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Niigata travel guide: Discover Japan’s overlooked prefecture, where time seems to stand still

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Hike along cliff-side coastal trails on Sado Island in Niigata.

Hike along cliff-side coastal trails on Sado Island in Niigata.

PHOTO: DENISE LIM

Denise Lim

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She treads onto the tatami. The room quietens.

The geisha unfurls and spins a purple parasol in a ceremonial rhythm, her sleeves cascading gently. The onee-san, or senior geisha, plucks the shamisen. The three-stringed instrument trills with each note, while her low-pitched singing voice reverberates through the room.

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