5 November 2019
Early night
Eating Ramen in Niigata
I have to get up early tomorrow, take the early Shinkansen half way back to Takasaki, take the early local train to the deepest station in Japan at Doai, run up a mountain and down again, and hopefully make the mid afternoon train back towards Niigata or it will be a 3 hour wait for the following train!
So I will go to bed early tonight.
To make sure I know where I am going tomorrow, I did a rehearsal run back to the station, using the bus rapid transit system, which is a bus. Its no different to any other bus. They seem to run every 8 seconds between Furumachi and the station, to thats my plan tomorrow, with enough time to spare to run to the station if theres no early buses.
The station area is nice and busy here in Niigata. Not so much the actual station, that is old and falling down, mostly boarded up, with temporary walkways, and signs that construction of a new station was halted in 1972. However the streets around it are all busy and colorful. I think the area I am staying in is the actual nightlife district, but a few streets over, I will check it out tomorrow.
I then found the in-between Niigata station and Furumachi shopping area, which is under a lot of construction, but features Aeon, Isetan, and a mall owned by Bridgestone. Which reminds me, theres a famous tyre museum in Niigata. If its raining on any of my days here, then thats where I am going! Historic tyres.
Signs of life.
More signs of life.
Lots of places to eat.
That is NOT OK in 2019.
Niigata has some malls. Although theres a lot of construction in and around them.
Isetan exists, but something called the rainbow tower that all the travel sites talk about is now PERMANENTLY CLOSED.
My ramen tonight was a bit different. Quite thick noodles. Small chunks of what I assume was pork, but I have no idea. I only eat things floating in red liquid now.
And right by my hotel, heres a modern covered shopping street. Very well lit. No people. Maybe tomorrow?