History / Culture / Tour Spots in Niigata Area
Area
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Niigata
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Niigata
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- Urasa Bishamondo Temple
- Travel / Tourism
- Nigata Pref. Minamiuonumashi Urasa 2495
- This temple is located in Urasa, Minamiuonuma City. It was founded in 807 by Sakanoue-no-Tamuramaro. The main gate resembles the Yomei-mon gate of the Nikko Toshogu Shrine, and features a painting of two dragons by the late Edo period painter, Tani Buncho. It is designated as a Nationally Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, and is famous for the Hadaka Oshiaitaisai festival which has been held for 1200 years on the first Saturday of March each year.
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- Baigoji Temple
- Travel / Tourism
- Niigata Agano Kojima 377
- According to records, this ancient Buddhist temple was founded in 1207 when the great monk Shinran was staying in the area to spread the belief in the nenbutsu prayer as the path to salvation and granted his greatest disciple with his honorary Buddhist name. The temple possesses a life-sized painting of Shinran as well as a calligraphic rendition of the nine-character name of a Buddhist deity stated to have been written in Shinran’s own hand when he stayed here. The temple’s Juzukakezakura cherry tree, whose hanging flowers resemble a Buddhist rosary; and the unusual Yatsufusa plum tree, whose individual flowers produce eight fruits, are counted among the Seven Wonders of Echigo. Considered both legends and miracles planted by Shinran during his visit to Echigo, even today their tale is passed down not only amongst the temple priests but across the prefecture.
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- Agano Togo Yoshida Memorial Museum
- Leisure / Hobbies
- Niigata Agano Yasuda 1725-1
- This museum was established to honor the achievements of pioneering Japanese historical geographer Togo Yoshida. Standing on the site where Yoshida was born, this so-called “open museum” may be freely used by local residents as a learning space. Yoshida spent 13 years in self-study compiling his “Dai Nihon Chimei Jisho” (“A Dictionary of Japanese Place Names”). The museum is a fascinating destination not only for students of geography but also those engaged in local development projects. The only museum in the country focusing on understanding and compiling the achievements of Yoshida, whose influence continues to reverberate today, the facility serves as a source of information and a place where one can learn more about local areas.
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- Okozu Bunsui Levee
- Travel / Tourism
- Niigata Tsubame-shi Gosengoku
- The Shinano River is a large, class A river which has caused flood disasters since ancient times. This levee was built in order to divert a portion of rising waters to the Sea of Japan, thus preventing catastrophic flood damage on the Echigo Plain. This levee was completed in 1922 on a section of the river closest to the Sea of Japan where it makes a drastic turn to the east. Cherry tree planting began in the area even before the levee was complete, and today it has become known as one of the top cherry blossom viewing destinations in Niigata. When the flowers are in full bloom, the trees are also lit up at night, enabling visitors to enjoy their beautiful blossoms in the evening as well. From October through March, over 1,000 swans also migrate and overwinter here.
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- Otogo Shrine Thatched Hut
- Travel / Tourism
- Niigata Tsubame-shi Kugami
- The shrine office of a shrine subordinate to Yahiko Shrine. The Soto Buddhist monk Ryokan moved into this thatched hut in 1816 after the Gogoan hut in which he had spent his prime had deteriorated with the years and his aging body made it difficult for him to climb and descend the mountain on which it was located. During the ten years Ryokan spent here, his art and calligraphy reached their highest maturity, and the monk produced many great works. The current hut was rebuilt in 1987. A stone monument, erected in 1858, stands on the grounds and is believed to be the oldest extant such monument inscribed with a poem by Ryokan.
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- Statue of Oze Saburo
- Travel / Tourism
- Niigata Uonuma-shi Utsuno
- A statue standing on a hill on the western bank of Lake Okutadami. The statue memorializes Oze Saburo, who was chased out of the capital in the Heain period over a rivalry with the mighty Taira no Kiyomori over the love of a woman named Okisaki, later dying here in Uonuma City (once the village of Yunotani). When he left the capital, Okisaki gave him a statuette of Akasagarbha which he kept close throughout the rest of his life, and thus he is depicted carrying this figure. A memorial festival is held each year in late July, which includes events such as a fireworks show, floating lanterns on the lake, and a Bon Odori dance. The sight of the fireworks reflecting off the black surface of the lake engenders a romantic scene inspiring thoughts of the tragic love story.
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- Yakushido Komochi Sugi
- Travel / Tourism
- Niigata Uonuma-shi Tochiomata Onsen
- A Bhaisajyaguru temple (Yakushido) stands behind the Jizaikan, a secluded hot spring bathhouse in Tochiomata Onsen. The Tochiomata Yakushido is surrounded by large trees believed to be 400 years old and is dedicated to Bhaisajyaguru, the patron Buddhist deity of doctors. Two sacred trees stand on the grounds known as the Komochi Sugi (“Childbearing Cedar) and the Meoto Keyaki (“Husband and Wife Zelkova”), and the spot where they grow is famously believed to grant the prayers of worshippers who wish to be blessed with children. According to legend, stepping over the sacred trees will bless one with children. An unending stream of visitors make their way to the shrine to offer kewpie dolls and ema votive tablets to pray for children to the shrine and Bhaisajyaguru, and to give thanks for their prayers having been answered.
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- Hamochi Castle Site
- Travel / Tourism
- Niigata Sado-shi Hamochihongo
- The site of a ruined castle built on an isolated plateau sprawling on the east side of Hamochi Hongo. The prototypical medieval mountain castle is believed to have been built in the early Muromachi period to serve as a southern Sado base by the Hamochi Honma, a clan thought to have branched off from the Yoshioka Honma clan in Mano District. After the mighty samurai lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified the country, the lord Uesugi Kagekatsu of Echigo attacked Sado, leading to the fall of this castle; archeological traces from this time period can still be found here today. Today, the site is maintained as Joshi Park, and visitors can learn about the castle’s history from a sign at the park entrance. From the top of the mountain, one can look down at the Hamochi Plain and perceive the stacked encampments and auxiliary defensive forts arrayed across a vast area around the former castle.
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- Shiizaki Suwa Shrine
- Travel / Tourism
- Niigata Sado-shi Harakuro
- An ancient Shinto shrine which records state was built in 1376 during the Muromachi period. Standing on a rise overlooking Lake Kamo, the shrine was the guardian shrine of the Kuji Honma, a local family with much influence in the area. The shrine’s noh stage, believed to have been erected in 1902, has been registered as a Tangible Folk Cultural Properties by the prefectural government. This stage is known for hosting the most noh performances in Sado. On Saturdays from May to early October (excluding August), wondrous firelight noh plays are held here, attracting large numbers of visitors from across the island and beyond. The shrine grounds are also a popular cherry blossom viewing destination in spring.
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- Ruins of Sado Kokubunji Temple
- Travel / Tourism
- Niigata Sado-shi Kokubunji 287-1
- The ruins of the oldest Buddhist temple in Sado. The shrine was a Kokubunji temple, state-sponsored temples which Emperor Shomu ordered one be built in each province. The exact time period the temple was founded and the borders of its grounds are not clear, but records state it was completed between 743 and 775 between the Tenpyo and Hoki periods. The temple’s grounds overlook the Kuninaka Plain; a portion of the temple’s foundation stones still stand, and one can perceive the positions of structures such as the Kondo main hall and Chumon gate. The temple was destroyed repeatedly by fires and lightning strikes, and in turn was repeatedly rebuilt; the temple’s principal object of worship, a statue depicting a seated Bhaisajyaguru (a designated National Important Cultural Property) escaped destruction in the war and today remains enshrined in the rebuilt Sado Kokubunji Temple.
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- Myoshoji Temple
- Travel / Tourism
- Niigata Sado-shi Nosawa 459
- This Buddhist temple is notable for its stunning hermitage capped by a massive thatched roof. It is believed that Buddhism founder Nichiren spent two and a half years here, from the time he moved to Ichinosawa from the Sanmaido in Tsukahara, where he wrote his well-known text the “Kaimokusho,” until the time his banishment was pardoned. It is here that Nichiren famous wrote the “Kanjinhonzonsho,” the core of his teachings, in order to promote the use of the Lotus Sutra. Of the sacred sites associated with Nichiren still extant in Sado, this is the only one with a thatched hut; there’s also a Soshido hall commemorating the founding of the temple. The temple was famously granted its name as well as its title by Nichiren himself.
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- Shiawase Jizo Statue
- Travel / Tourism
- Niigata Sado-shi Shukunegi 56-2
- A statue of the bodhisattva Jizostatue on Mt. Tokamiyama looking out over the Shukunegi area. This large scale Jizostatue can be seen from quite some distance and stands 17. 5 meters tall including its pedestal. This overwhelming giant Jizo statue is said to be the largest in Japan. In 1982 a local had a great ambition to erect a Jizo statue and this Great Jizo statue, surrounded by greenery, was completed the following year. Behind the Great Jizo is Jizo Hall where a large number of Jizo statues have been enshrined. In the nearby sea there's a 2-meter tall Jizo statue on the seabed and you can feel the Jizo faith throughout Sado.
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- Sado City Niibo Museum of History and Folklore
- Travel / Tourism
- Niigata Sado-shi
- A museum with a variety of exhibits on local performing arts, folk art, and the history and culture of Sado. Adjoining the Niibo Administration Service Center, here visitors can come in contact with the history and culture of Niibo. Three forms of puppet theater –puppets of preachers, puppets of simpletons, and traditional bunya puppets– have existed in Sado since ancient times, and in modern times each has been designated a National Important Intangible Folk-Cultural Property. In turn, visitors can also learn about these traditional performing arts, their history, and culture in this museum. The museum also holds activity classes such as making ancient magatama stone jewels, and Sakiori recycled cloth weaving.
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- Aikawa Folk Museum
- Leisure / Hobbies
- Niigata Sado-shi Aikawasakashitamachi 20
- A museum where visitors can learn about the Aikawa Area, location of the Sado Gold Mine, a model mine which contributed to the modernization of Japanese industry. Opened in 1956, museum exhibits include minerals from the mine and information on local Sado folk customs. The museum’s elegant building was once used as the Sado branch of the Bureau of Imperial Estates, which managed imperial assets under the Meiji Constitution. Look for the imperial chrysanthemum crests found everywhere on the structure. The museum displays archeological materials concerning the mine and the Sado magistrate’s office, implements used by Aikawa “yujo” ladies of the night as well as works of art featuring them, and folk custom materials from a town which developed along with the mine.
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- Nashinoki Jizo
- Travel / Tourism
- Niigata Sado-shi Toyota 1932
- A group of stone statues situated along an old road connecting Sado’s Mano District and Akadomari District. Beyond stone steps on the Nashinoki Pass, visitors will find a Jizodo temple surrounded by what some say are several thousand to tens of thousands of small stone Jizo (Kshitigarbha) statues. The temple’s principal object of worship is a Jizo statue said to have been fished out of the sea by a local fisherman, and it is widely believed to cure the illnesses of children. The Jizo statues, also called the “Koboshi” (“little priests”), were donated by worshippers after their prayers were answered. Their worn faces speak of the long years they have stood here. Each year a Jizo Festival is held on August 24th, and the night before it is customary for worshippers to stay here and chant Buddhist mantras.
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- Yuzuru no Hi Monument
- Travel / Tourism
- Niigata Sado-shi
- "The area was named after the playwright Kinoshita Junji's play ""Yuzuru"" (Twilight Crane) which was based after a famous Japanese folktale. Regarded as his masterpiece, the play has been performed more than 1000 times by the theatrical company he presided over. It is also been staged as an opera by the composer Dan Ikuma. The monument has an inscription written by Kinoshita Junji. It's across from Mourazaki Park, which is a famous place for viewing iwayuri Japanese lilies."
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- Hokkoku Kaido Tsumairi Kaikan
- Leisure / Hobbies
- Niigata Santo-gun Izumozakimachi Amaze 166
- “Tsumairi” is a Japanese architectural style in which the entrance is placed on one of the sides, or “tsuma.” During the Edo period, buildings were taxed based on the width of their frontage, resulting in large numbers of these long, narrow tsumairi houses standing side by side. Echigo once boasted the highest population density in the country, and Izumozaki flourished as a post station town on the old Hokkoku Highway. This facility, standing on a piece of flat ground sandwiched between a small hill and the Sea of Japan, reproduces the traditional layout of a tsumairi home and serves as a rest area for tourists and as a community gathering space. Inside, visitors can learn more about traditional architecture and its historical background, as well as tourist destinations in Izumozaki. Many tourists stop here to take a break in between exploring the town.
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- Tenryo Izumozaki Jidaikan
- Leisure / Hobbies
- Niigata Santo-gun Izumozaki Machi Amaze 6-57
- A cultural facility adjoining Roadside Station Echigo-Izumozaki Tenryo-no-Sato. Inside, the facility contains a recreation of a townscape consisting of homes and businesses designed in the distinctive “tsumairi” style of Izumozaki, enabling visitors to go back in time and experience what the area looked like when it was a brilliant and bustling “tenryo” town under the direct control of the shogunate government. Through lighting and audio; and recreations of a magistrate’s ship and office, kitamaebune cargo ship, and Edo period townscape, visitors can immerse themselves in the majesty and atmosphere of the Edo period. Visitors can also decorate and create their own original paper balloon by pasting colored paper to a blank paper balloon, see a recreation of the birth home of the priest and poet Ryokan, and learn about the many writers and artists who visited and depicted Izumozaki.
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- Hoshi to Mori no Uta Museum
- Leisure / Hobbies
- Niigata Tokamachi-shi Inaba 1099-1
- This art museum was built in 1996 as part of social work conducted by the Maruyama Komusho company. Based on the idea of bringing relaxation and warmth to the city, the museum is surrounded by Japanese beech trees and displays pieces by artists connected to Niigata Prefecture. Literally translating to “Star and Forest Song Museum,” the facility’s distinctive name alludes to the centerpieces of its collection –“Forest of the Stars,” a woodblock print by Joichi Hoshi; Living National Treasure Akitsugu Amata’s “Sword of the Big Dipper,” a Japanese sword; and “Poetry of the Forest,” a sculpture by Nika Association member Hidemasa Fujimaki. Visitors say that being surrounded by the museum’s relaxing atmosphere warms the heart. The museum has no standing exhibition, instead only holding four special exhibitions each year.
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- Another Singularity
- Leisure / Hobbies
- Niigata Tokamachi-shi Bo 913
- This work of art was entered in the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale. One of the world’s largest international art festivals, the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale is held once every three years in Echigo-Tsumari (Tsunan Town and Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture), one of Japan’s snowiest areas. Housed inside of a vacant home in Tokamachi, a city experiencing depopulation and population aging, the piece represents the beginnings of the universe. The home in which the piece is displayed has had its walls removed, leaving the pillars, beams, and other structural components exposed. The figure of a person emerges from a complex matrix in the center of 682 cords attached to the floor, walls, and celling. The piece was created by British artist Antony Gormley.
Niigata Areas
Found along the northwestern coast of Japan, Niigata prefecture is celebrated for its high-quality rice and breathtaking nature, most notably its spectacular mountains, whose white peaks draw in snow sports lovers from far and wide over the winter months. Hit the slopes at Yuzawa, pick out your favourite modern artist at Echigo Tsumari, or take a ferry over to Sado Island for an extra adventure.
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