Niigata: Railroad City

A few weeks ago, I was musing about where I'd like to go to in Japan when I travel there in a few weeks. I thought Niigata would be an interesting place.

Niigata City is on the Sea of Japan side of Honshu and it is known for its food (particularly rice), sake and seafood.

While I enjoy hanging out in Tokyo, I also like to see places in Japan on each trip that I hadn't seen previously. In Tokyo, I plan on talking to media people and booksellers about The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.


I obtained a copy of the free magazine Japan Up! yesterday and it included an article on Niigata City. According to the article, Niigata City is also known as a popular railroad city. It said that "many trains arrive and depart the city, such as steam locomotives blowing black smoke, sightseeing trains from which you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Sea of Japan, as well as night express trains. Railcar factories are also located within the city..."

Being somewhat of a train buff, this article clinched it for me. It looks like I'll be taking an excursion to Niigata City.