Web3.0×Niigata: Preserving and Communicating the Diverse Cultures of Niigata's Vast Region Through Web3.0

Facing the Sea of Japan, Niigata Prefecture is one of Japan's premier rice-producing areas. Brand rice such as Uonuma Koshihikari is nationally recognized as a luxury product. It is also one of Japan's heaviest snowfall areas, with significant temperature variations between day and night. The abundant meltwater and fertile land have been central to rice cultivation since the Edo period.

Originally, the area now known as Niigata Prefecture was called Echigo Province. During the Edo period, it was divided into smaller domains such as Murakami, Shibata, Nagaoka, and Takada, along with directly controlled territories of the shogunate like Sado. Even after the Meiji Restoration, it was divided into 11 domains and prefectures.

Due to this historical background, Niigata Prefecture still has distinct cultures in different areas, and each municipality is actively adopting Web3.0 technologies as part of their branding strategies.