August 2008: Niigata, Japan.

It was the water of the Pacific Ocean in the morning when I was on the Hachinohe local line.
By the afternoon, I was on the train from Hachinohe to Niigata. By then, the body of water besides the train window was that of the Japan Sea. Does it matter?
Not really...but then, see, I don't have a life.
Niigata has a team B (the Niigata Albirex) playing in the local Singapore Soccer league. Though that was not the reason to be in Niigata. The only reason that brought
me to this city was Sado Island. From Niigata, one can catch a ferry out to Sado. For Sado, I do have reason to be there, 3 in fact:
1) During my colleague days I have read a chinese translation of a Japanese novel (Anata no Namae wa...: And your name is...?). I can't recall the story except that it was a tragic romance,
probably happening during cold winter days.
2) Lonely Planet talk of it as being an island for political excel. I reckon on that alone, it merit a visit.
3) It is home to the Japanese drum group, Oni-Taiko-Za.

That it was a bright summer that I visited meant I never got to soak in the atmosphere mention in reason 1 and 2. And Oni-Taiko-Za holds a Earth Day taiko matsuri
2 weeks after my arrival. Anyway, I gave me a chance to wander around the padi fields and old shopping streets near the ferry harbour.
In the very least, I learnt that Niigata is the hometown of Takahashi Ryumiko, manga author of Inuyasha ans such.