The 5 Reasons Why Traveling to Niigata Changes Your Life
Everything you need to know before stepping into the land of sake, sake, nasake.
First and foremost, I’m writing this because Niigata is where my soul belongs. When I was little, I skied in Yuzawa and watched the spectacle of fireworks from my grandma’s riverside home in Nagaoka. My father took me everywhere if I asked, and we went fishing together in the Uono River.
I never knew how lucky I was. Even today, I visit Niigata regularly because it calls me and I just have to go, and you’ll know what I mean by the time you finish reading this article.
1. Soulful Fireworks Display in Nagaoka
Nagaoka Fireworks Festival is one of the three biggest fireworks events in Japan. It is held on August 2 and 3 every year, and some people book the following year’s hotel room even before the smoke has cleared because it’s so spectacular.
What makes this pyrotechnic display special is the scale, technical mastery, and history of the fireworks. Don’t compare these fireworks with those in Tokyo—they’re 五寸玉 (gosun-dama, outer diameter 15cm ball) at the largest and only go up 200 meters high and sparkle a lackluster 150 meters wide.
