A multifunctional facility in the city of craftsmanship

August is the busiest season for my main job, the Awa Odori dance.
After agonizing over where to go and when to go to complete my monthly trip, Niigata suddenly came to mind.
Our annual family trip to the Niigata Nagaoka Fireworks Festival. My August plan was to arrive the day before and explore Niigata.
So, rocking along on the first morning Shinkansen, I disembarked at Sanjo Station.
My target here was "Machiyama," a facility integrating a "Library," "Blacksmith Museum," "Science Education Center," "Stage Engawa," and "Plaza."
Since photography inside requires a permit, I obtained one at the information counter and explored the interior.

True to its identity as a town of craftsmanship, the space conveyed the spirit, knowledge, history, and techniques of blacksmithing passed down in Sanjo. Around the library, people of all ages were reading, studying, or working at their leisure.
I worked there for about an hour myself and found it a very comfortable space, clearly cherished by the locals.

※As of August 2025

Both exterior and interior are too modern

After enjoying comfortable remote work in Machiyama, I took the JR Shinetsu Main Line from Sanjo Station to Niitsu Station.
My main destination here was the Niigata City Akiha Ward Cultural Center, which had piqued my interest most on this trip and won the 2014 Good Design Award.
It's about a 15-minute walk from Niitsu Station, but given the intense heat, I tried to rent a bike near the station only to find rentals suspended due to a heatstroke alert being issued.
With no other choice, I bought an ice cup and Aquarius at a convenience store, then poured the drink directly into the ice as I walked toward the hall.
Exhausted by the intense heat, I walked slowly for about 15 minutes.After passing a nearby middle school, a super modern building surrounded by greenery suddenly appeared.
The futuristic curves and the green peeking through them were incredibly beautiful, and the water surrounding it gave it a somewhat mystical feel.
However, the heat was so intense I didn't have the luxury to admire it properly, so I immediately took a break at the cafe inside.
After recovering, I walked around the building once. The design, where its appearance completely changed depending on the angle, was also interesting.

※As of August 2025

Cultural Center

Next, we moved from Niitsu Station to Kameda Station and visited the Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center, which won the 2013 Good Design Award. (Upon checking, both projects were directed by Chiaki Arai.)
The Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center is a cultural complex housing four functions: a music and theater hall, the Kameda District Community Center, the Kameda Library, and the Konan Ward Local History Museum.
Inside, countless tiny lights scattered across the walls emitted a gentle glow like a starry sky, creating a beautiful scene.
Judging by the images, both the Niigata City Akiha Ward Cultural Hall and this hall are highly original and beautiful spaces. It's frustrating that I couldn't pay an admission fee to see inside.
After getting a general look at the interior, I headed to the hotel to prepare for the evening event.

※As of August 2025

This time, thanks to Mr. Inukai from NEWTOWN connecting us, I finally got to meet Egon-san, known for those wonderful illustrations and diverse activities!
He even made reservations at a lovely restaurant and guided us inside, where to my surprise, the entire leadership team—including Mr. Oe, the CEO of Dotcom Marketing Inc. (the company where Egon-san works), along with the COO, CMO, and CSO—was assembled.
Though I felt a bit intimidated at first, once the meeting started, everyone was incredibly friendly and warm. We enjoyed a pleasant, lively atmosphere with delicious food, making for a truly enjoyable time.
What surprised me most was the relationship between Tsubame City and Sanjo City. I'd always thought of them as one entity, "Tsubame-Sanjo," but apparently that's not quite the case. While I won't go into details here, there are various complexities involved.
Also, when I mentioned Niigata's Five Great Ramen, I was surprised to learn it was actually created through a project by Mr. Oe's company. It's amazing how even cultural aspects of Niigata are being shaped.
We also had various conversations about Niigata, the future of the design industry, and more. It was a very educational night.
(And thank you for the meal!!)

Towards the end of the conversation, someone mentioned, "The Five Great Ramen are great, but the Awa Niboshi Soba at Niigata Station is just plain delicious!"
As a ramen lover and niboshi enthusiast, I knew I had to try it. And amazingly, both Egon-san and Oe-san agreed to join me.
Following Sapporo, we ended up having another ramen finale.
A rich, flavorful niboshi ramen with an elegant, frothy white appearance. The accents of raw onion and rock seaweed were perfect – a supremely satisfying bowl.
It was an incredibly enjoyable night in Niigata, where we even had deep conversations during the closing meal about what kind of work styles will likely be needed going forward and what kind of organizations would be ideal.

The warmth of wood and the light streaming through are beautiful
A complex facility that also houses the main city hall functions

After eating ramen and working up a sweat, we boarded the bus to Nagaoka Station.
The heat was beyond expectations, leaving me short on T-shirts, so I hurriedly bought one at Shimamura before heading to the next destination, "Aore Nagaoka."
Aore Nagaoka is Japan's first integrated complex facility designed by Kengo Kuma, combining a 5,000-seat arena, the open-air Nakadoma (roofed plaza), and the city hall.
While it also houses the main city hall functions, the open Nakadoma plaza is such a pleasant space that I visit it every time I come to Nagaoka.
And since I always come to Nagaoka for the Nagaoka Fireworks Festival, it's fun to experience the festival atmosphere with all the food stalls set up in full force.

While walking and taking photos, I happened to run into my family and their friends. Since we were all staying at a relative's house tonight, I decided to stop by a cafe before heading home.

※As of August 2025

※As of August 2025