Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [434]
Eating & Drinking
Honchō Market (; 10am-5pm, closed irreguarly) If you want a feast for both the eyes and the stomach, check out this market, which occupies several pedestrian arcades running off of Masa-koji. While it’s primarily a produce and seafood market, there are plenty of little hole-in-the-wall places here where you can dine on Niigata’s justifiably famous cuisine.
Inakaya (223-1266; 1457 Kyūban-chō; dishes from ¥800; lunch & dinner) A famous seafood joint that packs in blue-collar locals, Inakaya specialises in wappa meshi or steamed fish over rice served up in a wooden container. There is a picture menu here to help the uninitiated, though you can’t go wrong as Niigata’s seas are incredibly bountiful. Located on a small street in the eating district Furu-machi, Inakaya is located directly across the street from a Daily Yamazaki convenience store.
Kurumiya (290-6556; 1st fl, Tōkyū Inn, 1-2-4 Benten; dishes from ¥800; lunch & dinner) Right next to the train station (look for the wooden English sign), this place has a comprehensive selection of local sakes, terribly tempting seafood set menus and an eclectic assortment of local and regional specialities. Ordering can be a bit tricky, so best to ask the waiter for an osusume (recommendation) or simply point to other diners’ dishes.
Immigrant’s Cafe (242-2722; www.immigrantscafe.com, 1-7-10 Higashi Ōdori; drinks from ¥600; 5.30pm-close) Catering well to local expats and internationally minded locals, this bilingual spot in the basement of the Niigata Central Building mixes light electronic beats, Mexican eats and a comprehensive drinks list to keep everyone juiced up.
Entertainment
Ryūtopia (224-5622; www.ryutopia.or.jp, in Japanese; 3-2 Ichibanbori-dōri; 9am-10pm, closed 2nd & 4th Mon of each month) The city’s snazziest attraction is a major performing arts centre with a 1900-seat concert hall, a 900-seat theatre and a 400-seat nō (classical Japanese drama performed on a bare stage) theatre. Enquire for more details at the tourist information office.
Getting There & Away
AIR
From Niigata airport, 13km north of the city centre, domestic destinations include Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka and many others. For international flights, Click here. Buses run from stop 11 outside Niigata station to the airport every half-hour from 6.40am to 6.40pm (¥370, 25 minutes), while a taxi should cost around ¥2000.
BOAT
From the port of Niigata-kō, Shin-Nihonkai (273-2171) ferries run at 10.30am daily except Monday to Otaru on Hokkaidō (¥6200, 18 hours), returning every day except Monday. To get to Niigata-ko, take any buses bound for Rinko-nichōme from stop 3 at Niigata station – get off at Suehiro-bashi (¥200, 20 minutes). There is a small ticket office at the pier.
From the Sado Kisen terminal, there are frequent ferries and hydrofoils to Ryōtsu on Sado-ga-shima Click here. Buses to the terminal (¥200, 15 minutes) leave from stop 6 at Niigata station 45 minutes before sailing. Alternatively, a taxi to either Niigata-kō or the Sado Kisen terminal should cost around ¥1200.
BUS
Niigata Transit and JR highway buses depart from the covered Bandai bus centre. Here, you will find a small ticket booth where you can purchase tickets to major cities throughout Japan. Some sample destinations, which have frequent daily departures from Niigata, include Tokyo (¥5250, six hours), Sendai (¥4500, four hours) and Aizu-Wakamatsu (¥2000, 1¾ hours).
CAR
If you’re driving, the Hokuriku Expressway () runs between Tokyo and the greater Niigata area.
TRAIN
There are several hourly trains on the Jōetsu shinkansen between Niigata and Tokyo (¥10,070, 2¼ hours) via Echigo-Yuzawa Onsen (¥5040, 50 minutes). There are also a few tokkyū each day on the JR Uetsu line between Niigata and Tsuruoka (¥4130, 1¾ hours), and between Niigata and Akita (¥6820, 3¾ hours).
For accessing the port of Naoetsu-kō, where you can grab a ferry or hydrofoil to the town of Ogi on Sado-ga-Shima,