Tsubame is located in the coastal plains of central Niigata Prefecture, but does not have a coastline on the Sea of Japan.

Tsubame has a Humid climate (Köppen Cfa) characterized by warm, wet summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall.

The area of present-day Tsubame was part of ancient Echigo Province and has been settled since prehistoric times.

It was raised to city status on March 31, 1954 by merging with the neighbouring villages of Koike, Konakagawa and Matsunaga.

[4][5] Tsubame has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 24 members.