Niigata is a Japanese city located in the prefecture of the same name. It is a seaport, known for being visited by a North Korea freighter once a month, making it a rare outside contact by that reclusive communist nation. Niigata is also the largest Japanese city which faces the Sea of Japan, making it important for trading partners such as Russia. The city’s major industries are agriculture, fishing, minerals and manufacturing. It is also the birthplace of an ornamental type of the carp called koi, and is considered to produce the finest specimens of the famous fish.