Niigata Prefecture
Niigata prefecture (新潟県; Niigata-ken) is the located on Honshu island, Japan. The capital is the city of Niigata.
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-1800s, 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 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 Western bloc and the communist country.
Geography
Cities
Towns and Villages
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.
Demographics
Culture
Tourism
Prefectural symbols
Miscellaneous topics
