Here are 10 things to do in Niigata (Shimoetsu area).

Sasagawa Nagare

This coastline stretches for about 11km from Hamashinbo (Torigoeyama) in Murakami City to Samukawa (Kitsunezaki), and is a designated national natural monument. The name "Sasagawa Nagare" comes from the fact that the tidal current could be seen from Sasagawa Village, which existed until 889, all the way to the rocky areas offshore. You can see strange rocks, bizarre rock formations, isolated islands, caves, and cave gates. On the "Sasagawa Nagare Sightseeing Steamship," you can enjoy the scenery from the sea side, and you can also experience feeding the seagulls that follow you.

Anzenkoji

Anzen-koji, named after Anzen-ji Temple, which was founded in 1655, was created as part of the 1,000 yen per black wall campaign that began in 2002. It is lined with historical buildings and has the feel of a castle town. The 1,000 yen per black wall campaign is a project to build a town using funds raised by citizens and others who donate 1,000 yen. There is a 460m black wall, and trees such as maples, Japanese cypresses, and ginkgo trees coexist in a very beautiful way. It seems that many people cooperated to create this place in an effort to preserve its old appearance. Please come and see for yourself.

Shimizuen

Built in 1658, this is the secondary residence of Mizoguchi, the lord of Shibata Domain. The grounds are spacious, covering 15,000m2, and the garden is centered around a large pond, with trees and five teahouses, each with a different view that is very beautiful. The rice storehouse, which was once a storage facility for the wealthy Ito family's Sakutoku rice, now displays materials on the Shibata Domain and materials on Horibe Yasubei, one of the Ako Roshi. In autumn, the leaves change color beautifully, creating a very picturesque atmosphere. The garden is also lit up at night, so be sure to check it out.

Yahiko Shrine

In 392, Ameno-Kayama-no-Mikoto, who had completed his divine work of developing the country, was buried on Mount Yahiko, and his son Ameno-Godane-no-Mikoto enshrined him there. The shrine was founded over 2,400 years ago, and is also mentioned in the oldest collection of poems in Japan, the Manyoshu. The red bridge, known as Tama-no-Hashi (Tama-no-Hashi), is said to be the bridge where the gods pass, and people are not allowed to cross it. This historic bridge is a beautiful vermilion color.

Outside the temple grounds, there is the Okumiya (shrine), and you can take a ropeway to the top of Mt. Yahiko. It is a scenic spot where you can see the torii gate and the Niigata landscape. It feels special because you cannot enter during the off-season or when the weather is bad.

Shibata Castle

It was built in 1598 and completed during the reign of the third lord, Lord Sencho. Unlike many mountain castles, it was built on flat ground. It was built with the convenience of transportation in mind as a political and economic center. The "three-story turret" served as a castle tower. It is a unique turret with three Shachihoko statues on the roof, making it the only rare castle with three Shachihoko statues on the roof instead of two.

You can enjoy it all year round: cherry blossoms in the spring, lotus flowers in the summer, autumn leaves in the fall, and atmospheric snow-covered scenery in the winter.

Foot soldiers' tenement house

This eight-unit tenement house for lower-ranking samurai was built in 1842 by the Shibata Domain along a road below the castle for military reasons, and was one of four such tenement houses that existed until the end of the Edo period. Apparently people were living there until around the spring of 1969. In the same year, it was designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan as the only structure in Japan that still retains the dwelling and lifestyle of a lower-ranking samurai from the Edo period. At the time, only one resident had a surname, and the other seven only had first names. (It is believed that ashigaru (foot soldiers) did not have surnames, as they were of peasant origin.) This facility allows visitors to get a glimpse into the simple life of the time.

Hyoko

This water area was built in the Edo period (around 1603) and is a national natural monument known as a "swan migration site." In 2008, it was registered as a Ramsar Convention wetland, protecting the habitat of waterfowl. The swans are here every year from early October to late March, with 5,000 to 6,000 swans at their peak in November. The swans are benders and whooper swans.

The recommended time is around sunrise, between 6am and 8am. The sight of the planes taking off with the Gozu mountain range dyed in the morning glow in the background is truly beautiful.

Niigata Customs Old Building

Of Japan's five ports that were opened to the outside world (Hakodate, Niigata, Yokohama, Kobe, Nagasaki), this is the only surviving customs building from the time of the port's opening. It was built by local carpenters in imitation of Western architecture and is known as pseudo-Western architecture. At first glance, it appears to be a Western-style building, but it is distinctive in that parts were built using Japanese techniques. In particular, the namako walls and tonkatsu-shaped glass windows give a traditional Japanese feel in every corner. You can see the "stone storehouse," which was used as a bonded warehouse to temporarily store import and export cargo brought into the customs office.

The Fox Wedding House

This facility is based on the fox wedding procession. The fox wedding procession refers to a rain shower. There is a rule that the procession must not be seen by people, so when the fox goes to get married, it makes fake rain fall, and the wedding is completed while the people who were surprised by the sudden rain go indoors. At this facility, you can experience making a fox mask and draw a pattern on the mask. You can also experience putting on fox makeup, straw crafts, and bamboo crafts, allowing you to experience Japan.

Imayotsukasa Sake Brewery

Niigata is famous for its sake, and Imayo Tsukasa is one of the oldest sake breweries, founded in 1767. When it first opened, it was involved in the sake wholesale business and inn business, but later entered the sake brewing business in earnest. The brewery is located closest to Niigata Station, the gateway to Niigata Prefecture, which boasts the largest number of sake breweries in Japan. Since 2006, they have been brewing sake entirely with pure rice, with no added brewing alcohol, which is rare nationwide, and they only produce pure rice daiginjo sake, pure rice ginjo sake, and pure rice sake. On the tour of the brewery, you will be guided through the atmospheric building of this long-established brewery, and you can sample Imayo Tsukasa sake.

summary

We have introduced "10 things to do in Niigata (Kaetsu area)". There are natural tourist spots such as "Sasagawa Nagare" and "Hyoko Lake" as well as buildings related to samurai such as "Shibata Castle" and "Ashigaru Nagaya". There are also many sake breweries, and there are more than just "Imayotsukasa Sake Brewery" introduced this time, so it's good to go around and check them out.