From Tokyo, we took the “Toki” or “Max Toki” shinkansen (bullet practice) of the JR East’s Joetsu Shinkansen line within the morning.
You can simply entry this practice from Tokyo Station, Ueno Station, or Ōmiya Station (you may test Google Maps to map out your route in an effort to attain one in every of these 3 stations relying on the place you might be positioned in Tokyo).
Upon arrival…
◘◘ Eat hegisoba for lunch
This is one in every of Niigata’s native dishes and it’s mainly a soba (Japanese buckwheat skinny noodles) that’s product of funori (seaweed) which is in contrast to the everyday soba that makes use of wheat. Because of this, hegisoba has a clean but ‘al dente‘ texture that’s well-known among the many Japanese.
This is usually served on an oblong picket plate through which the noodles are already sectioned into particular person mouthful parts, thereby making it very straightforward to devour. How to greatest eat hegisoba? You might both eat it as is, or dip it within the mentsuyu (black-colored soup base that might be supplied to you) which you’ll additional taste with sesame seeds, radish, wasabi, or inexperienced onions.
Recommended: Kojimaya CoCoLo Niigata (one department is positioned in Niigata station)
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◘◘ Visit Saitou Villa (features a geisha present and snacks)
This is a summer time villa that was constructed again in 1920 by a rich service provider in Niigata. Today, it’s a place used to welcome honored visitors within the metropolis similar to public figures, and celebrities; however extra generally, it’s a place that’s preserved and revered as a valued cultural constructing.
And for nearly $26, you may discover Saitou Villa’s room and gardens, style some Japanese sweets and matcha (inexperienced tea), AND be entertained by Furumachi geigi (geisha of Niigata). This is a steal in fact, particularly in the event you examine it to the costly charge that it’s good to pay simply to fulfill an actual geisha in a dinner banquet program (which is able to virtually be much like what you’ll expertise right here!).
So I say, it is a MUST to do in your Niigata itinerary!
Transport & Travel Guide: Niigata Hanamachi Chaya
The Furumachi district of Niigata is taken into account one of many three most prestigious areas in Japan for geisha, together with Gion in Kyoto and Shinbashi in Tokyo. Hence, witnessing Niigata’s geisha is a must-do!
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◘◘ Drop by Imayotsukasa Sake Brewery
Niigata is well-known for producing the best sake or nihonshu (Japanese liquor). Why so? Simply due to the snow. With the prefecture’s bountiful snowfall on its mountains, it has continually yielded situations which might be good for making sake: purified air from fixed snowing and snow-melted waters (nice for rising rice paddies and brewing sake).
To greatest take pleasure in this, head on ever to Imayotsukasa Sake Brewery as a result of you may then go on a FREE tour of their institution as you be taught extra in regards to the making of sake. What’s extra, you may even style a few of their merchandise! (My favourite sake bottles are: Moto, Karyu-kai, and Junmai).
Transport & Travel Guide: Imayotsukasa Website
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◘◘ Grab dinner at an izakaya
Prolong your enjoyment of Niigata’s high-quality sake by visiting a typical Japanese gastropub that’s known as an ‘izakaya‘.
Other Drinks to Try: umeshu (plum wine), biiru (Japanese beers), shōchū (distilled beverage) Dishes to Try: yakitori (grilled hen skewers), karaage (Japanese fried hen), sashimi (uncooked fish)
TRIVIA: Apparently, the Japanese sometimes prefer to seize ramen (noodle dish) after an extended evening of ingesting since it’s mentioned to assist them deal with the alcohol, in addition to assist them take care of a hangover in a while!
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◘◘ Check in to a resort within the metropolis
To cap off your first day on this Niigata itinerary, select from…
Luxury: Hotel Nikko Niigata
Mid-Range: Art Hotel Niigata Station or AirBnB
Budget: APA Hotel Niigata Higashinakadori
On this present day of my Niigata itinerary, we headed over to Sado Island which is part of the prefecture. In order to get right here, we took the Jetfoil jet boat with the route Niigata – Ryotsu and it departs each hour at a value of ¥6,520 yen. It takes about an hour to get to Sado Island from Niigata port with a quick boat like this.
If you need cheaper choices, there are the opposite ferry routes:
- Naoetsu–Ogi: ¥2,720 yen, 2.5 hours, 4-5 occasions every day
- Teradomari–Akadomari: ¥2,960 yen, 2 hours, 2-3 occasions every day
Once you arrive at Sado…
◘◘ Play at Sado Island’s Taiko Centre
A ‘taiko‘ is a traditional Japanese percussion instrument, and one of Japan’s hottest taiko teams which might be additionally identified internationally is named Kodo. Hailing from Sado Island, they’ve constructed this enjoyable Tatakokan (Taiko Centre) in order that guests can have a hands-on expertise with Kodo instructors on easy methods to play the taiko.
This was an expertise that I really loved and it’ll absolutely be an much more enjoyable exercise in the event you include a lot of buddies or household!
Transport & Travel Guide: Kodo Taiko
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◘◘ Try a tarai-bune (tub boat)
YES, you learn that proper! As seen within the lower-left photograph above, these cut-off barrels are a type of tub boat that was sensible to make use of within the olden occasions in an effort to gather shellfish and seaweed from rocky coastal waters. Today, nonetheless, they’re primarily used to amuse vacationers on Sado Island.
Riding this boat really made me anxious (nicely sure, it’s a ‘tub boat’ in any case); relaxation assured, it’s completely secure and a completely enjoyable and attention-grabbing factor to do!
Transport & Travel Guide: You can purchase this service on your Niigata itinerary from Ogi port or at Yajima-Kyojima space (which has extra scenic environment). They are open every day all year long (8:30AM to five:00PM), spans for 10 minutes, can maintain 3 individuals on one tub boat, and prices ¥500 for adults and ¥300 for youngsters.
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◘◘ Pick up and convey residence some gold mud at Nishi-Mikawa gold park
If you head over to this hands-on museum on your Niigata itinerary, you’ll not solely be taught extra about Sado’s famed gold actions but additionally in regards to the strategy of mining and refining it. The particular factor about this museum although is its epic gold-picking exercise!
For solely ¥800 yen, you may strive gold panning for half-hour within the newcomers’ course space. Furthermore, you may maintain the gold mud that you can see inside that time-frame! YES, you actually can take it residence.
Transport & Travel Guide: Nishi-Mikawa Website
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◘◘ Walk round Senkakuwan Ageshima Yuen-Park
This is a park that gives wonderful coastal sights over Senkaku-wan Bay. For the very best 360 views, go to the neighborhood’s Ageshima Observatory and Yusenkyo Bridge.
Transport & Travel Guide: Ageshima
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◘◘ Tour Sado Kinzan (Sado Gold Mine)
Financed by the Tokugawa shogunate for 388 years from 1601 to 1989, that is the island’s most necessary historic web site — actually, due to its wealthy historical past (being Japan’s largest gold mine in that period) it’s now actively promoted for nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Once contained in the tunnels, you’ll see a number of exhibitions of robots that painting the miners throughout the Edo interval (as a means of recreating the previous environment or look).
Transport & Travel Guide: Sado Kinzan Website
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◘◘ Check in to a resort or ryokan on the island
A quintessential journey to Japan is NOT full with out a journey to a ryokan (Japanese conventional inn).
Some of the bucket checklist issues to do as soon as booked inside one: sleep in a tatami-matted room, strive the onsen (sizzling spring baths), put on a yukata, and eat kaiseki (conventional multi-course Japanese dinner)!
Other selections are…
Luxury: Hotel Azuma
Mid-Range: Kohan no Yado Yoshidaya or AirBnB
Budget: Sado Bellemer Youth Hostel
On the third day of this Niigata itinerary, I rode a jet boat to get again to Niigata port and metropolis.
◘◘ Go see the Hoppō Bunka Hakubutsukan (Northern Culture Museum)
This is an open-air museum that options the well-known mansion of Ito Bunkichi who was one of many best landowners in Niigata throughout the Edo Period. Other than the mansion, it additionally homes a picturesque backyard, paintings, calligraphy works, ceramics, and a lot extra.
You might additionally eat lunch right here within the former kitchen of the Ito household in order that you would style typical native dishes that have been served again in these occasions!
Transport & Travel Guide: Northern Cultural Museum Website
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◘◘ Welcome your self into Niigata’s Senbei Okoku (Kingdom)
Rice is made throughout Japan, however it’s in Niigata the place you will discover the BEST-tasting rice that there can ever be within the nation. Naturally, senbei (rice cracker) manufacturing is successful in Niigata with Kuriyama Beika Group as one of the vital widespread manufacturers.
It is right here in Senbei Okoku the place they then supply its guests the possibility to style freshly-baked crackers, purchase a number of souvenirs, and see the precise cooking course of up shut. They even supply the possibility for individuals to make, roast, and design their very own rice crackers! It’s an satisfying exercise for positive, particularly for households.
Transport & Travel Guide: Senbei Website
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◘◘ Make sasadango at Tanakaya Minato Kobo
Dango (sticky rice cake) is a well-liked conventional snack in Japan and in Niigata, they’ve their very own distinctive model known as ‘sasa dango’. Basically, these are made out of steamed and pounded glutinous rice with pink bean paste filling which is then wrapped and tied utilizing sasa (bamboo leaf).
As a last contact, it will likely be steamed altogether.
If you head over to Tanakaya Minato Kobo, other than tasting and taking it residence as a memento, you would additionally undergo a mini cooking class in an effort to learn to make sasadango!
Transport & Travel Guide: Koubou Website
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◘◘ Walk round Minatopia
If you’re within the historical past of Niigata’s metropolis, visiting Minatopia is a should. Apart from the museum and constructing constructions (such because the Niigata Customs House) within the space that explains the previous of town, this spot can also be an amazing place for admiring the Shinano River.
Address: 2-10 Yanagishima
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◘◘ Stroll by means of town’s fundamental procuring avenue
Make your means in direction of the Bandai and/or Furumachi space to take your time in choosing the locations you’ll eat and store in — in addition to, they’ve an array of fantastic picks so that you can select from!
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◘◘ Check in to Hotel Nikko
I like to recommend Hotel Nikko as a result of it has an excellent 360 view over Niigata’s cityscape which could be simply seen not solely from inside your room but additionally from its topmost flooring!
We made our means out of town for this present day of my Niigata itinerary to do the next:
◘◘ Explore and decide fruits at Shirone Grape Garden
This institution is stuffed with greenhouses that organically develop a number of sorts of fruits similar to kiwis, persimmons (a should to strive as a result of it was soooo good!), grapes, peaches, strawberries, and extra. And relying on the time of your go to, you may decide fruits for FREE!
To cap off your go to, ensure that to strive their widespread gelatos that are all made out of pure elements.
Transport & Travel Guide: Kudamonogari
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◘◘ Stop by Yahiko Shrine
Smacked in the midst of a lush forest and on the foot of a mountain, Yahiko Shrine in Yahiko Village is broadly adored and worshipped by the Japanese.
Experience and observe the totally different shrines or Shinto practices right here! One attention-grabbing factor you can too do is purchase an omikuji which is a randomly written divination about your close to future. These are unnoticed on a picket field close to the shrine with a worth label on it (it’s sometimes self-serving like this). Pay the value, decide a folded paper from the field and see your fortune!
For the primary time, I drew a daikichi which meant ‘excellent luck’. My information mentioned that I ought to make full use of it and do issues like shopping for lottery tickets, and many others. haha!
Travel Directions Guide: Go over to Niigata station, take the Echigo Line that goes to the route of Yoshida (各停). Stop at Yoshida station (14 stops whole) and alter to a unique line, Yahiko Line that heads to Yahiko (各停). Stop at Yahiko Station (2 stops whole).
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◘◘ Dine at Cave D’Occi Winery
Set within the plains of Kakudahama, Cave d’Occi Vinespa is a multipurpose vineyard resort that features not solely a restaurant however a spa, an onsen (sizzling spring tub), and a visitor home (for guests who wish to spend extra time exploring the vineyards).
Make positive to purchase or strive their wines since they style actually good!
Transport & Travel Guide: Docci Website
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◘◘ Look by means of TsubameSanjo Regional Industries Promotion Centre
If you wish to purchase extra souvenirs from Niigata to take residence, making a cease by this heart must be up in your journey itinerary.
Basically, Tsubame-Sanjo is without doubt one of the most sought-after Japanese manufacturers in relation to metalworks or objects as a consequence of their prime quality and craftsmanship; so, it’s positively price your time to take a peek right here.
Transport & Travel Guide: TsubameSanjo Website
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◘◘ Walk round Minamiuonuma
This metropolis is a well-liked winter vacation spot as a consequence of its excellent location. Once there, you’ll have a alternative of over 10 ski and snowboard resorts that are a mixture of massive and small institutions which might be appropriate for all ranges of skiers and snowboarders.
Rest assured, in the event you’re approaching a month with no snow on your Niigata itinerary, there are numerous issues to do right here nonetheless, and one in every of my favorites is exploring Bokushi Dori (avenue) which can also be known as Shiozawajuku. Walking by means of this space is like stepping again in time given how it’s speckled with Edo Period homes and retailers.
Transport & Travel Guide: Minamiuonuma Website
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◘◘ Check right into a ryokan similar to Hotel Futaba
If you need the very best ryokan (Japanese inn) keep that you could ever expertise, try Hotel Futaba!
If you’ve received some extra further time for you Niigata itinerary, I extremely advocate the next:
◘◘ Go to Ponshukan
Ponshukan could be discovered at Echigo-Yuzawa station and it’s a corridor that options a number of sights:
- Sake merchandising machines: it’s precisely what the title implies! With over 96 totally different manufacturers obtainable, you simply have to purchase a cup price ¥500 solely, put a plastic token within the machine’s coin slot, slip in your cup, after which it will likely be stuffed to the brim with sake. If unsure, there are workers individuals who would gladly help you!
- Sake store: are you quite on the lookout for bottles of sake? Next door is a sake store that has over 96 varieties.
- Shopping space: there are numerous small stalls across the Ponshukan corridor that supply varied items from sweets to souvenirs.
- Onsen: if you would like a singular type of onsen expertise, subsequent door can also be an onsen however what units it other than typical onsens is that you could dip right here in sake!!
- Guinness World Record: If you go deep inside Ponshukan, you can see a store that has the most important show of handmade stuffed toys (11,655) which might be tied by means of strings. This was achieved by Incorporated Non-Profit Organization Japan Tsurushi-bina Association and Akira Kitano final 2012.
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◘◘ Drop by Niigata Furusato Village
This is technically NOT a village as it’s extra of a tourism facility that homes a HUGE array of merchandise which might be good for souvenirs: soba, crafts, items, dairy, sake — you’ll discover all of it right here. You will even discover some reveals right here that depict Niigata’s historical past, and once you need some nature, simply step out and also you’ll see an enormous subject filled with 60,000 tulips!
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◘◘ Take Instagram-worthy images at Hoshi-Toge Rice Field
Dubbed “Japan’s 100 best rural spots”, these rice-terraced fields have their very own distinctive look that’s greatest visited both throughout dawn or sundown. I guarantee you that the view from this space will take your breath away!
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◘◘ Visit Yahiko Park (Maple Valley)
Best to do in Autumn. When within the Yahiko Village space, ensure that to drop by Yahiko Park. Here, you can see nice sceneries that superbly categorical each 4 seasons. Autumn season is definitely the very best time to return right here as a result of the vermillion-lacquered Kan-tsuki Bridge completely blends in with the entire sizzling colours.
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◘◘ Ski at one of many prefecture’s ski resorts similar to Akakura Kanko Resort and Spa
Best to do in Winter (December to May). This resort is claimed to be the primary in Japan to be designated as a global ski resort. You can do numerous actions right here: snowboarding and 11 trails (longest at 4km amongst many others. There is even a particular space known as the Chibikko Hiroba which is for youngsters who’re too younger to hit the slopes.
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◘◘ Attend at the least one (1) Niigata occasion or pageant
Some of probably the most attention-grabbing ones are…
- Sake no Jin (Niigata Sake Festival): Held mid-March, because the land of sake, that is one in every of Niigata’s main occasions. At this pageant, you may pattern over 500 types of sake from roughly 90 native brewers! Just buy a tasting ticket and also you’re positive to have a good time by means of and thru!
- Tokamachi Snow Festival: Sapporo is perhaps probably the most well-known snow pageant, however Niigata’s is definitely the oldest and possibly probably the most laid-back and genuine snow celebration as nicely. Furthermore, with the heavy snowfall within the space, there is no such thing as a scarcity of sculptures which might be dispersed throughout city! If you’re occupied with witnessing this spectacle, you need to come on the third Saturday of February.
- Oiran Dochu Courtesan Procession: Oirans now not exist in Japan, however as a means of commemorating their distinctive magnificence and tradition as high-rank courtesans and entertainers, processions like this are sometimes held in Japan. Niigata has its personal and it’s normally held in the midst of April in Jizoudouhonchoudoori, Tsubame (Ookouzu banks, close to Bunsui station).
- Niigata Hanae Project: Since Niigata is one in every of Japan’s main tulip producers, this occasion that’s held from April 29 to May 2 is the place members will create large “flower paintings” utilizing tulips that have been discarded within the strategy of bulb cultivation.
- Nagaoka Festival: As per standard, you’d count on float parades and folks dance processions in festivals like this; BUT the primary spotlight of this affair held on August 1 to three is its large-scale fireworks show that occurs over the Shinano River. Helpful to notice is that it’s thought of one of many prime 3 fireworks exhibits in Japan since you’d typically witness insane stuff like 650-meter large sanshakudama fireworks, waterfall shapes, volcano-like formations, and 20,000 smaller shakudama fireworks.
- Niigata Festival: Lasting for 3 days beginning on August 7, you will note numerous float parades, firework shows, and dance processions (that typically contain round 20,000 individuals)!
- Earth Festival: Held on Sado Island in August, the spotlight of this pageant is the efficiency of the world-famous taiko drummer group, Kado. This pageant lasts for 3 days and consists of varied occasions in an open-air live performance fashion.