Niigata Prefecture： Oct. 17-18, 2015

I visited Niigata Prefecture, about 200-300 kilometers northwest from Tokyo. It faces the Sea of Japan and there are much snow in winter. Its production of rice is the biggest in Japan. It also produces good sake (Japanese wine), various sea foods and vegetables.

The harvest of rice had just finished wen I visited there. The rice fields were dried up, but they were indeed wide. (The photo was taken near Niigata City). 

The Shinano River flows across the Echigo Plane. The picture was also taken in Niigata City.

The prefecture saw a rapid development of infrastructure – highways, high-speed train system (Shinkansen), river projects etc. – in the last half century. It owed a lot to former Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka (He served as a premier in the early 1970s).

I visited Uonuma City and Minami-Uonuma City, both locate in the southern part of Niigata prefecture. Most areas are mountainous here. Still, the roads are well developed.

The condition is hard in the winter time. They have more than three meters of snow in the area. Most houses have garages made of concrete in the ground floor. The snow covers the floor. People live in the 2nd and 3rd floors. The roof is steep to fall down the snow.

I found the roads in the rice fields well developed and straight. They produce Uonuma brand koshihikari, one of the most prestigious rice brands in Japan.

The roads go through the walls of snow in the winter season.

The statue of former PM Tanaka (covered with a roof to prevent snow) stands in front of the Urasa Station of Joetsu shinkansen or bullet train in Minami-Uonuma City.

Uonuma’s efforts to develop a better medical-nursery service attract attention of the nation. The doctors, nurses, care works and other persons in the health services are trying to have good communications and to provide the best possible services. It is known as “Uonuma” model. The achievement is remarkable especially in the prevention and the control of diabetes.

I visited a local clinic in Suhara district, about 20 minute drive from central Uonuma city. I thought many things there – the doctor’s efforts, the problem of the local community in the mountainous area, the country’s medical and care system, the politics, the happiness of the people and many others ….