Snow.
Hakkaisan and other popular nihonshu, which aren't to my taste.
Empty Shinkansen stations (check out Tsubame-sanjo for that pre-1989 Alexanderplatz station feeling).
Sado-ga-shima silver mines.
Fish.
Earthquake refugees.
Good soba (and yes, I know it's not as famous as say Nagano - but it's good)

The car ferry to Sado (a highly recommended trip, especially if you know Japanese history).

Russian sailors in port, even before 1989.

Earthquakes with ground liquefaction.

Lots of snow, what the tour guide on Sado many years ago referred to as "the Siberian invader that the SDF can't stop."

Onsen......goodness I hope so....!

It's a great place to stay if you're going to FujiRock.

I don't know the Niigata onsen so well. They certainly exist, though. Are you planning to go there?

A friend tried to entice me to this place:
http://www.belnatio.com/　　

But we ended up going to this place, which is pretty close to Niigata (in Gunma). It turned out to be a really spectacular onsen experience:
http://www.sarugakyo.net/

My friend, "Art" started corresponding with a Kansai lady. This lady is age-wise on the outer boundary to have children biologically. She likely would, however, like to have children. She wrote:Does anyone have a clue what might be?

Art knows there are two types of Japanese adoptions: special and regular. One severs all ties with the biological parents and is internationally recognized. The other maintains some ties, such as inheritance, to the biological parents but isn't internationally recognized.

Goodness gracious, one can only imagine what she means for that acronym?
Could in be the following?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artific...ation_by_Donor

You may have nailed it! Art can't deliver semen, however, she can still receive it. Art thanks you for your keen insight!

OK, I need one of these
 

Turn up the volume for movie

http://www.asovision.com/gun/movie.html

Hilarious....

Hmmm...not sure how to respond.

http://www.k-wave.jp/funabashi/index.html

Best Love Hotel name ever.

I dunno, I'm kind of partial to one on the outskirts of Love Hotel Hill (Shibuya):
"Hotel 3-way"

http://www.okubomeisyuten.com/11_429.html

Fuwari Suisui - sparkling cloudy sake
http://www.shusen.jp/

It is good.