Niigata: Experience Hands-On Cultural Workshops Across 4 Cities

For more details see Enjoy Niigata: Official Travel Guide

For more details see Enjoy Niigata: Official Travel Guide

For more details see Enjoy Niigata: Official Travel Guide

For more details see Enjoy Niigata: Official Travel Guide

For more details see Enjoy Niigata: Official Travel Guide

For more details see Enjoy Niigata: Official Travel Guide

For more details see Enjoy Niigata: Official Travel Guide

Index

■ Tokamachi: An Art Town
・Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art, KINARE
・Hachi & Seizo Tashima Museum of Picture Book Art
・Matsudai Nobutai Center
・Kiyotsukyo Gorge Tunnel
・Art Exhibits Along the Way That Captured Our Interest
・Tokamachi City Museum: Let's Learn About Local History
・Kimono Emakikan: Kimono Traditions Passed Down Through the Generations
・Join a Sasa Dango-Making Workshop
・ Accommodation In Tokamachi City
・Tokamachi Fureai no Yado-Koryukan
・Noka Minshuku Sanzen (Farm Stay)
・ Souvenir Hunting On Our Way Back at Echigo-Yuzawa Station

Tokamachi: An Art Town

Tokamachi is in Niigata's southern region, next door to Echigo-Yuzawa, famous for its ski hill. In the winter they often get heavy snowfalls, and the entire area becomes a sparkling white landscape.

That said, we visited during the summer, because every three years Tokamachi holds an important event called the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale

During this festival, the Tokamachi area hosts hundreds of modern art installations created by artists from around the world.

Many of the art displays—based on the theme of humans reconnecting with nature—utilize the unique characteristics of each area in their underlying concept.

Some exhibits blend in so well with the natural surroundings that you don't even realize it's an art display! On the other hand, some installations will amaze and astonish you with their loud and flashy appearance.

Tokamachi is just one part of this gigantic art landscape. Even during off years when the triennale is not held, there are still a number of locations with art on display, and events and seasonal exhibits are held regularly.

Even though this was an off year, we paid the area a visit to see exactly what displays there were. Some locations are a little difficult to reach by train, so we arranged for a rental car near Tokamachi Station, which was very convenient.

To get to Tokamachi city from Tokyo, take the Joetsu shinkansen and get off at Echigo-Yuzawa Station, then transfer to the Hokuhoku Line, which will take you to Tokamachi Station.

If coming from Niigata city, board the Joetsu Line and then transfer to the Hokuhoku Line at Muikamachi Station.

Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art, KINARE

Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art, KINARE is located close to Tokamachi Station. Upon entering, you'll see a large pond surrounded by a building with bare concrete walls.

Admission: Adults 800 yen, Children (elementary school / junior high school) 400 yen

When we visited, there were many special exhibits that were perfectly suited to summer.

The works of art included a sponge boat floating on the waterway, an ice cream stand in a colorful rest area, and also SUP (stand up paddle boarding) in which visitors can participate and have fun on the water, to name just a few of the exhibits.

On the second floor, the waters of a pond reflect the image of a building like a huge mirror. A photo of a building was inverted, then placed in the pond to create the display. This piece is called Palimpsest: Pond of Sky and was created by Leandro Erlich.

As you examine the piece from different angles, the reflected image is distorted and enlarged, giving an entirely different impression.

The photo above shows another Leandro Erlich creation called Tunnel. While passing through the Echigo-Tsumari gorge by car, Leandro Erlich was inspired by the tunnel and decided make this piece.

As you move to the back of the tunnel, the things around you start becoming smaller. This exhibit is filled with an innate sense of fun!

When you exit the tunnel you realize that you were actually inside a kamaboko-type storehouse (right side in photo), a very common structure in this region.

The above photo shows SOIL MUSEUM / NIIGATA, a work of art by Koichi Kurita.

One entire wall consists of rows of bottles filled with Niigata prefecture soil, forming an exquisitely beautiful gradation of color.

Passing through the spiral tunnel of Rolling Cylinder, 2012 creates the illusion of being turned around and around with the tunnel. This exhibit is courtesy of Carsten Holler and is one of the museum's most famous pieces.

○in□ (circle in square), created by Massimo Bartolini and Lorenzo Bini, serves as the concept for the Echigo Shinanogawa Bar, a restaurant serving sweets and drinks.

Each of the shop's round tables are decorated with a black line. When the tables are lined up side by side, these decorative black lines get form an image of the Shinano River.

White-colored mobiles of all sizes hang down from the ceiling and sparkle as they rotate. It almost feels like you're sitting in the river and these glittering rays of light are shining down upon you.

In the museum shop, you'll find a wide variety of original goods. These include items are related to museum pieces, as well as special local products such as sake and rice.

This writer's favorite store item is shown in the upper right corner of the photo above. It's a cute container shaped like a giant rice kernel, filled with Niigata Koshihikari rice. It contains 300 grams of rice and costs 800 yen (before tax).

**Exhibits entitled Tunnel, Rolling Cylinder, 2012 and Echigo Shinanogawa Bar concluded in December, 2020.

Echigo-Tsumariyama Museum of Contemporary Art MonET

1-71-2 Honchorokuno, Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture 948-0003

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Hachi & Seizo Tashima Museum of Picture Book Art

Sanada Elementary School was forced to close due to Japan's declining birth rate.

However it was reborn as the Hachi & Seizo Tashima Museum of Picture Book Art, a hands-on picture book museum created by picture book author Seizo Tashima.

Tashima wrote a picture book entitled, "The School Won't Become Empty," in conjunction with the museum's opening. The story focuses on the school's three remaining students, named Yuki, Yuka and Kenta, and the ghosts that are apparently lurking there.

In the story, the students go in search of adventure at the school, where ghosts and monsters are hiding.

If you look closely at the various works of art in the museum, you will notice that they include lots of tree fruit and driftwood. This is especially true with Tashima's exhibits.

On the blackboard you can see the graffiti "left behind" by the school's three final students. This picture book story includes an element of reality.

The museum's first floor includes a shop that features a collection of picture books and Tashima's artwork, as well as a small cafe called Hachi Cafe. Guests can indulge in coffee, cake, and various entrees while enjoying the cafe's cute atmosphere.

Bowl & Seizo Tashima Picture Book and Tree Nut Museum / Seizo Tas...

2310-1 Sanada Ko, Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture 948-0111

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Matsudai Nobutai Center

Matsudai Nobutai Center was built in 2003 by the architectural firm MVRDV.

The center's gallery and hands-on events spread the word about the area's local culture. There are also special exhibits, a restaurant, and various shops.

Admission: Adults 500 yen, Children (elementary and junior high school) 300 yen.

You can see a number of outdoor exhibits on the nearby hilltop. We suggest you allow about one to two hours to see them all.
Near the entrance to the building you'll see Tsumari in Bloom, a gigantic, eye-catching objet d'art shaped like an enormous flower with bright, vivid colors and a polka-dot pattern. Nobody other than famous artist Yayoi Kusama could have created an exhibit of this magnitude.

The photo above shows the Kamaboko Storehouse Project by Tsuyoshi Ozawa, which features Kamaboko-style storehouses, lined up in order of size. These storehouses look adorable at full size, but become even more so when they're tiny.

The next work of art is  The Rice Field, by Ilya and Emilia Kabakov.

Sculptures of farmers going about their daily work are placed in rice paddies, to express the laborious process of growing rice, from plowing and irrigating the fields to the harvest itself.

From Matsudai Nobutai Center's observation deck, visitors are treated to a close-up look at this art installation; the building offers such an outstanding view that it almost seems as if the building was constructed for this purpose alone.

Let's Look at More Art Inside Matsudai Nobutai Center

Is there anyone who didn't write graffiti on the blackboard as a student?

Relation—Blackboard Classroom will make everyone's graffiti dreams come true--because the entire classroom is covered in blackboards, from the floors, walls, and ceilings all the way to the desks and chairs!

Inside the drawers of the desk, we found another work of art, titled Art Drawers. Like the room itself, it is the creation of artist Tatsuo Kawaguchi.

Next, let's have lunch at a restaurant called Echigo Matsudai Satoyama Shokudo. The restaurant features a light blue color scheme, and offers views of the surrounding forest and terraced rice paddies.

The restaurant uses only locally grown ingredients in its various entrees. At the time of our interview they also had Gapao Rice (stir-fried minced pork with basil, 800 yen) on the menu. You can also stop in at the cafe where they offer cake and juices.

At the time of our interview, we ordered take-out from Echigo Matsudai Satoyama Shokudo and were able to enjoy it at food court Kamigamichusin, an exhibit created by artist Ryo Toyofuku.

Japanese gods and spirits have come from all parts of the country and gathered here, creating a rather suspicious looking atmosphere.

This washroom comes equipped with several gimmicks, as well as an intense red color scheme. By all means, come and take a look with your own eyes--even the washroom is sophisticated and filled with a playful spirit!

[D053] Matsudai Snow Country Agricultural Culture Village Center...

3743-1 Matsudai, Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture 425-1526

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Kiyotsukyo Gorge Tunnel

Kiyotsukyo Gorge is ranked as one of the three most beautiful gorges in Japan. In 1996, a pedestrian tunnel was opened, allowing visitors to enjoy the valley's amazing scenery safely.
In 2018, as part of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale, the tunnel was transformed into the Tunnel of Light, an art installation by Chinese architect Yansong Ma of MAD Architects.

The passageway is bathed in a an assortment of colors, creating a haunting atmosphere that will arouse your curiosity and have you wondering what's in store for you just ahead!

From the first lookout point you can see the beautiful, rocky face of the gorge. The natural hexagonal shapes resemble bundled pencils.

The bare rock surfaces were created by magma (hot molten rock) that spouted up from deep underground and contracted as it cooled. In the places where it pushed up high enough to form a mountain, it later underwent erosion from the Kiyotsu River, which carved through the rock to create the present-day gorge.

In the middle of the tunnel, the second lookout point includes a shiny, metallic capsule that resembles a spacecraft, called Invisible Bubble.

Inside the capsule there are two washrooms that face the direction of the gorge. The walls are enveloped by a metallic film, giving people on the inside a one-way view of the outside. It's no exaggeration to say that they offer the best view of any toilet in Japan.

At the third lookout point there's an exhibit called The Drop. The walls are dotted with mirrors shaped like water droplets. Though the passageway is dark, the mirrors are backlit by a reddish light that seems to increase in intensity, as if someone set the tunnel on fire.

From its entrance, this pedestrian tunnel measures 750 meters in length. When visitors reach the end of the tunnel they find one final exhibit, called Light Cave.

Here, the tunnel floor has been formed into a shallow basin filled with spring water. The walls are covered with sheets of stainless steel. The ensuing reflections draw the breathtaking view of the gorge into the tunnel, blending it into a scenic masterpiece.

In November you can enjoy the autumn leaves that paint the entire area red, and from December until March the landscape is transformed into a glistening winter wonderland. This is the kind of place you will want to visit again and again, to enjoy the changing scenery in each season.

The facility next to the tunnel's entrance has a footbath (ashiyu). If you look up at the ceiling while dipping your feet in the hot spring water, you can see a round mirror that reflects the surroundings below. This is another Yansong Ma exhibit, entitled Periscope.

The cafe on the first floor is also a great place for a rest and a break.

Light cave

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Art Exhibits That Captured Our Interest Along the Way

During our travels we encountered many interesting works of art--and now, we'll introduce some of them to you.

The photo above features For Lots of Lost Windows by Akiko Utsumi.

Place to Meet the Distance, an exhibit that carries a message about the invisible world, is also the creation of Akiko Utsumi.

The photo above shows a work of art by Jaume Plensa called House of Birds.

The concept is a connection between heaven and earth, through birds, who symbolize the fragility of nature itself. This artwork was built as a bird house to remind us of the need to protect our natural surroundings.

Richard Wilson's work of art above is called Set North for Japan (74°33'2"). The light blue iron frame looks like a house turned upside down.

To create this exhibit, Wilson built a skeletal framework of his London home, reduced it in size, and brought it to Tsumari. He apparently wanted the Tsumari structure to be positioned at the exact same coordinates and angle as where his London home sits on planet earth. As a result, the frame of this Tsumari house had to be turned upside down and leaned to the side.
The exhibit was placed near a torii (a sacred Shinto gate), and the curious contrast between the structures is an eye-catching sight.

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Tokamachi City Museum: Let's Learn About Local History

To enjoy all of the exhibits at the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale site fully, it's also helpful to learn some history at the Tokamachi City Museum, which explains the kind of town this was and the events that transpired here in the past.

The original museum was relocated here, and opened in June of 2020. Now, it's only about ten minutes on foot from Tokamachi Station.

The facility uses of state-of-the-art technology, including VR (virtual reality), and hands-on, interactive exhibits that visitors can touch.

Admission to permanent exhibits: Adults (high school age and up) 500 yen, Children (junior high school age and under) are free.

Before entering the exhibit area, you will see a large, topographical model of Tokamachi city.

This is merely one part of a display called Tokamachi Aerial Walk, that helps museum visitors learn about Tokamachi city's climate, natural features, history, and culture through videos and projection mapping.

All of the exhibits and displays have accompanying English explanations.

Next, we head for the exhibit room, which is divided into three different themes. All of the exhibits have written explanations, but renting an audio guide will allow you to listen to the commentary easily. The audio is available in both Japanese and English, and costs 300 yen.

1. Flame-Type Pottery (Jomon Period) - A National Treasure

Flame-type earthenware is symbolized by a swirling pattern that looks like flames blazing upwards.

This pottery was made between 3,400 and 2,400 B.C. and many examples have been excavated in the Tokamachi city area, proving that a village was established in the basin of the Shinanogawa River as early as the Jomon period.

Pottery that has been designated a Japanese National Treasure can be viewed in the National Treasure Exhibit Hall.

The art pieces on display are only a fraction of the museum's total collection. For this reason, special exhibits are held regularly so that visitors can see and enjoy a wider variety of pieces.

These art pieces aren't just for looking at, but can be touched and handled also.

The upper two photos above show a high definition replica of the actual flame-type pottery, which is precisely the same as the original in terms of its ingredients, size and weight. When I picked it up, it was much heavier than I anticipated.

The lower photos show the pottery disassembled into small, puzzle-like pieces. Each piece contains a magnet, and museum visitors are invited to try to reconstruct the pottery by fitting each piece into place.

This is one exhibit I'd love to own!

2. Textile History

Not far from the museum's current location, a spindle for winding thread was excavated. It is believed to have been used during the period from the 4th century B.C. to the mid-3rd century A.D.

The raw material for woven fabrics progressed from Ramie fiber to hemp fiber (bottom left in photo), and then progressed from linen fabric to high quality silk (bottom right in photo).

With the discovery of silk fabric technology, textiles became beautiful, high quality items; shortly thereafter, silk gained popularity and became one of the region's specialty products.

Hemp cloth is strong and highly durable, and it is believed that people in ancient times wore it over their clothing like a vest.

3. Snow and the Shinano River

The third theme puts a spotlight on the daily life of Tokamachi people, who live in the freezing cold and snow during the winter season.

The photo above shows the many items on display, including footwear for walking on the snow, a sled, a saw for cutting blocks of snow, and a straw raincoat for shielding the wearer from falling snow. All of these items are actual artifacts used by people in ancient times.

There's also a spot in the exhibit hall that compares the weight of freshly fallen snow with hard packed snow.

At the very back of the room you will find a 200-year-old kominka (traditional private home) that was moved from its original location and reconstructed here. Looking at this display gives you a good idea of how people used to live in Tokamachi long ago. If you remove your shoes, you can step right inside the house.

Museum Shop - The Place to Find the Perfect Souvenir!

After visiting the exhibit hall, head over to the shop at the museum entrance for a wide variety of souvenirs and commemorative items.

Many of the goods are decorated with flame-type pottery motifs. There are also broaches, keyholders, pen holders, dolls, and postcards.

Tokamachi City Museum

1-448-9 Nishihoncho, Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture 948-0072

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Kimono Emakikan: Kimono Traditions Passed Down Through the Generations

As you saw in the previous section, the art of making textiles and woven fabrics has been passed down in Tokamachi city since ancient times, giving the city its nickname: Kimono Town.

To learn about kimono in more detail, let's pay a visit to Kimono Emakikan.

The shop sells kimono, accessories, and other small items using fabrics printed with Japanese designs and patterns. It's an ideal place for visitors who want to purchase a Japanese-style souvenir, and is only ten minutes on foot from Tokamachi Station.

On the first floor the shop sells sensu folding fans, accessory cases, carrying pouches (great for coins and other money) and similar items. If you take a close look at the necktie in the upper right corner of the photo, you'll notice that the pattern consists of flame-type pottery motifs!

The shop's second floor features a large selection of different kimono that can be worn on a variety of occasions.

Make a Reservation and Join a Factory Tour

Kimono Emakikan has a factory where fabrics are woven and dyed. People interested in a factory tour should make a reservation (Japanese) online. Tours are conducted in Japanese only.

The first room that we visited was the Yuzen studio. Here, fabrics are dyed with Yuzen patterns, characterized by elaborate designs and bright, vivid colors.

There are two different dyeing methods. Tegaki-yuzen, or hand dyeing (painting), involves careful application of one color at a time, using a brush. The resulting fabric is a highly valued and expensive luxury item.

The other method is kata-yuzen, or stencil dyeing. A stencil with a cut-out pattern is placed over the part of the fabric to be colored. Color is applied from above, through the openings in the stencil. This technique makes it possible to dye a large amount of fabric in a reasonable amount of time. However, each color does require a separate stencil. In fact, completing the dyeing process for just one piece of fabric can apparently require as many as 300 different stencils.

After the colors have been applied, the fabric undergoes a process called noribuse, in which the entire pattern is covered with rice glue before being dyed again.

Then, in the hiki-zome studio, this process is followed up with another step, in which the fabric is dyed with a brush.

The fabric is then stretched and straightened to align its length and width, and to prevent wrinkles and creases. If this step isn't done, colors from the top of the fabric will seep down into other parts of the cloth.

The temperature and humidity in the room is monitored strictly, to prevent the vibrant colors from fading.

After the fabric is dry, it's steamed to help set the colors in the cloth. Finally, the cloth is washed to remove the glue and any excess dye, and the beautiful yuzen-dyed fabric is complete.

When we entered the weaving studio we could hear the sound of the loom's steady rhythm.

Here, hundreds of strands of thread are woven together in a process known as Akashi Chijimi, another of Tokamachi's traditional crafts.

This thin, breathable material is used for making summer kimonos. The silk thread is so incredibly thin that when the finished product undergoes its final inspection, a magnifying glass is needed to ensure perfection.

Kimono Emakikan

3-2-15 Kotobukicho, Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture 948-0051

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Join a Sasa Dango-Making Workshop

One of Niigata's famous products is sasa dango, a form of traditional Japanese confectionery that originated hundreds of years ago, during the Edo period. Green mochi dango, made from pounded rice, are filled with bean paste (anko) and wrapped in bamboo leaves (sasa).

You can make a reservation for this workshop through HOME away from HOME Niigata, a company that introduces visitors to activities in the local region, including making traditional hand woven accessories, cooking local Niigata cuisine, and even staying overnight in an old minka home.

Sasa Dango Workshop Entrance fee: 3,000 yen per person. (Activity requires a minimum of two or more participants.)

After gathering at the local station, participants head to the cooking studio where everything is organized and ready to go.**

The green powder in the upper left corner of the photo is ground yomogi (*2). It has a characteristic fragrance and is often used in wagashi sweets. The bamboo leaves are said to have antibacterial properties, so the sweets will stay fresh longer wrapped inside them.

**The location of the activity sometimes changes, depending on the day.
*2 yomogi: a plant variety belonging to the mugwort family. Used as a food ingredient, primarily in Japanese traditional confectionery, it gives sweets a gentle aroma and distinct green color.

On this occasion I joined the workshop just as the flour was being mixed.

Mochi rice flour, regular rice flour, and yomogi powder are mixed together, water is added, and the mixture is kneaded into a dough. Then, the dough is shaped into little balls, equal in number to the balls of anko.

After pressing the dough ball into a round, flat shape, a ball of anko is placed on top and the dough wrapped around the anko, surrounding it completely until the entire dango has an oval shape.

The dango are then placed on bamboo leaves, wrapped up, and secured at both ends with string. Finally, the dango steam for about 20 minutes.

The finished product is a fragrant sasa dango that's perfect a snack. Stored in the fridge, they will stay fresh for up to one week.

You can get more details and make a reservation on the official homepage for HOME away from HOME Niigata.

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Accommodations in Tokamachi City

Today, we'll introduce two lodging options that embody the spirit of Tokamachi's elegant, refined kominka homes. Lovers of traditional Japanese-style houses will definitely emjoy a stay at these special places!

Tokamachi Fureai no Yado-Koryukan

Tokamachi Fureai no Yado-Koryukan is a large lodging that sits atop a stone wall about seven minutes on foot from Tokamachi Station.

Originally a 40-year-old kominka house featuring traditional Japanese architecture, the building was renovated into its present form when it became a guesthouse. The interior is decorated with traditional crafts and retains the feel of its early days.

The toilet and bath are shared. Generally, when many people are staying here, guests are asked to make a reservation for the bath by writing their names and requested times on a whiteboard. This time I was the only guest, so I was able to enjoy a relaxing bath with no reservation needed.

Of note, the first floor of the lodging is barrier-free. Where there are stairs, a slope for wheelchairs has been built, and the toilet and bath areas are very spacious.

Guest rooms are on the first and second floors, and the guesthouse has rooms with either Western beds or Japanese futon. I slept in a first-floor room with a bed, and the room was also equipped with a fridge, a wide veranda, and a chair.

Though dinner service isn't available here, Ohashi-san (the landlady) told me about a good restaurant within walking distance.

The next morning I woke to a tantalizing aroma coming from the kitchen, where Ohashi-san was busy preparing breakfast. The scenery of the lush green rice paddies made me feel refreshed as I ate my morning meal.

In the winter, the view transforms, giving guests a window on a sparkling, snowy world.

Breakfast was Japanese-style and featured fresh, locally grown ingredients.
Ohashi-san lovingly prepared fresh fish, a vegetable side dish, miso soup, and koshihikari rice with a raw egg. When eating the egg, drizzle a little soy sauce on top and eat it tamago kake gohan-style by mixing the raw egg with the hot rice.

If you've never tried tamago kake gohan, please do! The raw egg is very pleasant--but for those who cannot eat eggs raw, it's also possible to order your egg cooked sunny-side up.

The accommodation fee is 8,000 yen per night, and you can reserve your room on airbnb (Japanese) online. You can also follow the lodging on instagram at @kouryukan instagram (Japanese).

Tokamachi Fureai no Yado Exchange Center

-4-367-1, Inari-cho, Tokamachi-shi, Niigata 948-0073

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Noka Minshuku Sanzen (Farm Stay)

Noka Minshuku Sanzen is a wooden kominka house in the middle of a rice field. To get here, hop aboard the Iiyama Line at Tokamachi Station, ride three stops to Echigo-Tazawa Station, and then get off the train--the lodging is about a six minute walk from the station exit.

The proprietors of this 160-year-old kominka home give visitors the opportunity to experience a traditional farm stay.

In the spacious dining area, an open ceiling extends up to the second floor.

The second floor loft, in front of the guest rooms, has a living area and a cute hammock.

The property has two guest rooms; the one I stayed in faces out the front of the minshuku (a term for a traditional Japanese-style "B&B" or family inn), and the other has a balcony that gets beautiful morning sun.

The two guest rooms are separated by a shower (stocked with complimentary shampoo and body soap), a bathroom with toilet and sink, and a small sitting room where guests can relax.

After a short rest break with a cup of tea, owner Hirota-san showed me around the garden that surrounds the house. The huge variety of different plants and vegetables—too numerous to count—included chili plants, eggplants, tomatoes, edamame (young soybeans), basil, and mint. In fact, the welcome tea I had just finished drinking was made with herbs from this very garden.

Visitors can enjoy a variety of hands-on farm experiences that change with the season, from harvesting rice to picking vegetables.

When making your reservation, be sure to inquire about which fun activities you'll able to join that day. (Farm activities involve an additional fee.)

Dinner is not served here, but guests can go out for a meal or bring take-out back to eat in the guest room. Breakfast is available for 500 yen (reservations required).

Most of the vegetables served at breakfast are grown by the owners, so they're guaranteed to be fresh. Your morning meal comes with fish and rice, as well as piping hot miso soup.

After breakfast, Hirota-san showed me the annex, located next door. This private space comes complete with kitchen that makes it ideal for families and groups. Guests can stay for the night or rent the annex for longer periods, too.

For more details please see the official homepage.

Farmer's Inn

78 Himizo, Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture, 949-8408

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Souvenir Hunting Back at Echigo-Yuzawa Station

A "ganki" is a special awning placed in front of homes to protect the sidewalks from heavy snowfall. They are a common sight in Niigata Prefecture, and this shopping mall has even built them in front of the stores, making visitors feel as though they're taking a leisurely stroll around a town.

The chuo ichiba, or central market, takes center stage, and offers everything vistors need, including sasa dango (both freshly steamed and the refrigerated type), manju (*3), accessories with Niigata motifs, and hardware items made in Tsubamesanjo. It's an ideal place for souvenir hunting!

*3 manju: a Japanese-style bun filled with anko (red-bean paste) and baked.

My favorite item was a product made from the part of a rice sack with the koshihikari (Niigata's brand-name rice) logo on it in Japanese. The rice sack was used as the pattern for the pouch design!

CoCoLo Yuzawa / Gangi-dori

2427-1, Yuzawa, Yuzawa Town, Minami Uonuma District, Niigata Prefectur...

Ponshukan - Echigo-Yuzawa Location

In addition, there's a shop called Ponshukan which stocks carefully selected, locally brewed sake from all over Niigata, and a cafe (Kojiratte) that uses a fermentation starter called koji. We also recommend both as places to take a break.

For sake lovers, we also recommend the Japanese sake taste-testing experience, near Ponshukan's entrance. The inside of the shop stocks more than 100 different kinds of Japanese sake, from all corners of Niigata prefecture.

For 500 yen, you can receive a small sake cup and five metal coins. First, place your cup under the spout of the machine that offers your preferred sake. Next, insert the required number of metal tokens, press the yellow button, and sake will fill your cup. It's so delicious, but please be careful not to drink too much!

Echigo Sake Museum Ponshukan Echigo Yuzawa Store

2427-3 Yuzawa, Yuzawa Town, Minami Uonuma District, Niigata Prefecture...

A Trip Featuring 4 Distinct Cultures In 4 Niigata Cities

This Niigata adventure included not only breathtaking scenery, but many hands-on activities and exhibits I was able (and encouraged) to handle, touch, and use.

I made my own bronze tumbler and tasty sasa dango sweets, stayed at a ryokan and a kominka, and enjoyed some unusual and beautiful art.

On your next visit to Niigata, please take the opportunity to experience many different facets of Japan—from traditional culture to state-of-the-art technology!

In cooperation with Niigata Prefectural Tourism - International Affairs and Promotion Division, Tsubamesanjo Regional Products Center, Tsubame Industrial Materials Museum, Gyokusendo, Yahiko Village Hall - Department of Tourism and Commerce,Yahiko Shrine, Yahiko-yama Ropeway, Inn of Four Seasons-Minoya, Ojiya City Nishikigoi no Sato, Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art, KINARE, Matsudai Nobutai Center, Tokamachi City Museum, HOME away from HOME niigata, Kimono Emakikan (The House of Kimono and Japanese Beauty), Kiyotsukyo Gorge Tunnel Offices, Hachi & Seizo Tashima Museum of Picture Book Art, Tokamachi Fureai no Yado Koryukan, Noka Minshuku Sanzen, JR East Niigata City Create Inc. (JENIC), Ponshukan - Echigo Yuzawa