Uonuma, Niigata

Uonuma (魚沼市, Uonuma-shi^?) is a city located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It has an area of 946.93 km² and a population of 41,894 (as of January 1, 2009).

It is famous for its rice – the koshihikari rice grown in Uonuma is the most sought-after and most expensive rice in Japan. This fame is due to the ideal growing conditions in the area.

History

• The city was established on November 1, 2004 by the merger of the towns of Horinouchi and Koide, and the villages of Hirokami, Irihirose, Sumon and Yunotani, all from Kitauonuma District.

Notable natives

• Ken Watanabe, actor in many Japanese and American productions.
• Shuji Miya, poet
• Sohachi Yamaoka, novelist
• Tsuneo Ikeda, journalist

External links

Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Uonuma,_Niigata Uonuma, Niigata] at Wikimedia Commons

• Uonuma official website (Japanese)