Jōetsu, Japan
上越市
Jōetsu is a town of 189,430 people in Niigata, Japan, founded in April 29, 1971.
Why visit Jōetsu
Townapedia lists 91 museums and landmarks, 54 parks and trails, 62 places to eat, 27 places to stay and 14 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Joetsu aquarium, Joetsu University of Education, Hida Sites and Miyaguchi Kofun Group.
Weather in Jōetsu
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Jōetsu
Jōetsu (上越市, Jōetsu-shi) is a city located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 December 2020, the city had an estimated population of 189,430, in 76,461 households with a population density of 190 persons per km2. The total area of the city was 973.81 square kilometres (375.99 sq mi). Jōetsu borders the Sea of Japan and is renowned for its abundance of snow, the annual cherry-blossom festival, sake and Koshihikari rice.
From the Wikipedia article Jōetsu, Niigata (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Jōetsu on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do14
Joetsu University of Education
School · 1.6 km
Higher education institution in Niigata Prefecture, Japan
Niigata College of Nursing
School · 5.5 km
Higher education institution in Niigata Prefecture, Japan
2 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks91
Hida Sites
Monument and historic site · 10.3 km
Archaeological sites in Hokuriku, Japan
Miyaguchi Kofun Group
Monument and historic site · 12.3 km
Kofun in Niigata, Japan
.jpg){kind=link}
79 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds54
42 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes62
麺屋あした
Restaurant · Ramen, Noodle · 8.2 km
Mo,Fr-Su 11:00-14:00,17:30-20:30; Tu-We 11:00-14:00
おなかいっぱい食堂 みょうこう
Restaurant · 13.7 km
PH,Tu-Su 10:30-15:00,17:00-21:00; PH +1 day,Tu closed
50 more on the map.
History
The area of present-day Jōetsu has been inhabited for thousands of years, and the ruins of numerous Jōmon period and Kofun period settlements, tombs and fortifications have been found. The area was part of ancient Echigo Province, and the location of the Nara period provincial capital. During the Sengoku period, it was the center of the holdings of the Uesugi clan and notably Kasugayama Castle was the headquarters of the famed warlord Uesugi Kenshin. The Uesugi clan were transferred by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to Aizu and the area later came under the Takada Domain during the Edo period Tokugawa Shogunate.
In 1614, Matsudaira Tadateru, the 6th son of Tokugawa Ieyasu was assigned to Echigo Province and ordered the construction of Takada Castle. The domain was later ruled by a number of fudai daimyō houses. The last daimyō of Takada Domain was Sakakibara Masataka, who sided with the imperial forces in the Boshin War of the Meiji restoration and who subsequently served as imperial governor until the abolition of the han system in 1871 by the Meiji government.
The towns of Takada and Naoetsu were created with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Takada was elevated to city status on September 1, 1911 and Naoetsu on June 1, 1954. Takada and Naoetsu merged to form the city of Jōetsu in 1971.
From the History section of Jōetsu, Niigata on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay27
Churches and places of worship67
Shopping24
Gas and EV charging12
Schools, colleges and libraries79
Healthcare21
Map of Jōetsu
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Sado Airport (SDS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 103 km away.
- Myoko 14 km south, about 14 min by car
- Arai 16 km south, about 16 min by car
- Toyosato 31 km southeast, about 31 min by car
- Iiyama 35 km south, about 35 min by car
- Sakae 35 km southeast, about 35 min by car
- Kashiwazaki 37 km northeast, about 37 min by car
- Itoigawa 37 km west, about 37 min by car
- Kashiwabara 39 km south, about 39 min by car
- Nagaoka 64 km northeast, about 1 h by car
- Ueda 83 km south, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Takadajyo 1, ja:user:ELK, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Joetsu Aquarium Umigatari, Rebirth10, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Joetsu University of Education, Wanami Chinu, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Niigata College of Nursing, Abasaa, Public domain
- Hida Site, Yashiroyama-B, gaikan, Saigen Jiro, CC0
- Miyaguchi Kofun, MChew, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kota-jinja (Joetsu) shaden, Saigen Jiro, CC0
- Kasaugayama Castle, 柴錬アワー, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kasugayama jinjya 1, ELK（投稿者）, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Joko-ji (Joetsu), Abasaa, Public domain
- Takada Sekaikan ac (20), Asturio Cantabrio, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Joetsu Municipal Museum, Triglav, CC BY 2.5
- Niigata Rosai Hospital May2021, Drph17, CC BY 4.0
- Kotohira Shrine in Joetsu city at torii gate, ブルーノ・プラス, CC BY 4.0
- Joetsu Shopping Center ACORE April2020, Drph17, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Joetsu city hall, Altomarina, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Joetsu Bunka Kaikan April2020, Drph17, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kasugayama Station Ekimeihyo, Rebirth10, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 業務トラック20140208, 96WAPC, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Niigata r579 Joetsu Odori Kida April2020, Drph17, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 20210811謙信公大橋01, 佐藤莞嬴, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Niigata r43 Kenshinko Bridge April2020, Drph17, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 20210811謙信公大橋02, 佐藤莞嬴, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Daizu, Joetsu, Niigata Prefecture 943-0802, Japan - panoramio, Fumihiko Ueno, CC BY 3.0
- Region Plaza Joetsu 001 April2020, Drph17, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Region Plaza Joetsu 002 April2020, Drph17, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Joetsu Science Museum April2020, Drph17, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Joetsu Bussan April2020, Drph17, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 20210811関川大橋05, 佐藤莞嬴, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 20210811関川大橋03, 佐藤莞嬴, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 20210811関川大橋04, 佐藤莞嬴, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Seki River Niigata Japan, Triglav, CC BY-SA 3.0
- MaruK BusCenter April2020, Drph17, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 20210811関川大橋06, 佐藤莞嬴, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 春日山城 - panoramio (2), shikabane taro, CC BY 3.0
- Niigata r186 Joetsu Fujinoshinden April2020, Drph17, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 20210811関川大橋02, 佐藤莞嬴, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 20210811関川大橋01, 佐藤莞嬴, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 林泉寺 - panoramio, shikabane taro, CC BY 3.0
- 直江津市内 - panoramio, alonfloc, CC BY 3.0
_shaden.JPG){kind=link}
.JPG){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Page built November 4, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.