Niigata prefecture (新潟県; Niigata-ken) is the located on Honshu island, Japan. The capital is the city of Niigata.
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Niigata prefectural symbol |
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| 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 |
| ISO 3166-2: | JP-15 |
| Symbols | |
|---|---|
| Pref. Flower: | Tulip (Tulipa gesneriana) |
| Pref. Tree: | Camellia (Camellia japonica) |
| Pref. Bird: | Japanese crested ibis (Nipponia nippon) |
| Table of contents |
|
2 Geography 3 Economy 4 Demographics 5 Culture 6 Tourism 7 Prefectural symbols 8 Miscellaneous topics 9 External links |
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.
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.
History
Geography
Cities
Districts
Economy
Demographics
Culture
Tourism
Prefectural symbols
Miscellaneous topics
External links