noun
Niigata (city, prefecture)
Refers to Niigata City or Niigata Prefecture in Japan. Context usually clarifies which is meant.
新潟は米どころとして有名です。
Niigata is famous as a rice-producing region.
来月、新潟に出張します。
I'm going on a business trip to Niigata next month.
Standard kanji spelling for the city and prefecture.
The name 新潟 (Niigata) is a place name. The kanji 新 means 'new' and 潟 means 'lagoon' or 'tidal flat', reflecting the area's coastal geography. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.