Niigata

Niigata, located on the Sea of Japan, has been a port city since the seventeenth century. This port still does a lot of trade with the Far East of Russia, Northeast China, and the Korean Peninsula, the regions on the other side of the Sea of Japan. Many sporting events take place in Niigata. One such event, which is held every year, is a relay race featuring teams from many of the countries located along the Sea of Japan. Other sporting events include soccer matches, and competitions in judo and tai chi chuan.

World Cup Games to Be Held in Niigata
Ireland vs. Cameroon (June 1)
Croatia vs. Mexico (June 3)
Winner, Group A, vs. Second place, Group F (June 15)

Fun Facts About the Stadium
Niigata Stadium's nickname is the Big Swan. That's because it has a white roof, which when seen from high places looks like a swan spreading its wings. Every year in December, several thousand swans fly to this part of Japan and stay for a while. Both kids and adults really enjoy watching them. So the people who designed the stadium designed the white roof to look like the shape of a swan.

Famous Local Products and Foods
One famous local snack, loved by kids and adults alike, is a sweet, chewy rice dumpling called sasa-dango ("bamboo-leaf dumpling"). It is made of rice flour and the buds of a plant called yomogi(mugwort), which gives the dumplings their light green color. The dumplings are filled with sweet bean paste, wrapped in three layers of bamboo leaves, tied up with rush so that they do not fall apart, and steamed. The bamboo leaves give the dumplings a nice flavor and aroma.

Another popular food is a home-cooked dish called noppei. It is full of tasty ingredients gathered from the mountains and the ocean around Niigata, such as potato, white radish, carrots, mushrooms, fried tofu, salmon, and pieces of scallop meat. Kids' eyes light up when they see noppei on the table for New Year or some other special occasion.

Historic Sights and Other Famous Places
On Sado Island, about 90 minutes away from the city of Niigata by jet-foil, you can visit the Toki Preservation Center. The toki is the Japanese crested ibis, a beautiful wading bird that stands about 75 centimeters (30 inches) tall and has a wingspan of about 130 centimeters (52 inches). It has pinkish wings and tail feathers. Hunted for its beautiful feathers, this bird became extinct in Japan in the twentieth century. However, some crested ibis were discovered in the wild in China in 1981. Some of them were raised in captivity, and a pair of birds were given to Japan. The Toki Preservation Center is making an effort to breed and raise the crested ibis. Recently, two birds raised at the center were presented to China as a thank-you gift. As of April 3, there were 15 healthy birds living at the center.

Festivals
In early June, the nearby city of Shirone hosts a kite-flying festival that is said to be the largest in the world. During the festival about 300 kites are flown. Some of them are 35 square meters (375 square feet) or more in area.