I had 3 Weeks in Japan, so why did I spend 4 days in Niigata which is a relatively unpopular tourist destination while completely skipping popular cities like Hiroshima, Kobe, & Osaka? Because I had the incredible opportunity to have my new friend and own personal tour guide and stay in her family’s home there.
Arrival, Lunch, & Sake Tasting
“Kissing” Max Toki Shinkansens
Lunch: Niigata Pork & Rice
When I arrived on the adorable pink & blue Max Toki Shinkansen I was immediately whisked away for a lovely lunch at the train station featuring some fresh Niigata rice and pork which the region is famous for. So right away I was getting a literal taste of the region’s culture.
Sake Tasting at Niigata Station
Salts at Sake Tasting in Niigata Station
Sake Tasting Machine in Niigata Station
Condiments for pickles at Sake Tasting in Niigata Station
Sake Tasting Wall at Niigata Station
Since rice is what Niigata is known for, well it only logically follows that the region also has a lot of sake! At the Niigata train station they have an awesome sake tasting wall where for 500 Yen you get 5 coins which work on the sake dispensers on the wall. They also have a variety of flavored salts and pickles to snack on as you sample. Brilliant!
An evening jog and izakaya dinner along the Shinano River
Hakusan Park in Niigata, Japan
Ryutopia Performing Arts Center in Niigata, Japan
Ryutopia Performing Arts Center in Niigata, Japan
Hakusan Shrine in Niigata, Japan
Full and a little tipsy, we went back to my friend’s home so I could settle in (they were the most absolutely gracious hosts) and change to go for a jog. Yeah, sake and then jogging, I know. Luckily though they were little cups and the effects had worn off during our afternoon sojourn so I was eager to run off some of that pork & rice!
Their family friends picked us up and we went to the Shinano River where we did a loop that included seeing the famous Bandai Bridge and went through Hakusan Park where the Ryutopia Performing Arts Center and Hakusan Shrine are located. This park is also famous for their cherry blossom trees and have a bunch of reflecting pools where the trees are mirrored. Which I can imagine is absolutely stunning in the spring when they are in bloom.
We ended our run with a stop at a riverside izakaya tent where we enjoyed some beers accompanied by a traditional winter bar meal of “oden”. Oden literally translates to ‘boiled foods’ and is a popular drinking food tradition in Japan – especially in the winter. The various boiled foods can be eggs, daikon, poratoes, meats, tofu, fish cakes, and most interestingly konnyaku aka “devil’s tongue’ which is a konjack root jelly. Here’s a handy guide to oden.
Already a perfect day in Niigata – and it was only half a day! My visit was off to a fantastic start.
Want to see what else I did during my 4 days in Niigata? Read about my other days: