Niigata Travel Guide

Niigata's city centre sits on either side of the Shinano River, and the iconic Bandai Bridge forms an unmissable focal point. Built in 1929 and listed as a Nationally Important Cultural Property, it's a great place to start your explorations.

The nearby Befco Bakauke Observation Deck offers breathtaking views thanks to its floor-to-ceiling windows and elevated vantage point. Weather permitting, you can enjoy breathtaking sunset views, while after dark the city lights are only slightly less spectacular. Niigata-ken Gokoku Shrine is a little closer to the earth but no less alluring. The historic Shinto shrine is a wonderfully peaceful place for a relaxing stroll, with its exquisite wooden temple buildings, immaculate grounds and overall old-world charm.

Niigata is famous for its traditional onsen baths. A soak in the relaxing hot spring waters is a quintessentially Japanese experience. The best onsen destinations in Niigata are beyond the city limits, but most are set inside resorts with accommodation, restaurants and amenities on site. Iwamuro Hot Spring is just outside the city in Nishikan-ku. Surrounded by traditional hotels, it's famed for its healing properties.

Set inside a vast hotel complex, the chic Shiratama no yu Kahou hot springs are another popular choice close to the city, owing to their countryside settings and Hida Mountain views. If it's beautification you're after, Tsukioka Hot Springs in nearby Shibata are famed for their soothing effect on tired skin.

Niigata has enough art, culture, and history to keep visitors happy. The city boasts more than its share of intriguing museums. Northern Culture Museum offers an intriguing snapshot of life in the Edo and Meiji periods. The key feature is the impressive former residence of a rich farming dynasty, while eclectic artefacts and exhibits complete the inventory.

Nitsu Railway Museum pays homage to Japan's long-standing connection with rail transport. Featuring steam locomotives to shinkansen, the museum celebrates train travel and its role in the region's prosperity. Shirone Kite Museum includes a kaleidoscopic range of kites along with a wind tunnel to test their capabilities. Some are as large as 20 feet tall, and the designs and colours displayed are genuinely dazzling.

Niigata is bursting with unique sights and experiences, and no trip to the area would be complete without a visit to Imayotsukasa Sake Brewery. Here, you can take a tour to learn about the production process, with unlimited tastings of their world-famous sake included in the entry fee.

Shrouded in stunning natural forest, Yahiko Shrine is a truly memorable sight. Billed as Niigata's most famous sacred site, the temple's history stretches back more than 2,400 years. Fukushimagata Lagoon, meanwhile, is a vast nature reserve featuring Niigata's largest lake and a dizzying network of rivers and tributaries. The jaw-dropping site is great for outdoor strolls, and twitchers should keep their eyes peeled for the 220 bird species known to inhabit the area.

As with most cities in Japan, Niigata is full of well-groomed parks to counteract the tightly knit streets. Uwasekigata Park is a large city park famous for its giant straw animal sculptures, pretty lake, and cherry blossom trees.

Another park famous for its sakura blossom is the traditional Yahiko Park, but it's not just the springtime that sees throngs of tree-spotting visitors. In the autumn, the park is awash with glorious shades of red and gold as the leaves slowly change with the seasons, making Yahiko particularly busy during October and November. As well as delightful seasonal flowers, the atmospheric Hakusan Park features charming water features, traditional bridges, benches, and shade-giving trees.

Niigata's coastal position means the city's restaurants are generally well-stocked with fresh seafood. The Alchemist Bar & Dining offers a modern take on the classic izakaya, with mix-and-match seafood, meat and poultry dishes. Perhaps unusually for an izakaya, it's also famed for its excellent vegan and vegetarian options.

You've never really experienced sushi until you've sampled it in Japan, and Sushi Senryu is one of Niigata's best options serving the bite-size delights. The hidden gem restaurant uses only local ingredients to make its delectable sushi and sashimi varieties. El Mirasol is great if you fancy some non-Japanese comfort food, with its homely blend of Mexican staples, including burritos, tacos, and quesadillas.

Niigata features all the high street shops you find in Japan's major cities, but for the best tourist-centric stores, you'll need to dig a little deeper. Niigata Furusato Village Road Station is a huge roadside service featuring the Bazaar Hall shopping complex. This is the place to find all imaginable Niigata-themed souvenirs, specialities and handicrafts.

Minato Marche Pier Bandai is a bustling indoor market selling locally sourced food, produce and delicacies. Though food is the theme, it's a fantastic place to immerse yourself into authentic local life. Ponshukan in Niigata JR Station is a veritable sake wonderland, with tasting stations serving top-quality sake alongside a gift corner selling sake cups, pickled foods, koshihikari rice snacks and other local specialities.

Though Niigata can't compete with Tokyo when it comes to buzzing nightlife, there are still a few worthwhile venues for a dose of nocturnal rest and relaxation. Amnesia is a speakeasy-themed DJ bar serving high-quality drinks into the small hours. Occasional special events see the energy-levels rise, while on regular nights the atmosphere is lively enough to adequately facilitate good times.

Jazz Flash is a jazz and blues venue that doubles up as a coffee shop, serving hot drinks during the day before welcoming skilled bands and musicians to usher in the evening's entertainment. Those with a taste for finely-mixed cocktails should head to LARIC, where the expert bar staff serve delicious alcoholic concoctions while smooth jazz grooves provide the soundtrack.

Niigata Prefecture is filled with natural beauty, so a short journey from the city can lead you to some awe-inspiring sights. At 634 metres tall, the sacred Mount Yahiko is a popular destination for hikers of all levels. The mountain features well-maintained trails to the summit, from where magnificent panoramic views await.

Kakudayama is another picturesque mountain in the area. Though smaller than Yahiko, its 482-metre summit is well-worth the trek, thanks to scenic views of Niigata City and the Sea of Japan. Though Lake Hyoko is an artificial reservoir, the flora and fauna its habitat supports are anything but. Migratory birds flock to the area, with thousands of swans flying in from Siberia to avoid the harsh Siberian winters.

Niigata has plenty more for visitors beyond shopping, dining and nightlife. Niigata Prefectural Botanical Gardens is a beautifully-maintained garden and arboretum. As well as being home to over 100,000 plants, the garden includes a large greenhouse with a tropical interior – a great place to defrost on a winter's day.

Cave D'Occi Winery is a small winery and shop selling wine, cheese, and groceries. Set amidst rolling countryside, Cave D'Occi also includes a relaxing onsen spa. If it's family fun you're after, Yamanoshita Minato land is a park that's suitable for children of all ages. It's set in a spacious field and features large play equipment, slides, and an observation deck.