Niigata prefecture

Niigata prefecture (新潟県)

Niigata prefectural symbol
Capital	Niigata
Region:	Chubu
Island:	Honshu
Area  - Total  - % water	Ranked 5th 12,582.37 0.2%
Population  - Total (Oct 1, 2000)  - Density	Ranked 14th 2,475,733 197/km²
Districts:	16
Municipalities:	111
:	JP-15
Symbols
Pref. Flower:	Tulip (Tulipa gesneriana)
Pref. Tree:	Camellia (Camellia japonica)
Pref. Bird:	Japanese crested ibis (Nipponia nippon)

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

Table of contents

1 History 2 Geography 2.1 Cities 2.2 Towns and Villages 3 Economy 4 Demographics 5 Culture 6 Tourism 7 Prefectural symbols 8 Miscellaneous topics 9 External links

History

Niigata is the largest and most important city in Ura Nihon, the half of Japan that faces the Sea of Japan. It has been an important seaport since the opening of Japan in the mid-1800's, especially for trade with Russia and northern Korea.

The Etsuzankai organization, led by prime minister Tanaka Kakuei, was highly influential in bringing infrastructure improvements to Niigata in the 1960's and 1970's, 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 Western bloc and the communist country.

Geography

Cities

• Arai
• Gosen
• Itoigawa
• Joetsu
• Kamo
• Kashiwazaki
• Mitsuke
• Murakami
• Nagaoka
• Niigata (capital)
• Niitsu
• Ojiya
• Ryotsu (present Sado)
• Sado
• Sanjo
• Shibata
• Shirone
• Tochio
• Tokamachi
• Toyosaka
• Tsubame

• Higashi-kambara District
  • Kamikawa
  • Kanose
  • Mikawa
  • Tsugawa

• Higashi-kubiki District
  • Maki
  • Matsudai
  • Matsunoyama
  • Ooshima
  • Uragawara
  • Yasuduka

• Iwafune District
  • Arakawa
  • Asahi
  • Awashimaura
  • Kamihayashi
  • Sanpoku
  • Sekikawa

• Kariwa District
  • Kariwa
  • Nishiyama
  • Oguni
  • Takayanagi

• Kita-kanbara District
  • Kajikawa
  • Kurokawa
  • Kyougase
  • Nakajou
  • Sasakami
  • Seirou
  • Shiunji
  • Suibara
  • Yasuda

• Kita-uonuma District
  • Hirokami
  • Horinouchi
  • Irihirose
  • Kawaguchi
  • Koide
  • Sumon
  • Yunotani

• Koshi District
  • Yamakoshi

• Minami-kanbara District
  • Nakanoshima
  • Sakae
  • Shitada
  • Tagami

• Minami-uonuma District
  • Muika
  • Shiozawa
  • Yamato
  • Yuzawa

• Naka-kambara District
  • Kameda
  • Kosudo
  • Muramatsu
  • Yokogoshi

• Naka-kubiki District
  • Itakura
  • Kakizaki
  • Kiyosato
  • Kubiki
  • Myoukou
  • Myoukou-kougen
  • Nakagou
  • Oogata
  • Sanwa
  • Yoshikawa

• Naka-uonuma District
  • Kawanishi
  • Nakasato
  • Tsunan

• Nishi-kambara District
  • Ajikata
  • Bunsui
  • Iwamuro
  • Katahigashi
  • Maki
  • Nakanokuchi
  • Nishikawa
  • Tsukigata
  • Yahiko
  • Yoshida

• Nishi-kubiki District
  • Nadachi
  • Nou
  • Oumi

• Sado District (dissolved in 2004)
  • Aikawa (present Sado)
  • Akadomari (present Sado)
  • Hamochi (present Sado)
  • Hatano (present Sado)
  • Kanai (present Sado)
  • Mano (present Sado)
  • Niibo (present Sado)
  • Ogi (present Sado)
  • Sawata (present Sado)

• Santou District
  • Izumozaki
  • Koshiji
  • Mishima
  • Teradomari
  • Washima
  • Yoita

Niigata is the principle 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.

Demographics

Culture

Tourism

Prefectural symbols

Miscellaneous topics

External links

• Official Niigata prefecture website (requires Macromedia Flash plugin)