Niigata Prefecture

Niigata Prefecture
新潟県
Flag of Niigata Prefecture
Official seal of Niigata Prefecture
Niigata Prefecture in Japan
Niigata Prefecture in Japan
Country Japan
RegionChūbu
CapitalNiigata
Subdivisions
Government
 • GovernorHideyo Hanazumi
Area
 • Total12,584 km2 (4,859 sq mi)
Population
 (October 1, 2020)
 • Total2,201,272[1]
 • Density174.9/km2 (453/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+09:00 (JST)
Postal code
950-8570
Area code15000-2
ISO 3166 codeJP-15
WebsiteOfficial website

Niigata Prefecture (新潟県, Niigata-ken) is a prefecture in the Chūbu region of Japan on the island of Honshū.[2] The capital city is Niigata.[3]

History

Until after the Meiji Restoration, the area that is now Niigata Prefecture was divided into Echigo Province and Sado Province.[4]

Geography

Niigata is next to Yamagata Prefecture, Toyama Prefecture, Nagano Prefecture, Gunma Prefecture and Fukushima prefecture.

Niigata is the fifth largest prefecture in Japan by area.[5]

In winter, it snows a lot in Niigata,[6] and winter sports are popular.

National Parks

National Parks are established in about 25% of the total land area of the prefecture.[7] including

  • Bandai-Asahi National Park[8]

Shrines and Temples

Yahiko-jinja, Kota-jinja, Amatsu-jinja and Watatsu-jinja are the chief Shinto shrines (ichinomiya) in the prefecture. [9]

References

  1. ↑ "令和2年国勢調査 人口等基本集計結果 結果の概要" (PDF). Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Statistics Bureau (Japan). Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  2. ↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Niigata-ken" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 711.
  3. ↑ Nussbaum, "Niigata" at p. 711.
  4. ↑ Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" at p. 780.
  5. ↑ "R6_10_sanko" (PDF). Geospatial Information Authority of Japan. Retrieved January 12, 2025.
  6. ↑ "新潟県の気象の特徴". 新潟地方気象台. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  7. ↑ Japan Ministry of the Environment, "General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture"; retrieved 2012-3-13.
  8. ↑ Japan Ministry of the Environment, "Bandai-Asahi National Park" Archived 2014-09-09 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 2012-3-19.
  9. ↑ "Nationwide List of Ichinomiya," p. 2 Archived 2013-05-17 at the Wayback Machine; retrieved 2012-3-13.

Other websites

Media related to Niigata prefecture at Wikimedia Commons