Itoigawa City, Niigata Prefecture, is located in the southwestern tip of Niigata Prefecture, bordering Nagano Prefecture to the south and Toyama Prefecture to the west. Itoigawa City is home to two national parks and three prefectural parks, and is blessed with nature, including seasonal scenery, delicious ingredients, and hot springs. Renowned for its rare jade mountains, Itoigawa became Japan's first designated Global Geopark in 2009, drawing global attention. Itoigawa's main products are jade and seafood, and recently, Itoigawa Black Yakisoba, Chinese noodles coated with squid and squid ink, has become popular as a low-class gourmet dish. The city has created a mascot character called Black Bancho, and is promoting the Black Yakisoba nationwide, with the aim of revitalizing Niigata Prefecture.