Joetsu

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.

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, &yen240). If you have a Japan Rail Pass, you will need to pay surcharge of ¥240 each way to travel over trackes operated by 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 4½5 hours from Osaka (¥11,820), by taking the Thunderbird limited express and changing to Hakutaka Superexpress of Hokuriku Shinkansen at Kanazawa Station, and final changing to 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




Go next

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