Niigata Prefecture has been selected for "Best of the World 2027" (25 destinations to visit in 2027), the annual list from National Geographic, the major US travel media outlet. The list was published on October 20, 2026 (local time). Of the 25 destinations chosen from six continents, Niigata is the only one in Japan.
The article praises "the unique art festival in the Echigo-Tsumari area" and "centuries-old fermentation culture" for offering a chance to explore the region from a new perspective.
The main photo on the Niigata page of "Best of the World 2027" is a similar shot to the one at the top of this article, showing a train reflected in the rice paddies of the Echigo Plain.
The selection is described as one result of the inbound tourism efforts promoted by Niigata Prefecture and the Niigata Prefecture Tourism Association (新潟県観光協会), the Project to Develop High-Value-Added Inbound Tourist Destinations in Regional Areas (Sado/Niigata Area) (地方における高付加価値なインバウンド観光地づくり事業（佐渡・新潟エリア）). The project includes initiatives such as inviting overseas media and overseas travel agencies.
National Geographic Articles
Both articles were published on October 20, 2026.
- Best of the World 2027 (full list): https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/best-of-the-world-2027
- Niigata travel guide (Niigata, Japan): https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/best-of-the-world-2027/article/niigata-japan
What National Geographic Wrote About Niigata
The article introduces Niigata as a destination where visitors can explore a quiet corner of Japan from a fresh perspective, through its "unique art festival" and "centuries-old fermentation traditions." What follows is a partial summary of its content.
Niigata, at the Heart of Snow Country
Niigata Prefecture lies at the heart of the "snow country" on the Sea of Japan side, a region whose legendary heavy snowfall draws skiers from around the world.
Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2027 (大地の芸術祭 越後妻有アートトリエンナーレ 2027), One of the World's Largest Outdoor Art Festivals
Before the snow arrives, one of the world's largest outdoor art festivals is held, with about 200 villages as its stage. The 2027 edition, the 10th, runs from July to November under the theme of "reuse." Places such as closed schools, terraced rice fields and tunnels cut through mountains become exhibition spaces for works unique to the land. The festival is regarded as a model for both architectural reuse and regional revitalization.
The lineup of participating artists is still being finalized, but the names mentioned include British sculptor Antony Gormley, France's Annette Messager and Japan's Tadashi Kawamata. Gormley is reportedly planning to create a work inside an old wooden house damaged by heavy snow.
"Tunnel of Light" by Ma Yansong / MAD Architects. Photo by Shoko Takayasu
Yayoi Kusama's "Tsumari in Bloom" (花咲ける妻有). Photo by NAKAMURA Osamu
A Fermentation Culture Nurtured by Long Winters
Niigata's long, cold winters have nurtured a fermentation culture, including sake brewing. The article also presents the region's wide variety of wild mountain vegetables and its complex, deeply flavored soy sauce and miso as part of the area's appeal.
HAKKO HOUSE and the "Fermentation Trip" in Nagaoka
At the center of that tradition is "HAKKO HOUSE," newly opened in Nagaoka City. Chef Suzuki (鈴木将) serves an 11-course meal that makes use of seasonal ingredients and wild mountain vegetables, and each dish is paired with a local sake selected by the chef.
Chef Suzuki (鈴木将) finishing a dish at HAKKO HOUSE
An image of the course meal served at HAKKO HOUSE
The chef runs several fermented-food shops and restaurants themed on Niigata's "snow country food culture," and many of them line the "Fermentation Trip" (発酵トリップ), a walking route of about 1.6 km in Nagaoka. Along the route are a historic miso brewery, a long-established dango shop, and a sake brewery that revived an old rice variety once on the brink of extinction and matures it at low temperature in a yukimuro (snow room).
The article closes by saying that the slow passage of time in snow country produces results that seem like magic.
The "Fermentation Trip," a walk through the Settaya and Miyauchi areas that lets visitors enjoy a town of fermentation and brewing
At Eguchi Dango (江口だんご), visitors can enjoy "shoyu dango" (mitarashi dango) made with soy sauce from a local brewery
Highlights of National Geographic's Niigata Travel Guide
National Geographic's separate Niigata travel guide ("Niigata, Japan") covers the following, in partial summary.
- Skiing: Ski resorts of various sizes are scattered across one of the world's heaviest snowfall regions.
- Seasonal pleasures: Summer seas and gorges, spring mountain vegetables, autumn foliage, and sake brewery tours and tastings from autumn through spring.
- Experiences: The "Earth Celebration" taiko drum festival on Sado Island, viewing Japanese crested ibis (toki), fireworks festivals, music festivals such as Fuji Rock, and a fermentation trip in Nagaoka.
- Access: About 1 hour from Tokyo to Echigo-Yuzawa Station on the Joetsu Shinkansen. Airports and ferries are also available, and a rental car is recommended for touring widely around the prefecture.
About National Geographic
National Geographic is a major US media outlet that reaches more than 172 countries through digital, social and print media. It covers travel, nature, culture and exploration with photography and video at the core, and it also publishes the travel magazine NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER. Its social media following exceeds 500 million.
About "Best of the World"
"Best of the World" is National Geographic's annual list of the destinations in the world to visit that year. Travel expert teams around the world and the international editorial team of NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER choose the destinations and write the entries. The list covers a wide range, from surprising new hot spots to classics with new appeal, and it has been published on the website for a global audience since 2021.
