Higashi-ku is one of the eight wards of Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture, in the Hokuriku region of Japan. As of 1 September 2016, the ward had an estimated population of 136,224 in 60,830 households and a population density of 3500 persons per km2. The total area of the ward was 38.62 square kilometres. After Chūō-ku, Higashi-ku is the second smallest ward in Niigata City, making up about 5% of the total land area.