Municipality: Sanjo                                                          Authors: Emily Winckler & Aaron Monson

Sanjo Nihongo Club (flier 1, flier 2)

Things to do and see:

Warner MyCal Cinema is probably the largest draw for entertainment in the Tsubame-Sanjo area. It is located a couple of minutes from the Tsubame-Sanjo shinkansen station near the Saty department store. Late shows start at around 9:00pm and are 1,200 yen. Wednesday is Ladies Day at the cinema and women can go to a movie for 1,000 yen all day. A Tsutaya card will also get you a discount on movie tickets. There is also a bowling alley located just out side Sanjo station on the Shinetsu Line. Honji Koji is the bar district in Sanjo. It has quite the variety of places to eat and drink. Banana Boat is a bar that we have visited frequently, which despite its composite board decor, always has seating for large groups available and decently priced drinks. There is also a place called Luna Rosa, which has a great atmosphere and food but it is a bit pricey. 

Shopping:

Sanjo is famous for knives and cutlery. There is a nice shop and a display of cutlery in the Tsubame-Sanjo station. A replica kite from the kite festival is also a nice souvenir. There is a little shop that sells all kinds of sizes and designs. From Higashi Sanjo station, turn left and it is down the street on the right. As for regular department store shopping, there is a Jusco and another set of shops located in the Palm Center next to Honji Koji. 

Restaurants:

Louisiana Mama's is a cute restaurant/coffee shop with a variety of pastas and great cakes. I recommend the taco rice and hazelnut latte. Prices are about mid-range and the atmosphere is cozy beware of the wait because it can be quite long, an hour and beyond sometimes.

Tonkatsu Sanjo is a good place to try tonkatsu (pork cutlet). They have reasonably priced lunch specials and are located across the street from Love Love City.

Monja is a chain restaurant with okonomiyaki and monjayaki among other things. I recommend making a crepe for dessert because it is a great end to an already good meal. It is open late, reasonably priced and located on the second floor in Love Love City. The manekineko icon makes this restaurant easy to see even if you can’t read hiragana.

Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken made their way into Sanjo recently. Which makes quite a magnet for any foreigner craving western food. The prices are definitely a little more expensive than what you might be used at home but it is worth every bite.

There are a couple really famous ramen shops in Sanjo. Ikoi is near the Sanjo Police Station and Daini Junior High School. They are famous for the chuabera, or oily ramen, with thick noodles. Another famous ramen shop is Samurai and is located by Ojima Junior High School right off Route 8. They are known for their tamago ramen (egg ramen). The ramen was great but they didn’t have gyoza (potstickers). 

Cultural Events:

Sanjo has a setsubun festival every year at Honjouji temple on February 3rd. During the festival they throw beans at demons to get ride of evil and bring in good luck. Sanjo also has a kite battle every June along the Ikarashi River in which teams try to bring down other teams gigantic kites. It is quite fun to watch, but be careful not to get too close as the kites come crashing down. Like most towns, Sanjo has a summer matsuri complete with fireworks. Be sure to get there early to put a tarp down in order to save a good spot for the fireworks because it can fill up quick. 

Hidden Jewels:

One of the nice things about being in one of the larger cities in Niigata is that there is a gym in Sanjo. It is called Joy Fit and it is located on the 5th floor of the Palm Center. The price per month is decent and the facilities are brand new. Plus the offer validated parking in the adjacent ramp. However, it can get pretty crowded and it is small in comparison to western gyms. Still it is definitely worth the price of admission and many other ALT’s may end up joining from nearby areas. 

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Municipality: Sakae                                                                           Author: Stephanie Milan

Things to do and see:

Apart from the rice fields, Shirasagi park (しらさぎ公園) is a pretty, local attraction. It's small but has a pleasant boardwalk over ponds and lilies. The best time to visit is in June or July, when the purple flowers are in full bloom. There is a grassed area and many benches, perfect for a picnic. There is also a playground equipped with a flying fox for kids (or ALTs) and if you walk up the hill, you can take what looks like a dried-up water-slide back down. Regional Gate Ball competitions are held here in August (come see the oldies battle with their hammers and balls!). There is also firefly viewing at the end of June.

Restaurants:

Fukuizumi (福泉) is a cute, little Japanese restaurant about two minutes off Route 8 (turn at the small 7-11 on your right if heading to Niigata and left if heading to Nagaoka. Not far down from 7-11, the restaurant is along the bend, on your right. You should see the sign on the roof). Staff are friendly and warm, often helping decipher the all-Japanese menu and making recommendations. Food is served quickly and if you ask nicely can be prepared to suit vegetarians. A good (set) meal (teishoku) will cost about 1000円, but you can order seperate dishes for around 500.

Cultural Events:

Town summer festival (夏祭り) held annually at the end of July. Small market stalls during the day and a short cultural performance or two (taiko drumming or a dance) preceding the impressively dynamic fireworks display which shoots off from the adjacent rice paddies and will explode over your head. Usually held in the centre of town, outside the yakuba (Town Office).

Hidden Jewels:

Sweet little hairdressers, called Midori, where staff are laid back and greet you with a smile. Prices are average, but its easy to find and you never need an appointment!

Municipality: Tsubame                                                                            Author: Nuria Giralt

Things to do and see:

Tsubame City is situated almost in the centre of Niigata Prefecture. The Echigo Mountain Range can be seen to the east and Yahiko National Park to the west. The city got its name roughly 400 years ago, when a small shrine drifting along the Nakanokuchi River became lodged and many swallows flocked to protect it. Thus, the town became known as "Tsubame" (swallows).

As for things to see in Tsubame itself, to the west of Tsuabme-Sanjo station is the Tsubame City Industrial Museum: it displays documents relating to the origins of the city and there is a reproduction of an olden-day work site when the metalwork was handmade.

To the west of the Industrial museum, one can find the Tsubame Common Display Hall, which exhibits traditional industrial crafts ranging from western tableware and metal houseware to tobacco pipes that can be purchased at factory prices. But perhaps the biggest gem within the city is the 300-year-old White Wisteria at Anryo Temple. Found to the south of Tsubame-Sanjo station, from early to mid-May every year the Wisteria is in full and flagrant bloom.

Just outside the city along route 289, is Yahiko Shrine. A beautiful and peaceful setting amongst 500-year-old cedar trees. A day can be spent exploring the town, climbing (or taking the cable car up or down) the mountain and enjoying the shrine.

As for things to do, on the Tsubame side of the station, there is the Warner Mycal cinema complex. Any show after 9pm is 1200 yen and ladies pay 1000 yen for any show every Wednesday. There is also a Saty department store and a number of fairly good restaurants.

Shopping:

The best place to find any omiyage will be in the Saty department store. If you are looking for the town's specialty, metal goods, especially western eating utensils and other kitchenware, the best place to shop is the inside of the Tsubame-Sanjo Shinkansen station or the Tsubame common Display Hall (see above section).

Restaurants:

If you leave the station on the Tsubame side and walk along the main road, there are a number of restaurants ranging from cheap (the oh-so-delicious 100yen sushi shop), to medium range restaurants. Pizzeria is a really good medium range restaurant with excellent salads, pasta, pizza and really good deals on set menus. And if you're feeling like something Japanese, there are also a number of izikayas with friendly staff and tasty Japanese food.

Cultural Events:

*Early to mid-May - White Wisteria at Anryo Temple are in full bloom.

*Mid-May the Togakushi Shinto Shrine Spring Festival is held in central Tsubame to honour the coming of spring.

*The Tsubame Citizen Festival is held in late July every year. The festival is held in central Tsubame, fireworks are set along the Nakanokuchi River and there is also a Shrine parade.

*Mid-October, also in the city's main shopping street, there is the Tsubame City Farm Festival.

Hidden Jewels:

Just outside of the city there is a 13km scenic drive along the Echigo-Nanaura Seaside line from Kakuda Beach to Teradomari. Banana Winds just before Teradomari serves excellent lunch sets for 1500 yen.

Restaurants:

Massa - An upscale French/Italian restaurant with classy atmosphere. The entr?es run are expensive but pasta can be had for less than 1000yen. Located on a back road off Route 116, behind Shimizu Foods and not so far from the Junior High School.

Maison d’Or - A small French restaurant with delicious food. Medium-expensive. Located off Route 116, behind a Lawson’s convenience store and across from Sanpou.

McDonalds-Located at the crossroads of Route 116 and Route 289, it’s difficult to miss those golden arches.

Noa Noa - A tiny restaurant-bar that serves purportedly Portugese food. The food is delicious, the prices are reasonable, the owner-chef is a connoisseur of world music, and it’s open late. Located across from Yoshida Hospital, next to the library and kouminkan building.

Sanpou - A relatively inexpensive family restaurant with a large menu and both Western-style and tatami seating. It’s located on the east side of Route 116, across from Tsutaya.

Shopping:

Harashin - Located on the west side of Route 116, south of the McDonalds.

Cultural Events:

A Tenjin Shrine festival is held in May or June.

The Yoshida town festival, traditional dancing around the main JR station, has usually been held toward the end of July, but this might change due to the merger with Tsubame City.

Municipality: Bunsui                                                                                              Author: Sam Bird

Things to do and see:

In Bunsui, there’s a park by the big red bridge, next to the flood prevention sluice gates. Teradomari is the next village over, by the sea. It has an interesting fish market and some cool antique shops and a nice public bath. Mt. Yahiko and Mt. Kugami are nearby too, good for nature walks.

Shopping:

Tsubame city is famous for its quality cutlery production, that’s it on the omiyage front. For general food etc. Paco is OK in Bunsui. Marui is the local supermarket chain. A short drive to Yoshida gives you more choice. For bigger / more shops nearby try SATY in Tsubame and JUSCO in Sanjo. Nagaoka is only 30 mins drive away and has loads of large out-of-town shopping as well as a lively centre.

Restaurants:

Himawari (next to Marui) is the local kaiten-sushi bar, 105 yen a plate. There are 2 quality sushi bars in Bunsui too. There is a Yonekura izakaya (Japanese restaurant) in town -great nomihoudai & food package for a big party.

Out of Bunsui, Tsubame city is only a 15 minute drive, over the river from there is Sanjo City, both have more shops, restaurants, drinking area etc. Yoshida has a McDonalds if you’re desperate.

Cultural Events:

Oiran Dochu (mid april) is held every year in Bunsui. It’s a parade of courtesans with their attendants in traditional kimono.

Bunsui Town festival is held every July.

Hidden Jewels:

Iwamuro isn’t far to drive to and has many great onsen.

There is the biggest(?) Torii gate in Japan in Yahiko village and just next to it is a great ramen shop -Ramen Takamichi.

There’s a cycling racing track in Yahiko too.

Vision Yoshida is a good sports centre with a swimming pool. 

Things to do and see:

Kamo is a quaint little shi roughly halfway between Niigata and Nagaoka - so we tend to get the best of both worlds!

You can visit the scenic Kamoyama park at any time of the year, it's beautiful no matter when you come! It has a sculpture garden, ponds, water features and these really cool squirrels, you can pet them and all (gasp!). Beautiful place for a picnic in Summer, gorgeous for pictures and a brisk walk in Winter. It also boasts the Omi Shrine.

The Kamo Festival in May revolves around said shrine!

In Summer we have our annual summer festival, with the usual fireworks, drinking and dancing all taking place alongside the banks of Kamo River!In winter - we have a beginner's ski slope, great fun for family outings and for kiddies to sled on!

Shopping:

Kamo, being a relatively small city, does not boast many large shopping malls. The usual \100 stores, a Melia, a Lion D'or and a Komeri are our main stores! We do have many small boutiques lining the main road on the Melia side of the train station, though. Really great to browse along on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

Also check out Unomoria - on the main road, our closest equivalent to a foreign food store!

We have two fabulous cake shops on the MacDonalds' side of the tracks - actually down that same road! One less than a hundred metres from the MacDonalds and the other opposite the video shop! Well worth the visit - you could gorge yourself on the treats on offer without a second thought (consider this a friendly warning!).

Restaurants:

Pinokio's an Italian restaurant, not too pricy. It's very cosy and has a fairly decent selection of pastas. About 5-minute walk from the station (on the Melia side), also on the main road.

We also have a MacDonalds on the other side of the station and a Gusto down the same road.

Kamo-shi has many great little restaurants and it's worth it to just explore a bit, odds are you'll find a gem tucked away somewhere!

Cultural Events:

Kamo Summer Festival - on the banks of the Kamo River - happens every August.

Kamo Festival - revolves around the Omi Shrine - happens in May.

Hidden Jewels:

Kamo has a fairly active International Society - which organizes great events such as International Food Festivals and Day trips for foreign newcomers. It keeps the foreigners fairly well abreast of any upcoming events.

Kamo River is a jewel in its own right! You could sit on the banks and feed ducks for hours while simply relaxing. A great place to take pictures, or even just to people watch, parents often bring their children along to feed the ducks, people walk their dogs and older people take slow walks along the banks.