Heavy snowfall, ski resorts and beautiful landscapes, that is what Niigata is usually associated with.
If you want to time travel to the Edo period and experience its architectural beauty, Shiozawa, a couple of stations away from the popular resort town of Echigo-Yuzawa should be on your radar.
Shiozawa is a place of known for its production of textiles, such as the Echigo superior hempen cloth or Shiozawa Tsumugi (high quality silk product). Local residents, through a workshop held in 2003, decided to reinvigorate the community by "re-creating" the history and culture of the snow country. The plan came to fruition in form of the Bokushi Street, which restored the Edo period construction and architecture built on construction standards and designs of that age. It’s really impressive—even the power lines have been put underground, so they’re no electricity poles and cables that could spoil the view.
Located 5 minutes from the Shiozawa station on the Joetsu line or the Hokuhoku line, the street offers visitors a wonderful landscape view especially in the winter with streets covered in snow.
Among the attractions is the very unique post office, which also sports the traditional Edo architecture. The twilight time light-up offers the experience of what Japan must have been in the old days with the lighting perfected to a dim level rather than modern day opulence.
Annual events at the site include a Snow Festival on the third Saturday of February every year, Shiozawa Festival on 16th July of every year. Towards the end of February to mid March tourists can also enjoy the girl’s day festival dolls and silk woven kimonos that are displayed inside many of the small stores. The complete year event schedule can be found here (Japanese).
Other attractions include the Suzuki Bokushi Memorial Museum (Official website in Japanese only), after whom the street has been named (Bokushi Street). Suzuki Bokushi was the author of Hokuetsu Seppu, a literary work, which for the first time introduced the daily life of the Edo Period.
Note: The Joetsu line can get delayed during heavy snowfall, and travelers should confirm in advance at Echigo-Yuzawa station on the train schedule and delays if any.
