Jōetsu, Niigata

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Jōetsu**
**上越市**
Jōetsu's location in Niigata, Japan.
Location
Country	Japan
Region	Chūbu (Hokuriku, Kōshin'etsu)
Prefecture	Niigata
Physical characteristics
Area	973.32 km² (375.80 sq mi)
Population (as of January 2008)
Total	206,175
Density	212 /km² (549 /sq mi)
Location	37°9′N, 138°14′E
Symbols
Tree	Sakura
Flower	Camellia
Flag
Jōetsu Government Office
Mayor	Masayuki Konoura
Address	〒943-8601 1-1-3 Kida, Jōetsu-shi, Niigata-ken
Phone number	025-526-5111
Official website: Jōetsu City

Jōetsu (上越市, Jōetsu-shi^?) is a city located in Niigata, Japan.

As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 206,175 and the density of 212 persons per km². The total area is 973.32 km².

The city was founded on April 29, 1971, after the cities of Takada and Naoetsu were consolidated. The city (4/29/1971-12/31/2004) historically, was once part of now-defunct Nakakubiki District.

The city absorbed Maki, Oshima, Uragawara, Yasuzuka, Itakura, Kakizaki, Kiyosato, Kubiki, Nakagou, Ogata, Sanwa, Yoshikawa and Nadachi on January 1, 2005 and the city is now extended into now-defunct Higashikubiki and Nishikubiki District areas.

1 Climate
2 History
3 Transportation
- 3.1 Railway
- 3.2 Expressway
4 External links

[edit] Climate

It is known as one of the most snowy districts in Japan, and it has the record of the largest snowfall in Japan (3.77m in February 26, 1945).

[edit] History

It was the ancient capital of Echigo Province. Around the Sengoku period, Kasugayama Castle was a significant base for daimyo such as Uesugi Kenshin.

Maejima Hisoka, a Meiji era politician who is regarded as the father of the Japanese postal system, was born here. Theodor von Lerch, an Austrian major who visited the army base in Joetsu after the Russo-Japanese War, introduced skiing to Japan for the first time.

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Railway

Two of JR passenger railway companies, JR West and JR East, run the Hokuriku Main Line and the Shinetsu Main Line in the city. Hokuetsu Express connects the city to Tokyo metropolitan area. Hokuriku Shinkansen is under construction. Despite its name, Jōetsu Shinkansen does not reach the city at all as the line name has no direct relation to the city name.