Niigata

Niigata (新潟市, Niigata-shi) is the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It lies on the northwest coast of Honshū, the largest island of Japan, and faces the Sea of Japan and Sado Island. With a long history as a port town, Niigata became a free port following the Meiji Restoration. Niigata's city government was established in 1889. Mergers with nearby municipalities in 2005 allowed the city's population to jump to 810,0... more

Niigata (新潟市, Niigata-shi) is the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It lies on the northwest coast of Honshū, the largest island of Japan, and faces the Sea of Japan and Sado Island. With a long history as a port town, Niigata became a free port following the Meiji Restoration. Niigata's city government was established in 1889. Mergers with nearby municipalities in 2005 allowed the city's population to jump to 810,000. The annexation of the surrounding area has also given the city the greatest rice paddy field acreage in Japan. On April 1, 2007, it became the first government-designated city on the Japan Sea coast of Honshū. People have inhabited the Niigata area since the Jōmon period, though much of the current land was still beneath the sea at the time. According to the Nihonshoki, a fortress was built in the area in AD 647. In the 16th century, a port called Niigata was established at the mouth of the Shinano River, while a port town with the name... less