Jōetsu (上越) is a city in Niigata, Japan. The city is best known for its port, Naoetsu (直江津), which has given its name to the main train station as well. And old city area Takada (高田).

Tourist information site

The city has an official Japanese-only guide site.

Get in

By train

A major junction, Naoetsu Station is the point where EchigoTokimeki Railway's Myōkō Haneuma Line from Myoko-kogen, Nihonkai Hisui Line from Ichiburi, and meets JR East's Shinetsu Line from Niigata. There are also trains on the private Hokuhoku Line to JR Echigo-Yuzawa.

From Tokyo, take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Joetsu-Myoko Station (Hakutaka superexpress, 2 hr to 2 hr 15 min, ¥9200) and change to the Myoko Haneuma Line for Naoetsu station (16 min, ¥240). If you have a Japan Rail Pass, you will need to pay a surcharge of ¥240 each way to travel over tracks operated by the Myoko Haneuma Line. However, if you have a JR East Rail Pass, the entire journey to Naoetsu is covered.

Naoetsu is a longer journey from the Kansai area. It takes 4-4½ hours to reach Naoetsu from Kyoto (¥11,280), and 4½-5 hours from Osaka (¥11,820), by taking the Thunderbird limited express and changing to the Hakutaka Superexpress of the Hokuriku Shinkansen at Kanazawa Station, and finally changing to the Myoko Haneuma Line for Naoetsu at Joetsu-Myoko Station.

Despite the name, the Joetsu Shinkansen doesn't stop in or even come particularly close to Joetsu.

By ferry

There are several ferries daily from Naoetsu Port to Ogi on Sado Island. The terminal is a fair hike from the railway station on foot.

See

Cherry-blossom viewing

• The Rice and Sake Warehouse of Wonder. 
• 1 Kasugayama Castle Ruins (春日山城). Uesugi Kenshin's Castle. 

Do

• Cherry-blossom viewing. In 1909, 2,200 cherry blossoms were planted by veterans. It was the first of Takada Park’s cherry blossom. Lots of lights (Bonnbori) lights up the turrets and cherry blossoms. And that view showed on a moat’s lake. It is very beautiful view. Sakura Road is also beautiful and fantastic. Many tourists come to see them in bloom, and it is now considered to be one of the nation's top cherry blossom viewing spots. The beginning of April to the middle of April is the best time to see. In that period, Hanami is held. In Hanami, you can enjoy not only seeing cherry blossoms but also eating Japanese foods like yakitori, yakisoba, takoyaki, because there are lots of street stalls. Now, this Hanami in Takada Park is called three big events of cherry-blossom viewing at evening in Japan. 
• J-Max Theater. Movie theater. On women's night (Wednesday) and men's night (Tuesday) admission is only ¥1,000! Also, movies playing after 20:30 are only ¥1,300. 

Go next

• Myoko
• Itoigawa
• Tokamachi
• Kashiwazaki
• Iiyama
• Asahi
• Kurobe
• Tsunan
• Nagaoka

Routes through Joetsu

Toyama ← Itoigawa ←	W  S	→ Iiyama → Nagano
END ←	'  'S	→ Itoigawa → Toyama
Niigata ← Nagaoka ← Kashiwazaki ←	N  S	→ Myoko → Nagano
Niigata ← Nagaoka ← Kashiwazaki ←	N  S	→ Itoigawa → Toyama
END ←	N  S	→ Myoko → Nagano