Country Japan Telephone Number 025-223-1000 Population 183,820 (1 Apr 2016) Prefecture Niigata | Postal 951-8550 Area 37.75 km² Local time Saturday 2:14 AM | |
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Region Kōshin'etsu, Hokuriku (Chūbu) Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) Address Gakko-cho-dori 1-602-1, Chuo-ku, Niigata-shi, Niigata-ken Weather 3°C, Wind SW at 18 km/h, 71% Humidity Points of interest Niigata City Aquarium, Niigata City History Museum, Hakusan Park, Ikutopia, Hakusan Shrine Colleges and Universities Niigata Seiryo University, The Nippon Dental U, Graduate Institute for Entrepren | ||
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 June 2016, the ward had an estimated population of 183,820 and a population density of 4,860 persons per km². Its total area was 37.75 square kilometres (14.58 sq mi).
Contents
- Map of Chuo Ward Niigata Niigata Prefecture Japan
- Geography
- Neighboring municipalitieswards
- Central Business District
- Furumachi
- History
- Universities
- Secondary education
- Railway
- Transit bus
- Highways
- Ports
- Water Shuttle
- West side of the Shinano River
- East side of the Shinano River
- South side of the Toyanogata Lagoon
- Events
- References
Map of Chuo Ward, Niigata, Niigata Prefecture, Japan
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
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 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 criss cross 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
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.
Universities
Secondary education
Chūō-ku has five public high school 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.