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Niigata PrefectureNiigata Prefecture (新潟県; Niigata-ken) is located on Honshu island, Japan. The capital is the city of Niigata. History Niigata prefecture was originally divided into Echigo Province and Sado Province until the Meiji Restoration. During the Sengoku period it was ruled by Uesugi Kenshin. Niigata (the city) is the largest and most important city in Ura Nihon, the half of Japan that faces the Sea of Japan. It has been an important seaport since the opening of Japan in the mid-1800s, especially for trade with Russia and northern Korea, and was the first port on the Sea of Japan to be opened to foreign trade. The Etsuzankai organization, led by prime minister Tanaka Kakuei, was highly influential in bringing infrastructure improvements to Niigata in the 1960s and 1970s, including the Joetsu Shinkansen high speed rail line and Kanetsu Expressway to Tokyo. Today, Niigata is best known for being visited by a freighter from North Korea once a month: one of the few direct contacts between the Free world and the communist country. On October 23, 2004, the Chuetsu Earthquake struck Niigata Prefecture, causing shaking measured at Shindo 6+ at Ojiya. Geography Niigata prefecture stretches about 240 km along the Sea of Japan from southwest to north east, with a coastal plain between the mountains and the sea. It also includes Sado Island. Cities Towns and Villages Economy Niigata is the principal rice growing region of Japan based on quality rather than quantity. Although rice production is widespread throughout Japan, Niigata accounts for 70% of the total value of the rice harvest. The most prized variety of rice is Niigata Koshihikari. The prefecture is famous as the original home of the ornamental carp known as koi, and the best-quality koi are still considered to come from the farms of Niigata. It is also very famous for its sake alcohol, which is some of the best in Japan. Industrial production in Niigata includes a variety of machinery manufacturing, and particularly manufacturing of household and kitchen goods. Demographics Culture Tourism Prefectural symbols Miscellaneous topics External link
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