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 friend be my own personal tour guide and stay in her home there.
Furusato Village
I would recommend all visitors to Niigata (especially those without their own personal guide) start their trip at Furusato Village since it is home to a Tourist Information center as well as a museum where you can get more background on the region. It also has a lovely garden to explore. And you’ll definitely want to visit the Bazaar Hall where you can sample some of the region’s specialty foods and pick up some souvenirs. Which is exactly what we did – picking up some of Niigata’s famous Sake, Rice, & Curry for me to bring back to our friend in Bangkok. From the village, we boarded the Shinanogawa Water Shuttle for a lovely little boat ride along the Shinano River.
We headed to The Old Saito Residence, but sadly found it closed. So we proceeded to our next destination:
Befco Bakauke Observatory
To get a spectacular vantage of Niigata, head to Befco Bakauke Observatory. It’s free and even has a cafe at the top where you can purchase some snacks which is exactly what we did. We chatted over tea & cake while we waited for the sun to set so that we could enjoy both the daytime and nighttime view.
Dinner at Sushi Marui
Next we had one of the most incredible sushi dinners I have ever had in my life at Sushi Marui (丸伊鮨割烹)! I will let the pictures do the talking in this case.
Cherries Jubilie at Starlight, Hotel Okura
For dessert we headed over to Hotel Okura where Starlight Restaurant awaits on the top floor. I was treated to more incredible views of the city while our waiter prepared Cherries Jubilee at our table. What a pyrotechnic display!
Want to see what else I did during my 4 days in Niigata? Read about my other days: