Yuzawa, Niigata
Encyclopedia
is an onsen
(hot spring
) town located in Minamiuonuma District
in the mountains of the Chuetsu region of Niigata Prefecture
, Japan
.
of 8,266 and a population density
of 23.15 persons per km². The total area is 357.00 km².
and Gala-Yuzawa
stations on the Jōetsu Shinkansen
line, making it one of the most easily accessible winter sports areas from Tokyo
, and the town's economy is reliant principally on skiing
and snowboarding
.
's classic novel Snow Country
takes place in Yuzawa.
Onsen
An is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...
(hot spring
Hot spring
A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are geothermal hot springs in many locations all over the crust of the earth.-Definitions:...
) town located in Minamiuonuma District
Minamiuonuma District, Niigata
is a district located in Niigata, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 72,908 and a density of 77.41 persons per km². The total area is 941.82 km².- Mergers :...
in the mountains of the Chuetsu region of Niigata Prefecture
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...
.
Demographics
As of September 1, 2011, the town had an estimated populationPopulation
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 8,266 and a population 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 23.15 persons per km². The total area is 357.00 km².
Ski resorts
There are a large number of ski resorts in the area. The town is served by the Echigo-YuzawaEchigo-Yuzawa Station
is a train station operated by East Japan Railway Company , located in the resort town of Yuzawa in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. Facilities at the station include souvenir shopping and eating facilities, as well as a sake-themed attraction complete with an indoor onsen bath.-Lines:Echigo-Yuzawa...
and Gala-Yuzawa
Gala-Yuzawa Station
is a seasonal railway station located in Yuzawa, Niigata, Japan. The station is operated by East Japan Railway Company .-Lines:The station is served by the Gala-Yuzawa Line from Echigo-Yuzawa Station, and forms the only station on this 1.8 km branch line. Services are classed as "Limited express",...
stations on the Jōetsu Shinkansen
Joetsu Shinkansen
The is a high-speed railway line connecting Tokyo and Niigata, Japan, via the Tōhoku Shinkansen, operated by the East Japan Railway Company .-History:The program was initiated in 1971 by Niigata-born prime minister Tanaka Kakuei...
line, making it one of the most easily accessible winter sports areas from Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, and the town's economy is reliant principally on skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
and snowboarding
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
.
Cultural references
Yasunari KawabataYasunari Kawabata
was a Japanese short story writer and novelist whose spare, lyrical, subtly-shaded prose works won him the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968, the first Japanese author to receive the award...
's classic novel Snow Country
Snow Country
is the first full-length novel by the Nobel Prize-winning Japanese author Yasunari Kawabata. The novel established Kawabata as one of Japan's foremost authors and became an instant classic.- Name :...
takes place in Yuzawa.