Niigata City has a long history as a port city, it is the most populated city in the prefecture, and is the largest coastal city along the Sea of Japan within the island of Honshu. The Shinano River, Japan's longest river, also runs through the city, giving it the nickname 'the city of w..
Sado island has a great cultural history which you can encounter on almost every corner. You can experience natural beauty and its rich and evocative past. If you plan to come in the third week of August, you will feel the eternal drumbeat of the earth celebration festival headlined by the world-f..
Forest Inn Italian Restaurant was my first Italian food place in Japan when I arrived here in 1998. Located in the snow country of Niigata, the restaurant is a popular location for the MBA students of International University of Japan (IUJ) and also ..
Snow Country has a rich food culture. It grows some of the best rice in Japan, and brews some of the most famous sake. The pickles are also highly regarded, as preserving food to last through the six winter months was a vital skill. Living off the la..
Heading up the lifts at the Hatsukaishi side of Ishiuchi Maruyama Ski Resort, across the slopes from the Twin Towers builiding, you can see into a couple of the restaurants that line the slope. This year there is a new one open fo..
Before I came to Japan, one of my biggest worries was about lodging. Even two weeks before my arrival, I still hadn't found a roof under which I could sleep, so when I received a link for the Anpesou Guesthouse from my Japanese teacher, I was mor..
Back in the winter I wrote a story on the Sagamiko light show and mentioned I had reservations for Myoko this summer. We finally made the trip to APA Myoko Pine Valley Resort in Niigata Prefecture. The weather was very uncertain and the predic..
Want to get some skiing done, but don't want to spend the entire weekend getting there? Kagura Ski Resort located on Mount Naeba in Niigata Prefecture is the perfect answer. The trip is roughly two hours from Tokyo via car and shinkansen. Ve..
Foraging for food in the mountains of Snow Country used to provide an important source of food. Today, it is a hobby enjoyed by many locals. The spring mountain vegetable season has already finished, but once the pink flowers appear on the utsugi shr..
"Snow Festival" - the word in Japan reminds most people of the Sapporo Snow Festival held in the Hokkaido region. However, there are other snow festivals across the island nation and one which is quite near toTokyo (a couple of hours drive..
Kashiwazaki is a city located in the northern-central area of Niigata Prefecture, with a 89,000-strong population. Despite its small size, don't look down on it as it has great charm which may attract you in a different way. There are a few famo..
![Disney's "The Magic of Animation"](https://a0.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/44007-183550/450x300!/niigata-disney-magic-of-animation-183550.jpg "Disney's "The Magic of Animation"")
