Sendai , Japan

Sendai
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Learn more about citing Wikipedia •
Jump to: navigation, search

This article does not cite any references or sources. (April 2007)Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.
Sendai City仙台市
Sendai City's location in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.
Location
Country
Japan
Region
Tōhoku
Prefecture
Miyagi Prefecture
Physical characteristics
Area
788.09 km² (304.3 sq mi)
Population (as of 2005)
Total
1,028,214
Density
1,305/km² (3,379.9/sq mi)
Location
38°16′05″N, 140°52′11″E
Symbols
Tree
Japanese zelkova
Flower
Japanese clover
Symbol of Sendai City
Sendai City Government Office
Mayor
Katsuhiko Umehara
Address
〒980-8671Sendai-shi, Aoba-ku, Kokubun-cho 3-7-1
Phone number
022-261-1111
Official website: Sendai City
For the former city of Sendai in Kagoshima Prefecture, see Satsumasendai, Kagoshima.
Sendai (仙台市, Sendai-shi?) is the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, and the largest city in the Tōhoku (northeast) region. The city has a population of one million and is one of Japan's fourteen designated cities. The city was founded in 1600 by the daimyo Date Masamune (伊達政宗, Date Masamune?), and is well known by its nickname, the "City of Trees" (杜の都, Mori no Miyako?).
Contents[hide]
1 History
2 Geography
3 Climate
4 Demographics
5 Wards
6 Politics
7 Economy
8 Education
9 Transportation
9.1 Train stations
10 Culture
10.1 Streets
10.2 Festivals
10.3 Sports
10.4 Museums
10.5 Historical sites
10.6 Natural sites
10.7 Specialties and crafts
10.8 Churches
10.9 Other sites
11 Sister and Friendship cities
11.1 International sister and friendship cities
12 References
13 External links
//

[edit] History
Although the Sendai area was inhabited as early as 20,000 years ago, the history of Sendai as a city begins from 1600, when the daimyo Date Masamune relocated to Sendai.
Masamune was not happy with his previous stronghold, Iwadeyama. Iwadeyama was located to the north of his territories and was also difficult to access from Edo (modern-day Tokyo). Sendai was an ideal location, placed in the center of Masamune's newly defined territories, upon a major road from Edo, and near the sea. Tokugawa Ieyasu gave Masamune permission to build a new castle in Aobayama, Sendai after the Battle of Sekigahara. Aobayama was the location of a castle used by the previous ruler of the Sendai area.
At this time, Sendai was written as 千代 (literally means "a thousand generations"), because a temple with a thousand Buddha statues (千体, sentai?) used to be located in Aobayama. Masamune changed the kanji to 仙臺, which later became 仙台 (literally means "hermit on a platform"). The kanji was taken from a Chinese poem that praised a palace created by the Emperor Wen of Han China, comparing it to a mythical palace in the Kunlun Mountains. It is said that Masamune chose this kanji so the castle would prosper as long as a mountain inhabited by an immortal hermit.
Masamune ordered the construction of Sendai Castle in December 1600 and the construction of the town of Sendai in 1601. The grid plan roads in present-day central Sendai are based upon his plans.

Downtown Sendai from the nearby Atago shrine
Sendai was incorporated as a city on April 1, 1889, as a result of the abolition of the han system. At the time of incorporation, the city's area was 17.45 km² and its population was 86,000. However, the city grew through seven annexations that occurred from 1928 to 1988. The City became a designated city on April 1, 1989. The city's population exceeded one million in 1999.
Sendai was (and still is) considered to be one of Japan's greenest cities, mostly because of its great numbers of trees and plants. Sendai became known as The City of Trees at least before World War II. This was because the Sendai han encouraged residents to plant trees in their yards. As a result, many houses, temples, and shrines in central Sendai had household forests (屋敷林, yashikirin?), which were used as resources for wood and other everyday materials. Air raids during World War II destroyed much of the greenery, and more was lost during the post-war rehabilitation and growth. Sendai is still well known as The City of Trees, but this is mainly because of massive efforts to restore greenery in the city.

[edit] Geography

The Hirose-gawa River, seen from the Otamaya-bashi Bridge.
Sendai is located at lat. 38°16'05" north, long. 140°52'11" east. The city's area is 788.09 km², and stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the Ōu Mountains, which are the east and west borders of Miyagi Prefecture. As a result, the city's geography is quite diverse. Eastern Sendai is a plains area, the center of the city is hilly, and western areas are mountainous. The highest point in the city is Mt. Funagata which stands 1,500 m over sea level.
The Hirose-gawa River flows 45 km through Sendai. The river is well-known as a symbol of Sendai, especially because it appears in the lyrics of Aobajō Koiuta (青葉城恋唄; literally, The Aoba Castle Love Song), a popular song sung by Muneyuki Sato. Sendai castle was built close to the river, intending to use it as a natural moat. The river frequently flooded until the 1950s, but dams and levees constructed in the 1960s and 1970s have made such floods rare. The river is now known for its exceptionally clean water and natural beauty, and was selected by Japan's Environment Agency as one of Japan's 100 Great Waters.

Sendai panorama view from Aobayama Hill.
Most mountains in Sendai are dormant volcanoes, much older than the more famous Zaō and Narugo volcanoes in nearby municipalities. However, many hot springs can be found in the city, indicating hydrothermal activity. The Miyagi Oki earthquake occurs offshore Sendai once every 25 to 40 years. The 2005 Miyagi earthquake, which occurred on August 16, 2005 had an epicenter close to the Miyagi Oki earthquake area. However, the Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion concluded that it was not the Miyagi Oki earthquake, saying "...the recent event is not thought to be this earthquake. This is because the magnitude of the earthquake was small, and the source area, which was estimated from the aftershock distribution and seismic waves, did not cover the whole expected source region. Although, the recent event ruptured a part of the focal region of the expected earthquake."

[edit] Climate

Average temperature and precipitation in Sendai.
Sendai is situated in a temperate climate zone and has a moderate climate. The city's average temperature is 12.1°C (53.8°F) and its average annual precipitation is 1,241.8 mm. The highest recorded temperature in the city is 36.8°C (98.2°F), and the lowest recorded temperature is -11.7°C (10.9°F). The average year has 16.8 days with a high temperature over 30°C and only 2.2 days with a low temperature below 0°C, which is smaller compared to other major Japanese cities. The city is rarely hit by typhoons, and experiences only 6 days with more than 10 cm of snowfall in the average year. Sendai's rainy season usually begins in late June to early July, which is later than most cities in Japan. And cold wind from the Okhotsk air mass, called "Yamase", blows in this season.

[edit] Demographics
As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 1,028,214 and a density of 1,304.69 persons per km². The city's total area is 788.09 km². Most people in the city live in urban areas close to train and subway stations. The 2000 National Census revealed that 88.5% of the city's population (892,252 people) live in a 129.69 km² area, which is 16.6% of the city's total area. The population density in this area is 6,879.9 persons per km², which is more than 5 times higher than the city's population density at that time, 1,286.6 persons per km². Approximately 10,000 people in Sendai are non-Japanese citizens.
Sendai has 444,514 households as of 2005. The average household has approximately 2.31 members. The average household is becoming smaller every year, because single-member households are increasing. Sendai has many people in their early 50s and in their 20s and early 30s compared to other age groups. This is a result of the first and second baby boom in Japan, and the presence of many young students that study in Sendai. The average age in Sendai is 38.4, which makes the city one of the youngest major cities in Japan.

[edit] Wards
Sendai has five wards ("ku"), which were created when it became a designated city in 1989. The city consciously avoided names that included directions (e.g., north 北, center 中央) when it chose names for the new wards.
Aoba-ku(青葉区)
Izumi-ku(泉区)
Miyagino-ku(宮城野区)
Taihaku-ku(太白区)
Wakabayashi-ku(若林区)

[edit] Politics

Sendai City Hall.
Sendai's political system is similar to other cities in Japan, because the Local Autonomy Law makes all municipalities uniform in terms of organization and power. However, Sendai is a designated city, so it has the same jurisdiction as prefectures in some areas.
Sendai's local government is essentially a mayor-council government with a strong mayor system. The mayor is elected from a citywide election. Sendai City Assembly members are elected from 5 elective districts, which correspond to the city's 5 wards. The number of assembly members allocated to each ward is based upon population. As of May 2005, the city has 60 assembly members; 17 from Aoba Ward, 11 from Miyagino, 8 from Wakabayashi, 13 from Taihaku, and 11 from Izumi. The City Assembly elects an Assembly Chairperson and Vice Chairperson. Sendai has two vice mayors, which are not elected by the populace.
Sendai is known to be a relatively liberal area, which tends to favor the Democratic Party in national elections.

[edit] Economy
Sendai is the center of the Tōhoku region's economy, and is the base of the region's logistics and transportation. The city's economy heavily relies upon retail and services – the two industries provide approximately two thirds of the employment and close to half of the establishments.
Sendai is frequently called a branch office economy, because very few major companies are headquartered in the city. Various authorities are cooperating to alleviate this problem, primarily by encouraging high-tech ventures from Tohoku University, which is well-known for its science and engineering departments. Several high-profile projects, such as the Sendai-Finland Wellbeing Center, have emerged from these attempts, but tangible results in the city's economy and employment are yet to be seen.
Tohoku Electric Power Co., Inc., a major regional supplier of electric power, has its headquarters in Sendai.

[edit] Education

Sendai Second High School
Sendai is sometimes called an "Academic City" (学都; gakuto) because the city has many universities compared to its population. Tohoku University is the center of the city's higher education. Tohoku University is known in Japan to be the leader in the field of material science. Recipient of the 2002 Nobel prize in chemistry, Koichi Tanaka graduated with a bachelor's degree from Tohoku University. The university was one of the nine Japanese imperial universities and was ranked as the best Asian multi-disciplinary university in a 1999 Asiaweek survey. Also it was the first University to accept female students as well as foreign students in Japan.
Another of Sendai's universities is Tohoku Gakuin University. Also in the city are Sendai Shirayuri Women's College, Tohoku Seikatsu Bunka College, Tohoku Bunka Gakuen University, a campus of Miyagi University, Miyagi Gakuin Women's University, Miyagi University of Education, Tohoku Fukushi University, and Miyagi Agriculture College.

[edit] Transportation

JR Sendai Station
JR Sendai Station is the center of transportation in the city. The station is served by eight JR lines and is a major station for the Tōhoku and Akita Shinkansen lines. An underground passage connects the station to the Sendai City Subway Line.
Sendai has a North-South subway line, one of the most expensive in Japan with a basic fare starting at 200 yen. The city is starting the construction of an East-West line, scheduled for completion in 2015. The East-West line has been criticized for being excessively costly, based upon extremely optimistic estimates, and hostile to the natural environment. Proponents maintain that the new subway line is necessary to prevent urban sprawl, will decrease the city's environmental load by encouraging use of public transportation, and is based upon adequate estimates. Sendai citizen (仙台市民, Sendai Shimin?) Ombudsman has filed a suit against the Mayor of Sendai to prevent construction fees from becoming approved. The suit is pending at the Sendai district courts.

Kōtōdai Kōen Station
The city is served by Sendai Airport (Natori), which has international flights to several countries, and Sendai Port. Contrary to the name, the Sendai International Airport terminal is actually south of the city in neighboring Natori, and the 3000 metre main runway straddles the border between Natori and Iwanuma while a 1200 metre diagonal runway is located entirely within Iwanuma. A rail link to Sendai began service on March 18, 2007.
Sendai is surrounded by a network of highways. The Tōhoku Expressway runs north-south through western Sendai, and is interconnected to other highways, such as the Sendai Nambu Road, Sendai Tobu Road, Sanriku Expressway (Sendai-Matsushima Road), and Sendai Hokubu Road.

[edit] Train stations
JR East
Tōhoku Shinkansen: Sendai
Tōhoku Main Line: Minami-Sendai - Nagamachi - Sendai - Higashi-Sendai - Iwakiri
Jōban Line: Minami-Sendai - Nagamachi - Sendai
Senzan Line: Sendai - Tōshōgū - Kita-Sendai - Kitayama - Kunimi - Kuzuoka Station - Rikuzen-Ochiai - Ayashi - Rikuzen-Shirasawa - Kumagane - Nishi-Sendai Hi-Land - Sakunami - Yatsumori - Okunikkawa
Senseki Line: Aoba-dōri - Sendai - Tsutsujigaoka - Miyaginohara - Rikuzen-Haranomachi - Nigatake - Kozurushinden - Fukudamachi - Rikuzen-Takasago - Nakanosakae
Sendai City Subway Line (All stations)

[edit] Culture

[edit] Streets

The promenade of Jozenji-Dori
The streets with a lot of Japanese zelkovas in Sendai are well-known. The typical streets are called Jozenji-Dori (定禅寺通り, Jōzenji Dōri?) and Aoba-Dori (青葉通り, Aoba Dōri?). These are symbols of "City of Trees". Jozenji-Dori has a promenade and a few sculptures, it is a place of relaxation. And Jozenji-Dori and Kōtōdai Park (匂当台公園, Kōtōdai Kōen?) are often taken placed many events and festivals, Sendai Pageant of Starlights. Aoba-Dori is mainstreet of Sendai and a bussiness road in Sendai.
Besides them, Hirose-Dori(ginkgo), Higashi-Nibancho-Dori and so on are in Sendai.

[edit] Festivals

The Sendai Tanabata Festival.
The most famous festival in Sendai is the Sendai Tanabata Festival, which attracts more than 2 million visitors every year and is the largest Tanabata Festival in Japan. The festival is relatively quiet compared to other traditional Japanese festivals, because its main attractions are the intricate Tanabata decorations. The Aoba Matsuri Festival follows more typical Japanese festival traditions, with a mikoshi, floats, a samurai parade, and traditional dancing. Local people burn their New Year decorations and pray for health in the new year during the Dontosai Festival, the oldest festival in Miyagi Prefecture.

Sendai Pageant of Starlights
Various contemporary festivals also take place in Sendai, such as the Jōzenji Streetjazz Festival, the Michinoku Yosakoi Festival, and the Sendai Pageant of Starlights. The Jōzenji Streetjazz Festival is one of the largest amateur music festivals in Japan, with more than 700 groups participating in recent years. It began as a jazz festival in 1991, but soon began to accept applications from all genres. The festival is called a "Streetjazz" festival to indicate this fact. The Michinoku Yosakoi festival is a dance festival, derived from the Yosakoi Festival that takes place in Kochi. Trees in downtown Sendai are decorated with lights during the Sendai Pageant of Starlights. The event provided the idea for the Festival of Lights annually held in Riverside, Sendai's sister city. In 2005, streets was lit up with one million miniature bulbs.

[edit] Sports

Fullcast Stadium Miyagi
Although the Lotte Orions briefly used Sendai as a temporary home for the franchise from 1973 to 1977, the city was largely ignored by professional sports until 1994. In that year, the Tohoku Electric Power football team was changed into a club team, Brummel Sendai, with the goal of eventually promoting the team into the J. League. The team achieved this goal when the J. League expanded in 1999 with the creation of a second division. The name of the team was simultaneously changed to Vegalta Sendai. Although the team has not been performing well in recent years, it is known for being exceptionally well supported by its fans.
In 2005, the number of professional sports teams based in Sendai suddenly increased to three. The Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles was introduced as a new Pacific League baseball franchise after widely publicized turmoil involving the merger of the Kintetsu Buffaloes and the Orix Blue Wave developed into the first strike in Nippon Professional Baseball. Additionally, the Basketball Japan League, which began its innaugural season in November 2005, included the Sendai 89ers among its first six teams. The 89ers are still relatively unknown, even to natives of Sendai.
Annual sporting events include the Sendai Cup, an international football tournament for U-18 teams, and the Sendai International Half Marathon. Various sporting venues can be found in Sendai, such as Sendai Stadium, Fullcast Stadium Miyagi, Sendai City Gymnasium, Izumigatake Ski Resort, Izumi Kogen Spring Valley Ski Resort, Sendai Highland, and Shellcom Sendai. The city is also known as the origin of figure skating in Japan, and 2006 Olympic gold medalist Shizuka Arakawa trained in Sendai as she was growing up. Tohoku Fukushi University and Sendai Ikuei Gakuen High School are well known for strong sports programs, the latter for baseball.
In 2006, Sendai hosted some games of the Basketball World Championship 2006.

[edit] Museums

The Miyagi Museum of Art
The Sendai City Museum displays various artifacts related to the Date family and the history of Sendai. Date Masamune's famous suit of armor and artifacts related to Hasekura Tsunenaga's visit to Rome are sometimes on display. Other historical artifacts can be seen in various temples and museums in the city, such as the Zuihoden Mausoleum.
The Miyagi Museum of Art is Sendai's largest art museum. A total of 24 sculptures have been installed in various public locations in Sendai through its City of Sculptures project. The Tohoku University Museum of Natural History is the city's primary science museum, while the Sendai Children's Space Museum and the Sendai Science Museum mainly target children. Sendai is also home to various museums that deal with more specific topics, such as the Sendai Literature Museum, the Serizawa Keisuke Art Museum, and the Sendai Streetcar Museum.
The Tomizawa site museum in the southern part of the city preserves a fossilized forest where the remains of human habitation from 20,000 years ago can be seen. As well as the preserved forest itself, there is an exhibition on the lives of the people who dwelt there. Information is in Japanese and English. [1]

[edit] Historical sites

Dainenji
Sendai is home to various historical sites related to the Date family. The ruins of Sendai Castle are located close to downtown in Mt. Aoba, which also gives a panoramic view of the city. The Zuihoden Mausoleum is the grave of Date Masamune, and also is home to artifacts related to the Date Family. It is located on a hill called Kyogamine, which is the traditional resting place for members of the Date family. The Ōsaki Hachiman Shrine, built in 1607 by Date Masamune, is designated as a national treasure.
Newer historical sites include the former home of Doi Bansui, a famous lyricist, and a monument at Sendai City Museum that commemorates the Chinese writer Lu Xun. Another statue of Lu Xun can be found in the Tohoku University Katahira Campus, where Lu Xun studied medical science. Older historical sites include the Tōmizuka Tomb, a historical tomb that dates back to the late 4th century or early 5th century, and the Tomizawa Preserved Forest site, where the excavated remains of stone age human settlement (Upper Palaeolithic - roughly 20,000 years ago) have been protected by a large museum structure built in 1996.

[edit] Natural sites

Western Sendai is home to many sites of natural beauty, much of them found around Akiu(秋保) and Sakunami(作並), which are both hot spring resorts. Sites around the Akiu area include the Akiu Otaki Falls, sometimes counted as one of Japan's three great waterfalls, and the Rairai Gorge, known for its autumn colors. The Futakuchi Gorge contains several waterfalls that have been designated as natural monuments and the Banji Cliffs, an example of columnar basalt.
The Sakunami area is also known for its natural beauty, with cherry blossoms in the spring, and beautiful colors in the autumn. The nearby Hōmei Shijuhachi Taki Falls is the name of various waterfalls found in the higher reaches of the Hirose-gawa River. The origins of the name "Hōmei" (鳳鳴; literally, Chinese phoenix cry) is said to be because ancient people said the sound of the waterfalls was similar to the legendary bird's call.
Many places close to downtown Sendai are full of nature. The Tatsunokuchi Gorge offers a breathtaking view, petrified wood can be found next to the nearby Otamaya-bashi bridge, and many locals enjoy cherry blossoms at Nishi-Kōen park and Tsutsujigaoka park. The Hirose-gawa River and the Gamo Tideland are both home to diverse wildlife. Sendai City Hall has created a list of 100 places in the city with beautiful greenery and nature (in Japanese).
Matsushima, which is one of the Three Views of Japan, is out of the city, Matsushima-shi. A. Einstein and Matsuo Bashō visited here, praised and said that the view here was unparalleled in its beauty.

[edit] Specialties and crafts
Sendai is the origin of several foods, including gyutan (牛タン, cow tongue, usually grilled), hiyashi chūka (cold Chinese noodles), and robatayaki (Japanese-style barbecue). However, robatayaki was later introduced to Kushiro, which developed and popularized the dish. As a result, many people believe Kushiro is the origin of Robatayaki. Zundamochi (ずんだ餅, mochi balls with sweet, bright green edamame paste), and sasakamaboko (笹かまぼこ, kamaboko shaped like bamboo leaves) are also considered to be Sendai specialties. Sendai is also known for good sashimi, sushi, and sake. This is because Sendai is near to several major fishing ports, such as Kesennuma, Ishinomaki, and Shiogama, and the fact that Miyagi Prefecture is a major producer of rice. Although Sendai is often said to be the origin of conveyor belt sushi, it was actually created in Osaka. However, the first conveyor belt sushi store in eastern Japan opened in Sendai.
Many crafts from Sendai were originally created under the influence of the Date family during the Edo period. Examples are Sendai Hira, a hand woven silk fabric, Tsutsumiyaki pottery, and Yanagiu Washi paper. However, some crafts, such as umoregi zaiku (crafts created from fossil wood) were developed by low-ranking Samurai who needed side jobs to survive. Kokeshi dolls were popularized by hot spring resorts that sold them as gifts. Some relatively recent developments include Sendai Tsuishu lacquerware and Tamamushinuri lacquerware, both which were developed after the Meiji Restoration.

[edit] Churches
There are several Christian Churches in Sendai. Most central among churches where English is spoken are Mototerakoji Catholic Church (022-222-5507), within walking distance of Sendai Station (lat/lon: 38.2636, 140.8782); and the Evangelical Sendai English Fellowship (022-279-6625), which meets in a Baptist church right next to Kita Yobancho subway station (Exit N2).

[edit] Other sites

Sendai Mediatheque, a building designed by Toyo Ito.
Sendai Mediatheque is a multipurpose facility that houses the city library, galleries, and film studio facilities open for use by the general public. The building was designed by Toyo Ito and is known for its innovative architecture.
The AER Building, the Miyagi Prefectural Office, and the SS30 Building are all relatively high buildings in downtown Sendai that offer panoramic views. The Sendai Daikannon is an approximately 100 meter high Kannon statue. The statue was built during Japan's bubble economy by a now defunct company. Although it is possible to enjoy a panoramic view from the statue, it is disliked by many locals, partially because it looks rather out of place in the middle of a residential district, and partially because most people see the statue as a symbol of greed, not faith.

[edit] Sister and Friendship cities

[edit] International sister and friendship cities
Sendai has a long history of international sister city relationships. Its affiliation with Riverside, California on March 9, 1957 is the second oldest sister city in Japan.
Riverside, California, USA
Rennes, France
Acapulco, Mexico
Minsk, Belarus
Gwangju, Republic of Korea
Dallas, Texas, United States
Changchun, People's Republic of China
Oulu, Finland
Tainan City, Republic of China

Niigata , Japan

Niigata Prefecture
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Learn more about using Wikipedia for research •
Jump to: navigation, search
Niigata Prefecture (新潟県 Niigata-ken)

Capital
Niigata (city)
Region
Chūbu
Island
Honshū
Governor
Hirohiko Izumida
Area
12,582.47 km² (5th)
- % water
0.2%
Population (March 1, 2005)
- Population
2,444,108 (14th)
- Density
194 /km²
Districts
10
Municipalities
35
ISO 3166-2
JP-15
Website
www.pref.niigata.jp/sougouseisaku/kokusai/english/
Prefectural Symbols
- Flower
Tulip (Tulipa gesneriana)
- Tree
Camellia (Camellia japonica)
- Bird
Crested Ibis (Nipponia nippon)
Symbol of Niigata Prefecture
Niigata Prefecture (新潟県, Niigata-ken?) is located on Honshū island on the coast of the Sea of Japan. The capital is the city of Niigata. The name Niigata literally means "New Lagoon".
Contents[hide]
1 History
2 Geography
2.1 Cities
2.2 Towns and villages
2.3 Mergers
2.4 Future mergers
3 Economy
3.1 Agriculture, forestry and fishing
3.2 Mining and manufacturing
4 Demographics
5 Culture
5.1 Food
5.2 Niigata's firsts
5.3 Niigata in film, literature and music
6 Tourism
7 Prefectural symbols
8 Notables
8.1 Politics and the military
8.2 Arts and culture
8.3 Sports
9 Professional sports clubs
10 External links
11 References
//

[edit] 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-shi (the city) is the largest and most important among the cities which face the Sea of Japan. It has been an important seaport since the opening of Japan by Matthew Perry 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 well-known for being visited by a freighter from North Korea once a month: one of the few direct contacts with the communist country.
On October 23, 2004, the Chūetsu earthquake struck Niigata Prefecture, causing shaking measured at Shindo 6+ at Ojiya.
On January 9, 2006, a heavy winter storm caused much trouble in the prefecture and its surroundings. At least 71 people died and over a thousand were injured.
On July 16, 2007, the area saw the 2007 Niigata earthquake.

[edit] Geography

Map of Niigata Prefecture.
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.
Because of the shape, Niigata prefecture is often called small Honshū-Main Island. It could be placed in either the Hokuriku or Koshinetsu regions, each considered part of the greater Chūbu region.
The prefecture is generally divided into four geographical areas: Joetsu (in the south), Chūetsu (in the center), Kaetsu (in the north), and Sado Island. It is home to the mouth of the Shinano River, the longest river in Japan.

Reconstruction of a 19th century peasant farmer's house and rice paddy at the Northern Culture Museum, Niigata.

[edit] Cities
20 cities are located in Niigata Prefecture:
Agano
Gosen
Itoigawa
Jōetsu
Kamo
Kashiwazaki
Minamiuonuma
Mitsuke
Murakami
Myōkō
Nagaoka
Niigata (capital)
Niigata is divided into 8 wards (-ku)
Kita-ku
Higashi-ku
Chūō-ku
Kōnan-ku
Akiha-ku
Nishi-ku
Minami-ku
Nishikan-ku
Ojiya
Sado
Sanjō
Shibata
Tainai
Tōkamachi
Tsubame
Uonuma

[edit] Towns and villages
Towns and villages in each district:
Higashikanbara District
Aga
Iwafune District
Arakawa
Asahi‡
Awashimaura‡
Kamihayashi‡
Sanpoku‡
Sekikawa
Kariwa District
Kariwa
Kitakanbara District
Seirō
Kitauonuma District
Kawaguchi
Minamikanbara District
Tagami
Minamiuonuma District
Yuzawa
Nakauonuma District
Tsunan
Nishikanbara District
Yahiko
Santō District
Izumozaki
‡ Scheduled to be dissolved following mergers in 2008.

[edit] Mergers
January 1, 2001
the town of Kurosaki from Nishikanbara District was amagalated into the city of Niigata.
July 7, 2003
the town of Toyoura from Kitakanbara District was amagalated into the city of Shibata.
March 1, 2004
the city of Ryotsu merged with all towns and villages within Sado District (dissolved with this merger) to form the city of Sado.
April 1, 2004
the towns of Suibara and Yasuda and the villages of Kyogase and Sasakami (all from Kitakanbara District) merged to form the city of Agano.
November 1, 2004
The towns of Muika and Yamato from Minamiuonuma District merged to form the city of Minamiuonuma.
The towns of Horinouchi and Koide and the villages of Hirokami, Irihirose, Sumon and Yunotani (all from Kitauonuma District) merged to form the city of Uonuma.
January 1, 2005
The town of Yasuzuka and the villages of Maki, Oshima and Uragawara (all from Higashikubiki District) the towns of Itakura, Kakizaki, Ogata and Yoshikawa and the villages of Kiyosato, Kubiki, Nakagou and Sanwa (all from Nakakubiki District)+the town of Nadachi from Nishikubiki District=>the city of Joetsu.
March 19, 2005
The city of Itoigawa merged with the remaining parts of Nishikubiki District (dissolved by this action) - the towns of Nou and Oumi to form the city of Itoigawa.
March 21, 2005
The city of Niitsu, Shirone and Toyosaka, the towns of Kameda, Kosudo and Yokogoshi from Nakakanbara District and the town of Nishikawa and the villages of Ajikata, Iwamuro, Katahigashi, Nakanokuchi and Tsukigata from Nishikanbara District were all merged into the city of Niigata.
April 1, 2005
The remaining parts of Nakakubiki District (dissolved by this action) - the town of Myokokogen and the village of Myoko were merged into the city of Arai. Arai changed its name to Myōkō at the same time.
The town of Oguni from Kariwa District, the village of Yamakoshi from Koshi District, the town of Nakanoshima from Minamikanbara District and the towns of Koshiji and Mishima from Santo District merged into the city of Nagaoka. (Koshi District was thereby dissolved.)
The city of Tokamachi merged with the towns of Matsudai and Matsunoyama from Higashikubiki District (dissolved by this merger) and the town of Kawanishi and the village of Nakasato from Nakauonuma District to create the city of Tokamachi.
All municipalities within Higashikanbara District merged to form the town of Aga.
May 1, 2005
The towns of Nishiyama and Takayanagi from Kariwa District were merged into the city of Kashiwazaki.
The town of Shiunji and the village of Kajikawa from Kitakanbara District were merged into the city of Shibata.
The city of Sanjo merged with the town of Sakae and the village of Shitada (both from Minamikanbara District) to create the city of Sanjo.
September 1, 2005
The town of Nakajo+Kurokawa (both from Kitakanbara District) merged to form the city of Tainai.
October 1, 2005
The town of Shiozawa from Minamiuonuma District merged into the city of Minamiuonuma.
October 10, 2005
The town of Maki from Nishikanbara District merged into the city of Niigata.
January 1, 2006
the city of Gosen merged with the town of Muramatsu from Nakakanbara District (dissolved by this merger) to form the city of Gosen.
The city of Tochio, the towns of Teradomari and Yoita and the village of Washima from Santo District were all absorbed into the city of Nagaoka.
March 20, 2006
The city of Tsubame merged with the towns of Bunsui and Yoshida from Nishikanbara District to create the city of Tsubame.

[edit] Future mergers
The city of Murakami is scheduled to merge with the municipalities of Kamihayashi, Asahi, Sanpoku, and Awashima from Iwafune District somewhere around April 2008.

[edit] Economy

[edit] Agriculture, forestry and fishing
The major industry in Niigata is agriculture. Rice is the principal product, with Niigata ranking 2nd (after Hokkaidō) among the prefectures for total rice output. The area around Uonuma is especially known for its Koshihikari variety of rice, which is widely thought of as the highest quality rice in Japan.
Rice-related industries are also very important to the local economy. Niigata prefecture is known throughout Japan for its quality sake, senbei, mochi, and arare. In sake production, Niigata is third in the country after Gunma and Kyoto prefectures.
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.
The production volume of azaleas and cut lilies grown in Niigata is one of the highest in Japan. Niigata also enjoys increasing volumes of cut flowers and flower bulb production: along with Toyama prefecture, Niigata produces the most tulips in the country.

[edit] Mining and manufacturing
Niigata is a source for crude oil, not often found on the Japanese islands. Relating to this, there is also much production of kerosene heaters (useful in the cold Niigata winters).
Ginsan on Sado Island was an active gold mine until its closing in 1989.
Metal manufacturing is also prevalent. Sanjo and Tsubame produce 9% of all metal silverware in Japan, by far the most for one area in the country. After Osaka, the two cities also produce the most scissors, kitchen knives, and wrenches.
Niigata supposedly produces the most knitted textile products in the country. However, it has been suggested that some of these are actually from China.
The nuclear power plant with the highest energy output in the world is located in the tiny village of Kariwa.

[edit] Demographics
In 1885, Niigata was the most populous prefecture, beating out even Tokyo and Osaka prefecture. However, according to the 2003 census Niigata ranks as the 14th most populous.
Like much of Japan, Niigata shows signs of an aging population, specifically in the more rural areas.

[edit] Culture

[edit] Food
Niigata is known for the following regional specialities:
Uonuma koshihikari rice: considered the best quality rice in Japan.
Shoyu (soy-sauce) and Yofu (western-style) katsudon.
Shoyu sekihan.
Noppe stew.
Wappa-han (seafood and rice steamed in a bamboo basket).
Sasa-dango (mochi balls filled with red bean paste, seasoned with mugwort and wrapped in bamboo leaves).
Po-po-yaki (steamed bread flavored with brown sugar).
Hegi-soba (soba from the Uonuma and Ojiya areas that uses a special kind of seaweed).
"Tsubame-Sanjo ramen" (ramen made using thick udon-style noodles).
Tochio aburage (aburaage is called "aburage" in Tochio).
Kirazu (dishes using okara).
Kakinomoto (edible chrysanthemums).
Kanzuri (a special seasoning from Myōkō made by leaving chili pepper exposed on snow, then adding flour, salt and yuzu).

[edit] Niigata's firsts
Joetsu is the home to Japan's first vineyard.
Nagaoka was home to the first drive-through restaurant in Japan.
Shirone in Niigata City was the first place to grow Western pears in Japan.
Joetsu is the original birthplace of the Japanese postal service.
Snow skiing was first introduced into Japan in the Joetsu region.

[edit] Niigata in film, literature and music
Snow Country: a 1947 novel by Nobel laureate Yasunari Kawabata set in Yuzawa.
Blue: a 1996 manga and 2001 film about high-school girls, set in Niigata City.
Whiteout: a 1995 novel and 2000 action film.
Kura: a film / TV series (1995) plus book (1993) by Tomiko Miyao. An award winning period drama set in a Niigata family sake brewery.
My Mother is a Tractor a 2006 memoir by Nicholas Klar, a former resident of Oumi (now Itoigawa).
Niigata Snow is the title of a track on Derek Bailey's 1980 record Aida

[edit] Tourism
Much of the tourism in Niigata centers around the popular winter activities of skiing and going to onsen, especially in the alpine areas of Myōkō and Yuzawa.
Sado Island off the west coast of Niigata is also another popular tourist spot. It is easily accessible (1-2.5 hours) via ferry from Naoetsu or Niigata City.

[edit] Prefectural symbols

This short section requires expansion.
http://www.pref.niigata.jp/seisaku/kokusai/english/symbol/symbol.html

[edit] Notables

[edit] Politics and the military
Hachiro Arita (1884-1965), former Foreign Minister of Japan, from Sado Island.
Kita Ikki (1883-1937), nationalist author and intellectual, from Sado Island.
Isoroku Yamamoto (1884-1943), former commander of the Japanese Imperial Navy, from Nagaoka.
Kakuei Tanaka (1918-1993), former Prime Minister, from Kashiwazaki.
Hisashi Owada (born 1932), diplomat and father of Crown Princess Masako, from Shibata.
Makiko Tanaka (born 1944), first female Foreign Minister of Japan, from Kashiwazaki. Currently an independent politician.

[edit] Arts and culture
Ryōkan (1758-1831), Zen Buddhist monk and poet, from Izumozaki.
Inoue Enryo (1858-1919), Buddhist philosopher, from Nagaoka.
Yaichi Aizu (1881-1956), poet, calligrapher and historian, from Niigata City.
Hayashi Fubo (1900-1935), novelist from Sado Island.
Ango Sakaguchi (1906-1955), novelist and essayist, from Niigata City.
Haruo Minami (1923-2001), enka singer, from Nagaoka.
Kimio Yanagisawa (born 1948), manga artist, from Gosen.
Yoshifumi Kondo (1950-1998), animator, from Gosen.
Keiko Yokozawa (born 1952), seiyu, from Niigata City.
Bin Shimada (born 1954), seiyu, from Niigata City.
Kazuyuki Sekiguchi (born 1955), bass player for the rock group Southern All Stars, from Agano.
Yukari Nozawa (born 1957), actor and seiyu.
Rumiko Takahashi (born 1957), manga artist, from Niigata City.
Shuichi Shigeno (born 1958), manga artist, from Tokamachi.
Makoto Kobayashi (born 1958), manga artist, from Niigata City.
Motoei Shinzawa (born 1958), manga artist, from Kashiwazaki.
Ken Watanabe (born 1959), stage, TV and film actor, from Niigata.
Yoko Soumi (born 1965), seiyu.
Kazuya Tsurumaki (born 1966), animator, from Gosen.
Akiko Yajima (born 1967), seiyu, from Kashiwazaki.
Hiroki Yagami (born 1967), manga artist, from Kashiwazaki.
Kazuto Nakazawa (born 1968), animator.
Takeshi Obata (born 1969), manga artist, from Niigata City.
Etsushi Ogawa (born 1969), manga artist.
Rumi Kasahara (born 1970), seiyu, from Itoigawa.
Nobuhiro Watsuki (born 1970), manga artist, from Nagaoka.
Kiriko Nananan (born 1972), manga artist, from Tsubame.
Daisuke Hirakawa (born 1973), seiyu.
Yoko Ishida (born 1973), singer, from Niigata City.
Daisuke Sakaguchi (born 1973), seiyu, from Kashiwazaki.
Hitomi Nabatame (born 1976), seiyu, from Sado Island.
Ryo Hirohashi (born 1977), seiyu, from Nagaoka.
Ayana Sasagawa (born 1983), seiyu.
Makoto Ogawa (born 1987) and Koharu Kusumi (born 1992), members of J-pop girl-group Morning Musume, from, respectively, Kashiwazaki and Nagaoka.

[edit] Sports
Shohei Baba (1938-1999), professional wrestler, from Sanjo.
Sawao Kato (born 1946), winner of 12 Olympic medals in gymnastics
Killer Khan (born 1947), professional wrestler, from Tsubame.

[edit] Professional sports clubs
Albirex Niigata: J-League Division 1 Soccer Club.
Niigata Albirex BB: BJ (Basketball Japan) League team.