Niigata 2-Day, 1-Night Model Itinerary: Japan’s Sake and Rice Country! Eat Your Way Through Delicious Niigata

On the 31st floor of Toki Messe, the “Befco Bakauke Observatory” is a popular spot with panoramic views of Niigata City and the Sea of Japan from Approx. 410 feet (125 m) above ground.
On a clear day, you can see as far as Sado Island and the Gozu Mountains—an epic view to kick off your trip.
It’s also a great moment to take a break at the window-side café, “Sky Lounge PANORAMA,” while looking ahead to the sights you’ll visit around Niigata.
Browse the souvenir shop, or stop by the tourist information counter to check details for your next destination and get ready for the rest of the day.

After taking in the views, walk Approx. 10 minutes from the observatory to “Minato no Marche Pier Bandai.”
This market brings together Niigata’s best eats in one place, including fresh seafood from the Sea of Japan, local vegetables and fruit, and Niigata rice.
Inside, you’ll find restaurants serving sushi and seafood bowls, where you can enjoy just-caught seafood on the spot.
There are also cafés and Italian options, so you can choose whatever fits your mood.
Events are sometimes held here, and with a lively mix of locals and travelers, it’s the perfect place to enjoy an early lunch.

After your meal at the market, walk along the Shinano River to “Bandai Bridge (Bandai-bashi).”
At 306.9 m long, it’s a symbol of Niigata City, known for its beautiful arches that line up at even intervals. The current third bridge, rebuilt in 1929, has a stately stone design decorated with granite and is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.
As you cross the wide sidewalk at a relaxed pace, you’ll get a feel for the cityscape of Niigata, which has grown alongside the Shinano River.
If you head down from the base of the bridge to the riverside promenade, you’ll find a photogenic view where the arches reflect on the water. Enjoy a stroll and take photos along the way.

After crossing Bandai Bridge, head to the “Niigata City Manga and Anime Information Center,” about an Approx. 6-minute walk away.
This facility introduces works by manga artists and anime creators connected to Niigata, such as Fujio Akatsuka and Rumiko Takahashi.
Inside, you’ll find hands-on areas like a tag game with Lum from “Urusei Yatsura,” plus a voice-acting experience booth—fun, immersive ways to step into these worlds.
It’s an easy stop that gives you a glimpse into the manga culture Niigata is proud of.

Next up is “Imayotsukasa Sake Brewery,” a long-established brewery founded in 1767, about an Approx. 8-minute taxi ride away.
Known as the closest sake brewery to Niigata Station, it continues careful brewing with a commitment to making only junmai sake.
On the tour, you can see the brewing and storage processes up close while listening to explanations from the brewers.
They also offer an English-guided tour from 2:00 pm on weekdays, making it popular with international travelers.
Inside the brewery, old signs and brewing tools are displayed, giving you a sense of the past.
After the tour, taste local sake at the sampling counter.
From finding a favorite bottle to picking stylish souvenirs like their Nishikigoi bottle, you can enjoy sake culture with all five senses.

After the brewery tour, head to “Ponshukan Niigata Ekiten,” located inside Niigata Station.
Here, you can taste and buy sake from every brewery in Niigata Prefecture, enjoying one of the best local sake selections in the region.
At the “Kikizake Bansho,” you use tokens to choose the local sake you want and compare different pours. If you find a favorite, you can buy it right there.
You’ll also find local specialties like their famous “bomb onigiri,” miso, and rice crackers—perfect for souvenir shopping, even for those who don’t drink.
Take a quick break mid-journey and enjoy “delicious Niigata.”

After enjoying Niigata sake, it’s time to head to Tsukioka Onsen. Take the JR Hakushin Line from Niigata Station to Toyosaka Station.
Transfer to the shuttle bus in front of the station and ride for Approx. 25 minutes.

Once you arrive in Tsukioka Onsen, first stop by “Niigata Beika Premium Senbeiden,” tucked into a corner of the hot spring town.
This rice cracker specialty shop is just what you’d expect from Niigata, famous for rice, with at least 30 types available at all times.
One popular activity inside is the “rice cracker grilling experience,” where you grill the dough and draw your own picture or words.
Pack your freshly grilled cracker into a box, and you’ll have a one-and-only original senbei.
Out front, you’ll also find great deals on broken senbei and limited-edition “Bakauke” items—perfect for souvenir shopping.
Surrounded by the toasty aroma, enjoy Niigata’s flavors and culture.

After enjoying the rice cracker grilling experience, head into Tsukioka Onsen, one of Niigata Prefecture’s signature hot springs.
The mildly alkaline, sulfur-rich waters are known for their skin-beautifying effects, earning it the nickname “the hot spring of beautiful skin.”
The town is dotted with footbaths, cafés, and souvenir shops, creating a calm, classic onsen atmosphere.
Perched on a small hill, “Shiratama no Yu Kahou” is a large ryokan known for its high-quality hospitality. Its private hot spring source, “Shiratama no Yu,” is an emerald-green sulfur spring with one of Japan’s highest mineral contents.
Enjoy onsen-hopping in the stroll-style open-air bath area, with a variety of baths including rock baths and cypress baths connected by a wooden deck. There are also spacious indoor baths and private baths, letting you fully enjoy the excellent water quality.
After your soak, savor kaiseki cuisine featuring seasonal Niigata flavors, then relax in your room and ease away the day’s travel fatigue.

After rejuvenating at Tsukioka Onsen, take the shuttle bus to Toyosaka Station on Day 2.
Transfer to the JR Hakushin Line and Uetsu Main Line, and after Approx. 50 minutes, you’ll arrive at Murakami Station, the gateway to this castle town.

Murakami flourished as the castle town of the Murakami Domain, and it’s known for its calm streetscape where traces of samurai and merchant districts still remain.
It’s also a place where salmon culture has grown around the Miomote River, where salmon return to spawn—and that history still lives on in town today.
Walk from Murakami Station toward the black fence-lined street, and you’ll come to a lane of continuous black walls known as Anzen Koji.
With old townhouses and temples scattered throughout, enjoy a stroll and soak in the unique atmosphere of a castle town in the quiet air.

As you explore Murakami’s streets, head to “Bishokuya Yamashin.”

This specialty shop carries Murakami beef, Murakami’s signature wagyu brand, offering everything from fresh cuts to processed foods, plus an on-site dining area.
Out front, handmade Murakami beef croquettes and other popular takeout items are a hit. Perfect for eating as you walk, they make it easy to enjoy the savory aroma of a fresh fry and the rich flavor unique to Murakami beef. Take a bite as you stroll and enjoy a quick taste of Murakami.

Enjoy your Murakami beef croquette as you head into an area lined with classic townhouse-style buildings typical of a castle town.
Wooden merchant houses and old-fashioned storefronts continue down the street, and just looking at the facades gives you a sense of the town’s history.
As you walk along the street of castle-town townhouses, you’ll arrive at “Sennen Shake Kikkawa,” a salmon processing shop set in a 130-year-old building built in the Meiji period.

The building, which once operated as a sake brewery, is designated as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property, and in the back you’ll see a unique scene: around 1,000 salmon hanging from the beams.
With no food additives or chemical seasonings, their salmon products are made using traditional methods, with many items you can only buy here. Enjoy picking out souvenirs.

After picking up souvenirs, it’s time for the highlight: lunch. Head to “Sennen Shake Izutsuya,” a salmon cuisine specialty restaurant run by “Sennen Shake Kikkawa.” The building is a nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Property that was once used as a hatago (traditional inn).

For lunch, enjoy the signature salmon-focused course, “Eight Salmon Dishes.”
From salted salmon (shio-biki), sake-marinated salmon (sake-bitashi), to grilled-and-marinated salmon (yakizuke), you’ll taste Murakami’s traditional flavors that make the most of fermentation and aging—served alongside freshly cooked rice.
Savor the unique “Murakami salmon culture” you can only experience here.

After enjoying your salmon-filled lunch at Izutsuya, walk Approx. 15 minutes to “Iyoboya Kaikan.”

This is Japan’s first salmon museum, named after the Murakami dialect word “iyoboya,” meaning “salmon.”
Located within Salmon Park, it’s a great place to learn about the deep connection between the Miomote River and salmon.
Inside, you can learn about the history of salmon fishing and salmon ecology through videos and exhibits. At the mini hatchery, you can see eggs hatch, and in the ecology observation room, you can observe fry and adult salmon up close.
One must-see area is the “Miomote River Salmon Observation Natural Museum,” where you can look into the underwater world of a seed river.
If you’re lucky, you may even see salmon swimming upstream or spawning.
Spend a valuable learning experience unique to Murakami, where salmon culture lives on.