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Niigata

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Top Niigata, Japan Private Tours and things to do: Visit Niigata, Niigata with Local Guides. Check reviews, photos, request an itinerary, plan a day trip or walking tour.

Niigata Guided Tours

Visitors can view the beautiful castle and learn how the city has been developed based on the history of Shibata Clan.  Walk along the streets, enjoy the ambience of the Edo Period and get acquainted with the town and its history.  

Shibata Castle and Central Shibata

This route takes you to the area which gives Niigata City the name of the "City of Water."  You can experience the port city history and culture such as the former Saito Family Villa and Hakusan Shrine.

Central Niigata City 1-Day Tour

1.  You will feel refreshed and energized.
Joetsu City was the capital city of Echigo Province.  As you stay away from crowds, you can enjoy walking along former castle town streets in a calm way.  There are many historical sites and scenic spots.  The city is surrounded by the Sea of Japan and snow-capped mountains.  And you can find people having environmentally friendly lifestyles.

2.  You can stay 7 hours in Joetsu by using the Hokuriku Bullet Train.
  leave Tokyo Station  7:52
  arrive at Joetsu-Myoko Station 9:54 → 17:13　(7hours)
  return to Tokyo Station 19:12

  The last train leaves Joetsu-Myoko Station at 21:21.
  You can enjoy staying at night in Joetsu, too.

3.  You will visit several following places of your choice.
1) local train: Tokimeki Line
After meeting at Joetsu-Myoko Station, let’s take a local train to Takada Station.
It takes less than ten minutes.  

2) Takada Park: a former castle site
Takada Castle was built in 1614 by Matsudaira Tadateru, a sixth son of the first Shogun.
It is one of the biggest castle site in Japan.  
Takada Park is famous for cherry trees in spring and lotus flowers in summer.  
Red and yellow leaves fascinate people in fall, and all trees and moats are covered white in snow.  
Local people love this park all the year-round. 

3) Machiya (townhouses) and Gangi Streets in castle town 
Machiya: townhouses are small in width at the entrance and long in-depth, like in Kyoto City.  Local people try to live comfortably in such houses.  You can visit some of the townhouses and find what they are.

Gangi Streets: snow shelters
Joetsu has a lot of snow in winter.  In order to walk easily in winter, they have built Gangi along the streets, which people can walk without getting wet.

4) Sake brewery
There are 13 breweries in Joetsu.  You will visit Musashino Brewery and taste some sake and learn how sake is brewed.   When you taste some of their sake in Rakusuitei-garden, you will be refreshed and be happy.  

5) Temple Street.
There are 66 temples in temple street in the west of the town.   You can visit one of the temples and find your time there.

6) Ski Museum
Joetsu is the first place where Alpine skiing was introduced in Japan by a military officer from Austria in 1911.   You will find how skiing has been developed in Japan.  As this museum is a little away from the center of the town, a taxi will be recommended to visit there.


Joetsu City One Day Walking Tour, Takada Area

Visitors will see the vast rice fields in Echigo Plain and people's way of life centering rice in the culture.  You will taste various kinds of local sake, foods including miso, soy sauce and snacks in downtown Tsukioka.  Also experience a bit of Onsen by soaking your feet in an outdoor bath there or taking a public hot bath of Tsukioka Onsen.  Enjoy viewing greenery and seasonal colors with blossoms and observing creatures living in the wetlands.

Northern Culture Museum, Tsukioka and Fukushimagata Wetlands

Visitors are to walk between JR Yahiko Station and Yahiko Shrine, which is a good excercise and gives a good chance to see the local shrine town.  You can buy one or two snacks on the way to and from the shrine such as Panda-yaki rice pancakes and konnyaku.  Breathe in serene air in the woods of the precinct to get to the gondola station.  The gondola ride takes 5 minutes to get to the top and visitors take a 15 walk to the uppermost shrine if the weather is fine.  (No walk on snowy days.)  After getting down to the ground, visiting deer and messenger birds is waiting for fun.  Enjoy feeding sacred deer wishing good fortune.  Then please do not forget the main event, to visit the main worship hall of Yahiko Shrine.  Practice 2 bows, 4 claps and 1 bow manner at Yahiko, which is different from most other shrines in Japan.  This tells how unique Yahiko Shrine is.  Yahiko is also well-known as a hot spring resort, so please soak your feet into a  foot bath prepared for visitors to the town at Omotenashihirowa.

Day Trip Niigata Private Tours

Shibata Castle and Central Shibata

Visitors can take the beautiful view of Shibata Castle, and feel the ambience of the castle town by walking along the streets. Please choose 6 spots to visit out of the highlights in central Shibata City.

Shibata Castle and Central Shibata

Central Niigata City 1-Day Tour

Central Niigata City 1-Day Tour

Joetsu City One Day Walking Tour, Takada Area

Joetsu City One Day Walking Tour, Takada Area

Northern Culture Museum, Tsukioka and Fukushimagata Wetlands

Northern Culture Museum, Tsukioka and Fukushimagata Wetlands

Gondola Ride to Mt Yahiko Top and Yahiko Shrine Visit plus Teradomari

Gondola Ride to Mt Yahiko Top and Yahiko Shrine Visit plus Teradomari

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