Itoigawa Station North Fire Relief Fund

Itoigawa, Japan is a small city of about 45,000 people located in the southwest of Niigata Prefecture
between the Japanese Alps and the Sea of Japan, about 2 hours from Tokyo on the Hokuriku Shinkansen. It is a
town with thousands of years of history, dating back to the first jadeworking Neolithic settlements 7000 years
ago. Sitting atop the Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line, it is also a region of global geological importance and was
recognized as Japans first UNESCO Global Geopark in 2009.
On December 22, 2016, a fire broke out in Central Itoigawa, just north of Itoigawa Station on the Hokuriku
Shinkansen. A historic part of the city, this area is known for its many traditional, densely built wooden buildings.
On the 22nd, unusually strong winds gusting to nearly 100 km/h caused the fire to quickly spread out of control,
consuming over 140 homes and businesses over the course of 10 hours. The losses include a 200 year old
restaurant, Niigata Prefectures oldest operating sake brewery, and other historic businesses. In addition, many
families have lost their homes and now reside in temporary housing as they try to recover and rebuild.
The damage to the affected area is severe, but many are eager to rebuild. Itoigawa Station and the
Hokuriku Shinkansen were unaffected by the fire and many of the Itoigawa UNESCO Global Geoparks facilities
and other local businesses remain open to visitors. You can show your support by visiting these businesses.
The City of Itoigawa has created the following account for receiving donations, 100% of which will be
directed toward the families and businesses affected by the fire to help them recover as quickly as possible:
Bank Name: Hokuetsu Bank - Itoigawa Branch
Account Number: 2040711 Swift Code: HETSJPJT
Address: 2-2-22 Omachi, Itoigawa-shi, Niigata-ken 941-0061, Japan Tel: +81-25-552-1551
Donations will be accepted until March 31, 2017. For more information, contact geopark@city.itoigawa.niigata.jp

Itoigawa Station North Fire

Affected Area

100 m

Hokuriku Shinkansen
Itoigawa Station
Images Courtesy of Itoigawa City