Chūō-ku, Niigata

Chūō-ku (中央区, Chūō-ku) is one of the eight wards of Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture, in the Hokuriku region of Japan. It comprises much of the city centre. As of 1 September 2018, the ward had an estimated population of 183,231 in 87,162 households [1] and a population density of 4,900 persons per km². The total area of the ward was 37.75 square kilometres (14.58 sq mi).

Chuo-ku, Niigata

新潟市中央区
Ward of Niigata
新潟市中央区
Sekiyahama Beach
Location of Chūō-ku in Niigata City
Chuo-ku, Niigata
 
Coordinates: 37°55′20.9″N 139°02′35.7″E
CountryJapan
RegionKōshin'etsu, Hokuriku (Chūbu)
PrefectureNiigata
CityNiigata
Area
 • Total37.75 km2 (14.58 sq mi)
Population
 (September 1, 2019)
 • Total183,231
 • Density4,900/km2 (13,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Postal951-8550
AddressGakko-cho-dori 1-602-1, Chuo-ku, Niigata-shi, Niigata-ken
Telephone Number025-223-1000
WebsiteOfficial website
View of the Furumachi business district, along Masaya-koji. Next21 is the spired-building in background.

Geography

Chūō-ku is located in the approximate centre of Niigata City, bounded by the Sea of Japan to the north and the Nihonkai-Tōhoku Expressway to the south. The area comprises the old city as well as the Sonoki (曽野木), Nuttari (沼垂), Toyano (鳥屋野) and the Yamagata (山潟) districts.

Neighboring municipalities/wards

Neighborhoods

Central Business District

Chūō-ku is the heart of Niigata in terms of economic and political importance. The City Office is located here along with several central government and prefectural agencies. Japan's national broadcaster NHK has its prefectural TV station and radio station in Chūō-ku. There are several company head offices based in the district. It is also the site of old Niigata City which extends from Niigata Station downtown to Bandai Bridge and Furumachi.

Furumachi
Furumachi-dori Shopping Mall, Niigata City

Furumachi in Niigata city is located on left bank of Shinano River across Bandai Bridge. It lies on Niigata Island and faces the Sea of Japan. The area has been developed around Masaya-koji, which is a wide six-lane thoroughfare connecting Furumachi with Niigata Station. Furumachi has business districts as well as several historic parts. Narrow alleyways and streets crisscross beneath the modern office buildings. The historic Honcho market is also here. Much of the area contains modern buildings. This is because Furumachi was rebuilt after an earthquake devastated this part of eastern Niigata in 1964. This is in marked contrast with areas on the west side of the river which still retain traditional-looking streets containing older houses.

History
Picture shown by aftermath of 1955 Great Niigata Fire in downtown area, according to the official confirmed report, kills one person with injuries 235

The area of present-day Chūō-ku was part of ancient Echigo Province, and developed as a port town for Nagaoka Domain under the Edo period Tokugawa Shogunate. Niigata was one of the ports opened to foreign trade by the 1858 Harris Treaty. Modern Niigata city was created with the establishment of the municipalities system on April 1, 1889. The Hokuetsu Railway commented Niigata to Tokyo in 1897, and the first Bandai Bridge across the Shinano River was completed in 1908, shortly before the city was destroyed by a fire. The city escaped serious damage in World War II; however, much of the city burned down in a fire in 1955 and again suffered from damage in the 1964 Niigata earthquake.

Niigata became a government-designated city on April 1, 2007 and was divided into wards, with the new Chūō Ward consisting of much of the central business portion of the city.

Education

Universities

Secondary education

Chūō-ku has five public high schools operated by the Niigata Prefectural Board of Education, two public high schools operated by the Niigata City Board of Education, three private high schools and one private combined middle school/high school. The ward also has ten public middle schools operated by the city government.

Transportation

Railway

JR East - Jōetsu Shinkansen

JR East - Shin'etsu Main Line

JR East - Hakushin Line

JR East - Echigo Line

Transit bus

Highways

Ports

Water Shuttle
  • Shinanogawa Water Shuttle: MINATOPIA - Toki Messe - Bandai Bridge - Bandai City - Niigata Prefectural office - (FURUSATO VILLAGE)

Local attractions
Bandai Bridge

West side of the Shinano River
  • Minatopia
  • Hakusan Park
  • Next21 in Furumachi

East side of the Shinano River
  • Rainbow Tower, the symbol of Bandai City
  • Media Ship
  • Toki Messe (Niigata Convention center)

South side of the Toyanogata Lagoon
  • Big Swan Stadium and Toyanogata Lagoon

Events

See also

References
  1. Niigata City official statistics(in Japanese)
  2. "Niigata City Loop Bus Map (2017.4- )" (PDF). Niigata City. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 April 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  3. "Niigata City Loop Bus Timetables (2017.4- )" (PDF). Niigata City. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 April 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  4. 運行便別時刻表 [Bus Lines and Timetables (2017.3- )] (in Japanese). Niigata Kotsu. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  5. 路線図（中心部） [Bus Map for East Niigata (2017.3- )] (PDF) (in Japanese). Niigata Kotsu. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  6. 路線図（南方面） [Bus Map for East Niigata (2017.3- )] (PDF) (in Japanese). Niigata Kotsu. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  7. 路線図（西方面） [Bus Map for East Niigata (2017.3- )] (PDF) (in Japanese). Niigata Kotsu. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
  8. 路線図（東方面） [Bus Map for East Niigata (2017.3- )] (PDF) (in Japanese). Niigata Kotsu. Retrieved 22 April 2017.

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