Kōnan-ku, Niigata

Kōnan-ku (江南区) is one of the eight wards of Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture, in the Hokuriku region of Japan. , the ward had an estimated population of 68,413 in 27,027 households and a population density of 913 persons per km². The total area of the ward was 75.42 sqkm.

Geography
Kōnan-ku is located in an inland region of north-central Niigata Prefecture, near the centre of Niigata City, directly south of the central Chūō-ku. The ward is bordered by Agano River, Koagano River, Shinano River, and the Nihonkai-Tōhoku Expressway.

Neighboring municipalities/wards

 * Niigata Prefecture
 * Kita-ku, Niigata
 * Higashi-ku, Niigata
 * Chūō-ku, Niigata
 * Akiha-ku, Niigata
 * Minami-ku, Niigata
 * Nishi-ku, Niigata
 * Agano

History
The area of present-day Kōnan-ku was part of ancient Echigo Province. The modern town of Kameda and the village of Yokogoshi were established on April 1, 1889 within Nakakanbara District, Niigata with the establishment of the municipalities system..

Yokogoshi was raised to town status on November 1, 1996. The city of Niigata annexed Kameda and Yokogoshi on March 21, 2005. Niigata became a government-designated city on April 1, 2007 and was divided into wards, with the new Kōnan Ward consisting of the former town of Kameda, village of Yokogoshi, and the Sonoki (曽野木), Ryokawa (両川) and Oeyama (大江山) neighbourhoods of southern Niigata City.

Education
Kōnan-ku has 11 public elementary schools and six public middle schools operated by the Niigata city government. There is one public high school operated by the Niigata Prefectural Board of Education (Niigata Kōyō High School), and one private combined middle/high school (Niigata Meikun High School).

Railway
JR East - Shin'etsu Main Line
 * Kameda

Transit bus

 * Transit bus operated by Niigata Kotsu
 * S2 / S6 / S7 / S8 / S9

Local attractions

 * Northern Culture Museum
 * AEON Mall Niigata Minami, shopping center