I live in Niigata City, an ordinance-designated city with a population of approximately 800,000, but where I can enjoy the richness of nature. 'I want convenient urban functions, but I want to raise my children in nature!' This may be a good fit for those who want convenient urban functions but want to raise their children in nature. We have a one-year-old and three-month-old child who spends his days playing in the mountains and rivers and running around in the fields.

Summer in Niigata is all about the sea! Niigata Prefecture has 60 beaches, the third largest in the country. There are beaches close by where you can easily enjoy the sea. Moreover, Niigata's long coastline means that there are many hidden spots, so you don't need to worry that you've come for a swim but it's too crowded and you'll end up washing potatoes (tears).

We recently let our children play on a sandy beach in the Gokahama area, a five-minute drive from our home!

...... but my son cried a lot the first time he went to the sea! He was scared of the crashing waves and at first he was begging to be held all the time. After about 20 minutes on the beach, he finally got into a good mood when he started playing with sand dumplings. After playing with sand dumplings, his mood finally improved and he was finally able to walk to the edge of the waves by himself. Will he be able to get into the sea by the end of the season? We will watch his progress.

Niigata has many quiet beaches that are like private beaches. Niigata's unique charm may be that you can relax and enjoy swimming with your children without having to worry about other visitors around you.