--- title: "Niigata Cruise Port" url: https://cruisello.com/destinations/japan-korea-china-taiwan/niigata description: "Japan's Snow Country port of sake and rice" --- # Niigata ๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ยท Japan ยท Japan, Korea, China & Taiwan > "Japan's Snow Country port of sake and rice" ## At a Glance - **Avg. Ships/Day:** 1.1 - **Avg. Time in Port:** 9h - **Visiting Sailings:** 49 - **Cruise Lines:** 4 ## Peak Season Busiest months: Oct (10 sailings), May (8 sailings), Nov (7 sailings) ## About Niigata Niigata sits on Japan's west coast, facing the Sea of Japan, and is the centre of the country's most important rice-growing region. The Shinano River, Japan's longest, runs through the city, and the Bandai Bridge across it is a local landmark. Niigata's sake breweries produce some of the cleanest, driest sake in Japan, a direct result of the local rice and snowmelt water. Ponshukan, inside the train station, lets you sample five different sakes for 500 yen. The Furumachi district still has working geisha houses and preserved tearooms from the Edo period, which sets it apart from most comparable Japanese cities. Sado Island, reachable by ferry, has historic gold mines and hosts the annual Kodo taiko drumming festival. The Pier Bandai market near the port sells fresh fish, local vegetables, and regional crafts like Murakami lacquerware. Sushi here uses koshihikari rice, the best in the country by common opinion. ## Quick Facts - **Currency:** JPY (Japanese Yen) - **Language:** Japanese - **Timezone:** Asia/Tokyo (UTC+9) - **Tipping:** Not customary; can be considered rude ## Location Coordinates: 37.9162, 139.0364 - [Open in Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/search/cruise+terminal+Niigata/@37.91619,139.0364,13z) - [Open in Apple Maps](https://maps.apple.com/?q=cruise%20terminal%20Niigata&ll=37.91619,139.0364&z=13) ## Things to Do in Niigata Top-rated shore excursions that fit a typical ~9h port call. Prices are starting prices per person. | Tour | Rating | Duration | Fits Port Day | From | Provider | |------|------|------|------|------|------| | [Sake Blending Experience : Craft Your Own Signature Sake](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/b0b3b664-b6a2-4bbd-8a51-1a14067938f8.md?via=markdown) | 5โ˜… (22) | 2h | โœ“ | โ‚ฌ104 | Viator | | [Historical Walking Tour of Niigata Port Town](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/02586230-5580-41e4-a279-ecdba04d8b9a.md?via=markdown) | 4.9โ˜… (22) | 3h 30m | โœ“ | โ‚ฌ69 | Viator | | [Relaxed Snow Monkeys & Shibu Onsen: Green Season Private Tour](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/65eae241-2f3e-45e9-93f4-9e73c6d31cfe.md?via=markdown) | 5โ˜… (7) | 4h 30m | โœ“ | โ‚ฌ514 | Viator | | [Snow Monkey Park, Soba Lunch and Shibu Onsen Tour](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/57a371d9-0654-442c-8eb5-99dc79f36c7e.md?via=markdown) | 5โ˜… (34) | 7h | โ€“ | โ‚ฌ115 | Viator | | [Private Guided Japanese Pub Hopping Tour at Furumachidori](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/ea9f4b03-7ffc-4510-ab66-78da90e44041.md?via=markdown) | 5โ˜… (3) | 3h 30m | โœ“ | โ‚ฌ58 | Viator | | [Niigata Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/a8d352bf-d437-41a0-bcaf-4c4d53b3542a.md?via=markdown) | 5โ˜… (20) | 6h | โ€“ | โ‚ฌ139 | Viator | | [Private Japanese Sake Tasting Lecture in Niigata](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/87339963-7a4d-496b-8a82-6bc0d834e5d9.md?via=markdown) | 5โ˜… (2) | 1h 30m | โœ“ | โ‚ฌ72 | Viator | | [Niigata: Japanese Seafood Culture & Local Market Walk](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/96ecf14f-600b-49e7-bef8-1e8e31fa1a36.md?via=markdown) | 5โ˜… (2) | 1h 30m | โœ“ | โ‚ฌ83 | Viator | | [Full Day Ski Lesson (6 hours) in Yuzawa, Japan](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/d6d2ddd3-6606-49fd-b3c4-72e212f68b0e.md?via=markdown) | 5โ˜… (12) | 7h | โ€“ | โ‚ฌ433 | Viator | | [Local Workshop Hopping Tour in Niigata](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/9a99fa2f-45cd-409b-a364-16094db98e82.md?via=markdown) | 5โ˜… (2) | 5h | โœ“ | โ‚ฌ230 | Viator | | [Yahiko Petit E-TUKTUK Tour: Flexible Courses to Enjoy Yahiko](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/49f8f2e9-a389-453e-99df-e7a517e71a39.md?via=markdown) | 5โ˜… (1) | 4h | โœ“ | โ‚ฌ23 | Viator | | [Private Sacred Sake Tasting inside a Shrine](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/9c5f7216-f5fd-4cac-96b1-84bee3b19e68.md?via=markdown) | 5โ˜… (1) | 1h 30m | โœ“ | โ‚ฌ69 | Viator | Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews. ## Nearby Ports - [Sakata](https://cruisello.com/destinations/japan-korea-china-taiwan/sakata.md): 71 nm - [Sendai](https://cruisello.com/destinations/japan-korea-china-taiwan/sendai.md): 97 nm - [Toyama City](https://cruisello.com/destinations/japan-korea-china-taiwan/toyama-city.md): 112 nm ## Cruise Lines Serving This Port - [Holland America Line](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/holland-america-line.md) - [Norwegian Cruise Line](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/norwegian-cruise-line.md) - [Princess Cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/princess-cruises.md) - [Royal Caribbean](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/royal-caribbean.md) ## Cheapest Available Sailing **[View this cruise โ†’](https://cruisello.com/cruises/samurai-shrines-straits-hakodate-busan-kobe~PCL-SA-20280603-11.md)** - **Price:** โ‚ฌ1,120 per person (โ‚ฌ2,241 total for 2 guests) - **Cruise Line:** [Princess Cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/princess-cruises.md) - **Ship:** [Sapphire Princess](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/princess-cruises/sapphire-princess.md) - **Duration:** 11 nights - **Departure:** 2028-06-03 - **Itinerary:** Samurai Shrines & Straits โ€“ Hakodate, Busan & Kobe ## Featured Cruises from Niigata Prices are per person, two sharing, in the fare's own currency. | Cruise | Ship | Line | Departure | Nights | Price | |------|------|------|------|------|------| | [Shogun's Perimeter โ€“ Busan, Hiroshima & Kanazawa](https://cruisello.com/cruises/shogun-s-perimeter-busan-hiroshima-kanazawa~PCL-SA-20270329-23.md) | Sapphire Princess | Princess Cruises | 2027-03-29 | 23 | โ‚ฌ3,736 | | [Gilded Pagoda Circuit โ€“ Hakodate, Busan & Kochi](https://cruisello.com/cruises/gilded-pagoda-circuit-hakodate-busan-kochi~PCL-DI-20270518-10.md) | Diamond Princess | Princess Cruises | 2027-05-18 | 10 | โ‚ฌ1,854 | ## Browse Cruises - [All cruises visiting Niigata](https://cruisello.com/cruises.md?stopoverPorts=niigata) (49 sailings) ## Browse - [Japan, Korea, China & Taiwan cruises](https://cruisello.com/destinations/japan-korea-china-taiwan.md) - [All Destinations](https://cruisello.com/destinations.md) - [All Cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruises.md)