Niigata Prefecture (新潟県 Niigata-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Honshū on the coast of the Sea of Japan.[1]
The capital is the city of Niigata.[2] The name "Niigata" literally means "new lagoon".
Until after the Meiji Restoration, the area that is now Niigata Prefecture was divided into Echigo Province and Sado Province.[3]
The city of Niigata is now the largest Japanese city facing the Sea of
Japan. It was the first Japanese port on the Sea of Japan to be opened
to foreign trade following the opening of Japan by Matthew Perry. It has since played an important role in trade with Russia and Korea.
Niigata Prefecture hosts the Fuji Rock Festival,
an annual event held at the Naeba ski resort. The three-day event,
organized by Smash Japan, features more than 200 Japanese and
international musicians. It is one of the largest outdoor music events
in Japan, with more than 100,000 people attending in 2005.
The major industry in Niigata Prefecture is agriculture. Rice is the
principal product, and among the prefectures of Japan Niigata is second
only to Hokkaidō in rice output. The area around Uonuma is known for producing the Koshihikari variety, widely considered to be the highest-quality rice produced in Japan.
Much of the tourism in Niigata centers around skiing and going to onsen, especially in the alpine areas of Myōkō and Yuzawa.
Sado Island off the west coast of Niigata is accessible via ferry (taking one to two and a half hours) from Naoetsu or Niigata City.
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