Jōetsu, Niigata

Jōetsu (上越市, Jōetsu-shi) is a city located in Niigata Prefecture, Japan.

As of June 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 205,521, with 72,982 households and a population density of 211.15 persons per km². The total area is 973.32 km².

The city was founded on April 29, 1971, when the cities of Takada and Naoetsu were consolidated. The city was exclusively part of the now-defunct Nakakubiki District until December 31, 2004.

On January 1, 2005, the town of Yasuzuka, the villages of Maki, Ōshima and Uragawara (all from Higashikubiki District); the towns of Itakura, Kakizaki, Ōgata and Yoshikawa, the villages of Kiyosato, Kubiki, Nakagou and Sanwa (all from Nakakubiki District); and the town of Nadachi (from Nishikubiki District) were merged into Jōetsu. Now Jōetsu has extended into the now-defunct Higashikubiki and Nishikubiki Districts.

History

It was the ancient capital of Echigo Province. Around the Sengoku period, Kasugayama Castle was a significant base for daimyo such as Uesugi Kenshin.