was a town

Towns of Japan

A town is a local administrative unit in Japan. It is a local public body along with prefecture , city , and village...

 located in Higashikubiki District

Higashikubiki District, Niigata

Higashikubiki was a district located in Niigata, Japan. The district was founded when the former Kubiki District split into Higashikubiki District, Nakakubiki District, and Nishikubiki District...

, Niigata

Niigata Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Honshū on the coast of the Sea of Japan. The capital is the city of Niigata. The name "Niigata" literally means "new lagoon".- History :...

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

.

As of 2003, the town had an estimated population

Population

A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...

 of 4,016 and a density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 of 44.39 persons per km². The total area was90.47 km².

On April 1, 2005 Matsudai, along with the town of Matsunoyama

Matsunoyama, Niigata

was a town located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 2,974 and a density of 34.46 persons per km². The total area was 86.31 km²....

, from Higashikubiki District

Higashikubiki District, Niigata

Higashikubiki was a district located in Niigata, Japan. The district was founded when the former Kubiki District split into Higashikubiki District, Nakakubiki District, and Nishikubiki District...

, the town of Kawanishi

Kawanishi, Niigata

Kawanishi was a town located in Nakauonuma District, Niigata, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 7,829 and a density of 106.44 persons per km²...

, and the village of Nakasato

Nakasato, Niigata

Nakasato was a village located in Nakauonuma District, Niigata, Japan.As of 2003, the village had an estimated population of 6,171 and a density of 47.85 persons per km²...

, both from Nakauonuma District

Nakauonuma District, Niigata

is a district located in Niigata, Japan.As of April 1, 2005, the district has a population of 11,754. The area is now 372.80 km².The district has one village*Tsunan-History:...

, was merged into the expanded city of Tōkamachi

Tokamachi, Niigata

is a city located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan.As of November 31, 2010, the new city has an estimated population of 60,164. The total area of the new city is 589.92 km², including the post-Creation undefined boundary areas....

.

Matsudai is one of the sites of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial

Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial

The Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial is an international modern art festival held once every three years in the Niigata prefecture, Japan. It was first held in 2000 for a "grand" two-month exhibition in "communities, rice fields, vacant houses, and closed schools across a 760 square kilometer region."...

, first held in 2000. The Matsudai Snow-Land Agrarian Culture Centre (aka Matsudai Nobutai) was built in 2003 by architects MVRDV as part of the Triennial and is the focal point for local contemporary art activities. The centre includes an event space, classroom, gallery, art shop, and restaurant.

Matsudai can be reached by train (Matsudai station on the Hoku-Hoku Line) or by car (National Road 253).