I spent the first 6 months of my time in Japan living in Niigata. It’s a busy port city, famed for its excellent rice and heavy winter snow falls. This shot really reminds me of the paintings by L. S. Lowry. It has the same grey, industrial bleakness as my hometown of Manchester. The factory with the red and white towers is the paper mill.
(This bleakness is not a permanent state, both cities do have some lovely sunny days.)

Actually the bleakness IS permanent, and the rumours of sunny weather are somewhat exaggerated.
Hi Chris. Can’t say a lot about winter in Niigata, but in August it is b****y hot and humid. getting out of the sun becomes a priority. Give me Springtime or Autumn to see the best it has to offer.
Hi Richard,
Niigata can’t be as bad as Tokyo or Osaka for hot and humid weather. At least in Okinawa we have the ocean breezes to keep us cool, and the common sense to wear casual shirts rather than suits.