the Imperial Japanese Army from 1909 to 1911 in Joetsu (Takada) * Ba Maw (1893–1977), Burmese political leader, active during the interwar and World War II, lived in Minamiuonuma (Ichiuchi) *

(1918–1993),

prime minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

, from Kashiwazaki * Hisashi Owada (born 1932), diplomat and father of Crown Princess Masako, from Shibata *

Makiko Tanaka is a Japanese politician. She is the daughter of former Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka and his official wife Hana. Early life Tanaka attended high school at Germantown Friends School in the United States and graduated from Waseda University. She ...

(born 1944), first female foreign minister, from Kashiwazaki

Arts and culture

Zeami Motokiyo , also called , was a Japanese aesthetician, actor, and playwright. His father, Kan'ami Kiyotsugu, introduced him to Noh theater performance at a young age, and found that he was a skilled actor. Kan'ami was also skilled in acting and formed a ...

(1363– 1443), aesthetician, actor, and playwright, exile to Sado Island * Ryōkan (1758–1831),

Zen Zen (; from Chinese: ''Chán''; in Korean: ''Sŏn'', and Vietnamese: ''Thiền'') is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition that developed in China during the Tang dynasty by blending Indian Mahayana Buddhism, particularly Yogacara and Madhyamaka phil ...

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 Calligraphy () is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instruments. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "the art of giving form to signs in an exp ...

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 The is a Japanese dictionary of ''kanji'' (Chinese characters) compiled by Tetsuji Morohashi. Remarkable for its comprehensiveness and size, Morohashi's dictionary contains over 50,000 character entries and 530,000 compound words. Haruo Shira ...

, 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 Donald Lawrence Keene (June 18, 1922 – February 24, 2019) was an American-born Japanese scholar, historian, teacher, writer and translator of Japanese literature. Keene was University Professor emeritus and Shincho Professor Emeritus of Japane ...

(born 1922), Japanese scholar, historian, teacher, writer and translator of Japanese literature, Honorary Citizen of Kashiwazaki *

Kodo (taiko group) __NOTOC__ Kodo may refer to: Japan * ''Kōdō is the art of appreciating Japanese incense, and involves using incense within a structure of codified conduct. ''Kōdō'' includes all aspects of the incense process, from the , to activities suc ...

, Based in Sado Actors, Actresses, Singers * Ken Watanabe (born 1959), stage, TV and film actor, from Uonuma * Princess Tenko (born 1959), magician, from Joetsu * Mina Fujii (born 1998), actress * Mikie Hara (born 1987), gravure idol and actress, from Murakami * Fumika Baba (born 1995), actress and model, from Niigata City * Maya Kobayashi (born 1979), journalist and newscaster, from Ojiya * Mao Kobayashi (actress) (born 1982), newscaster and former actress, from Ojiya * Miyuki Koizumi (born 1982), Model *

Kazuyuki Sekiguchi is a Japanese musician, best known for playing the bass guitar for Southern All Stars.Riantrisnanto, Rully.Band Lawas Southern All Stars Kembali Ramaikan Permusikan Jepang (in Indonesian), June 26, 2013. As a solo artist, he has played ukulele. ...

(born 1955), bass player for the rock group

Southern All Stars , also known by the abbreviations and SAS, are a Japanese rock band formed in Kanagawa in 1974. The band is composed of Keisuke Kuwata (lead vocals and guitars), Yuko Hara (vocals and keyboards), Kazuyuki Sekiguchi (bass), (drums) and (pe ...

, from Agano * Makoto Ogawa (born 1987), former member of

Morning Musume , formerly and commonly known as and colloquially referred to as , is a Japanese girl group, holding the second highest overall single sales (of a female group) on the Oricon, Oricon charts as of February 2012, with the Oricon record of most to ...

, actor and model, from Kashiwazaki *

Koharu Kusumi is a Japanese actress, model, television personality, and singer. In 2005, she became the only seventh generation member of the Japanese idol girl group Morning Musume, a part of Hello! Project. While Kusumi was in Morning Musume, she provided t ...

(born 1992), former member of

, actor and model, from Washima * Hitomi Saito (born 1981), former singer of leader of

Melon Kinenbi are an all-girl Japanese Pop music, pop group within Hello! Project. They were formed after they successfully passed the 2nd Morning Musume & Michiyo Heike Imotobun Audition. Melon Kinenbi is the oldest group in the history of Hello! Project not ...

, from Niigata City * Suneohair (born 1971), singer, from Nagaoka * Yasuyuki Okamura (born 1965), from Niigata Higashi High School * Double (singer), Japanese R&B singer * Negicco, based in Niigata City, Niigata * NGT48 based on Niigata City, Niigata *

Rina Sawayama is a Japanese and British singer-songwriter, actress and model. Born in Niigata (city), Niigata, Japan, she immigrated to London with her parents at the age of five. In 2017, she Self-publishing, self-released her debut extended play, ''Rina ...

, singer and model, born in Niigata City, Niigata Pop culture, manga, voice actors *

One (manga artist) ONE (stylized in all caps) or Tomohiro is the pseudonym of a Japanese manga artist, who is best known for his web manga series ''One-Punch Man'', which was later remade into a digital manga illustrated by Yusuke Murata. ''One'' serializes the ...

(1986), mangaká, from Niigata City *

Yoshifumi Kondō was a Japanese animator who worked for Studio Ghibli in his last years. He was born in Gosen, Niigata, Gosen, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. He worked as an animation director on ''Anne of Green Gables (1979 TV series), Anne of Green Gables'', ''She ...

(1950–1998), animator, from Gosen *

Hiroyuki Yamaga is a Japanese anime director and producer, and a founding member of the animation studio Gainax. He is best known for directing the film '' Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise'' (1987) at age 24, directing '' Mahoromatic'' (2001), '' Mag ...

(born 1962), anime director and producer, and a founding member of the animation studio

Gainax Gainax Co., Ltd. (stylized as GAINAX; , Hepburn: ) was a Japanese anime studio famous for original productions such as '' Neon Genesis Evangelion'', '' Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise'', '' Gunbuster'', '' Nadia: The Secret of Blue ...

, from Niigata City * Daisuke Hirakawa (born 1973), voice actor * Ryō Hirohashi (born 1977), voice actress, from Nagaoka * Yoko Ishida (born 1973), singer, from Niigata City * Rumi Kasahara (born 1970), voice actress, from Itoigawa *

Makoto Kobayashi is a Japanese physicist known for his work on CP-violation who was awarded one-fourth of the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physics "for the discovery of the origin of the broken symmetry which predicts the existence of at least three families of quar ...

(born 1958), manga artist, from Niigata City * Közi (born 1972), rock musician * Haruo Minami (1923–2001),

enka is a Japanese music genre considered to resemble traditional Japanese music stylistically. Modern ''enka'', however, is a relatively recent musical form which adopts a more traditional musical style in its vocalism than ''ryūkōka'' music, pop ...

singer, from Nagaoka *

Hitomi Nabatame is a Japanese actress and singer who is affiliated with Ken Production. She sang the opening themes for ''Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu'' under the name "Miran Himemiya and Chocolate Rockers". Biography Filmography Anime ;2003 *'' Maburaho'' ...

(born 1976), voice actress, from Sado Island * Tatsuyuki Nagai (born 1976), anime director * Kazuto Nakazawa (born 1968), animator *

Kenichi Suzumura is a Japanese voice actor, narrator, and singer who is affiliated with and a representative of INTENTION, a voice acting company he founded in March 2012. He voiced Morley in ''Macross 7'', Hikaru Hitachiin in '' Ouran High School Host Club'', M ...

(born 1974), voice actor * Kiriko Nananan (born 1972), manga artist, from Tsubame * Yukari Nozawa (born 1957), actor and voice actor * Takeshi Obata (born 1969), manga artist, from Niigata City * Etsushi Ogawa (born 1969), manga artist * Ikue Otani (born 1965), voice actress, from Kashiwazaki * Ango Sakaguchi (1906–1955), novelist and essayist, from Niigata City * Daisuke Sakaguchi (born 1973), voice actor, from Kashiwazaki *

Shuichi Shigeno is a Japanese manga artist famous for creating '' Initial D''. Shigeno has also created '' Bari Bari Densetsu'', ''Dopkan'', and ''Tunnel Nuketara Sky Blue'' ("First Love in Summer"). In 1985, he received the Kodansha Manga Award in shōnen ...

(born 1958), manga artist, from Tōkamachi *

Bin Shimada Bin Shimada (; born November 20, 1954) is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narratorDoi, Hitoshi.Shimada Bin. ''Seiyuu Database''. July 17, 2010Archivedby WebCite July 20, 2010. affiliated with the talent management firm Aoni Production. Film ...

(born 1954), voice actor, from Niigata City *

Kunio Shimizu (17 November 1936 – 15 April 2021) was a Japanese playwright. Niigata is his hometown, which is located on the Japan Sea. At Tama University of Fine Arts Shimizu was a professor working in the Moving Images and Performing Arts Department. Li ...

(1936–2021), playwright from Niigata * Motoei Shinzawa (born 1958), manga artist, from Kashiwazaki * Yōko Sōmi (born 1965), voice actress *

Rumiko Takahashi is a Japanese manga artist. With a career of several commercially successful works, beginning with ''Urusei Yatsura'' in 1978, she is one of Japan's best-known and wealthiest manga artists. Her works are known worldwide, where they have been tra ...

(born 1957), manga artist, from Niigata City * Kazuya Tsurumaki (born 1966), animator, from Gosen * Hajime Watanabe (born 1957),

animator An animator is an artist who creates images, known as frames, which give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, and video games. Animat ...

Nobuhiro Watsuki , better known by his pen name , is a Japanese manga artist. He is best known for his samurai-themed series '' Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story'' (1994–1999), which has over 70 million copies in circulation, and a sequel he is cur ...

(born 1970), manga artist, from Nagaoka * Hiroki Yagami (born 1967), manga artist, from Kashiwazaki *

Akiko Yajima is a Japanese voice actress from Kashiwazaki, Niigata. Her best-known role is as the title character Shinnosuke Nohara in the long-running anime series '' Crayon Shin-chan''. She also voices Mipple in the original '' Futari wa Pretty Cure' ...

(born 1967), voice actress, from Kashiwazaki * Kimio Yanagisawa (born 1948),

artist, from Gosen * Keiko Yokozawa (born 1952), voice actress, from Niigata City

Sports

* Shiro Saigo (1866–1922), Judo, lived in Aga (Tsugawa), lived in 1869–1882 * Haguroyama Masaji (1914–1969), sumo wrestler from Nakanokuchi who was ''

yokozuna , or , is the top division of the six divisions of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers ('' rikishi''), ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments. This is the o ...

'' for 12 years and three months; an all-time record * Shohei Baba (1938–1999), Japanese

professional wrestler Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to real-life wrest ...

, from Sanjō *

Sawao Kato Sawao (written: 沢男 or さわお in hiragana) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include: *, Japanese gymnast *, Japanese musician {{given name Japanese masculine given names Masculine given names ...

(born 1946), winner of 12 Olympic medals in gymnastics * Killer Khan (born 1947), professional wrestler, from Tsubame * Ayumu Hirano (born 1998), snowboarder, from Murakami * Ayana Onozuka (born 1988), freestyle skier, from Minamiuonuma * Kentaro Minagawa (born 1977), alpine skier, from Yuzawa * Junko Hoshino (born 1989), freestyle skier, from Nagaoka * Reruhi Shimizu (born 1993), ski jumper, from Myoko * Mai Nakamura (born 1979), swimmer, from Nagaoka * Gōtoku Sakai (born 1991), footballer (2015–

Hamburger SV Hamburger Sport-Verein e.V. (), commonly known as Hamburger SV () or Hamburg (), or HSV (), is a German sports club based in Hamburg, with its largest branch being its Association football, football department. Though the current HSV was founde ...

), from Sanjo *

Yujiro Takahashi , is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a member of House of Torture and a former member of Bullet Club. He is one-third of the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions with Ren Narit ...

(born 1981),

from Niigata City.

Notes

References

* Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005)
''Japan encyclopedia.''
Cambridge:

Harvard University Press Harvard University Press (HUP) is an academic publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University. It is a member of the Association of University Presses. Its director since 2017 is George Andreou. The pres ...

.
OCLC 58053128

External links

Niigata Prefecture Official Website

Niigata Prefecture Official Website
{{Coord, 37, 37, N, 138, 52, E, scale:500000, display=title Chūbu region Hokuriku region Prefectures of Japan