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Ginzan Onsen & Shirogane Park
A summary of the streets of Ginzan Onsen with the atmosphere of Taisho Roman and Shirogane Park in the back Ginzan Onsen is a hot spring village located in Obanazawa City, Yamagata Prefecture. Along both banks of the Ginzan River, there are ryokan inns built between the late Taisho era and the early Showa era (1920s) that blend Japanese and Western styles. When the sun goes down, gas lamps light up the hot spring town, creating an even more romantic atmosphere. *Taisho Roman is a term used to describe the culture and art of the Taisho period (1912-1926). It is characterized by a mix of Japanese and Western elements that […]
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Tendo Park (Mt. Maizuru)
You cannot miss cherry blossom in spring, night view in summer, and autumn leaves in fall when going to Mt. Maizuru! In the foot of the mountain, there is the walking path around the lake. It’s nice to enjoy a morning walk after staying Tendo Onsen. Mt. Maizuru (elevation 242m, height difference 133m) located in the center of Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture. The whole mountain is part of a “Tendo Park,” and many citizens visit here to get relaxed. This mountain is a famous sightseeing spot because you can enjoy 2000 cherry blossoms, and 10000 of azaleas will be full in bloom in spring, and autumn leaves in fall. From […]
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Tourist spots in Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture
Reki-jo, female history buffs, are rapidly increasing in the historic spot of Tendo city! I didn’t know that Tendo City was related to Nobunaga Oda! Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture, is a city near the center of the Yamagata Basin. There is Mt. Maizuru (elevation 242m) in the central area of the town. At the end of the Edo period (early 19th century), it was the castle town of the Tendo domain, which was established by the Oda family. The city is famous for shogi piece manufacture, which was started as a side job for samurai of the Tendo domain. Now the city has 95% of its national shares. Origin of […]
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Dokko-Numa Swamp
The summer heat is unbearable in Yamagata Prefecture, but Dokko-Numa Swamp is like a summer resort. When you ride the ropeway and climb “Mt. Torikabuto-yama” (altitude:1387m) from the Zao Onsen Ski Resort (Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture), you will find plateaus at an altitude of 1300m. Because the temperature difference from the foot of the mountain is more than 10 degrees, so you can enjoy fresh air even in the middle of summer. There is “Zao Central Plateau Walking Path” starts from Mt. Torikabuto-yama and walk around many lakes. In addition to the Walking Course goes around the central plateau, there are hiking trails such as Dokko-Numa Swamp Course and Fudo […]
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Ningen Shogi (human shogi)
Professional shogi players play a game by using humans who dressed in samurai armor likened to shogi pieces. People come and go on a huge shogi board. In Tendo City, “Ningen Shogi (human shogi)” is a traditional event in spring. Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture, has the most massive production of shogi pieces in Japan. The industry of shogi manufacture in Tendo is originated in the Edo period when a samurai of the Tendo Domain started making shogi pieces as a side job. “Ningen Shogi” is held at the top of Mt. Maizuru during the “Tendo Sakura Festival” in late April every year. Shogi is a type of board game called […]
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Amahage
Amahage comes up to the house making strange noises, chasing and holding the children, and the adults are overjoyed by the crying children caught by Amahage. “Amahage” is a traditional New Year event that transmitted to the three villages located in the foot of Mt. Chokai, Takinoura, Mega, Torizaki in Yuza Town, Yamagata Prefecture. It is very similar to the “Namahage,” which transmitted to the Oga Peninsula in Akita Prefecture. Young men in a village, wearing a face mask of a demon and an old man and dress in Kendan, which is a kind of Mino, a costume made up of many layers of straws. They hit the drums, give […]
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Pond Maruike-sama
How to get to the beautiful pond “Maruike-sama” in Yamagata where is not on Google Maps? In Yuza Town, Yamagata Prefecture, located at the southwestern foot of Mt. Chokai, there is a pond called “Maruike-sama”. It has perfectly clear cobalt blue color water. You can see the spring water from Mt. Chokai from the bottom of the pond. Pond Maruike-sama and the surrounding area are the secret areas of Chokaisan Omonoimi Shrine. There is a forest of the shrine, and great nature remains and even has a mysterious atmosphere. This pond has been called Pond “Maruike-sama” by local people with their feelings of awe. It is because they […]
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Tourist spots in Yuza Town, Yamagata Prefecture
Yuza Town, at the northwestern border of Yamagata Prefecture, is located at the southwestern foot of Mt. Chokai (elevation 2237m). That is the mountain located on the prefectural border with Akita Prefecture. Yuza Town is called “springs town” because the underground water of Mt. Chokai springs up many places in the town. There are many tourist attractions related to Mt. Chokai and the springs of Mt. Chokai. Pond Maruike-sama Pond “Maruike-sama” is a mysterious pond in shining cobalt blue color. Its length is 20m in diameter and depth is 5m. The pond is filled with only spring water from Mt. Chokai. Its transparency is quite high so that you […]
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Zao Onsen
Even if you do not have beautiful facial features, people say you’re beautiful if you have beautiful skin, right? Zao Onsen is very famous for “beauty-making hot spring.” Zao Onsen is located in the southeastern part of Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture, at the western foot (elevation 880m) of the Mount Zao range. It has been called “Takayu” for a long time, and it is the old hot spring with major five hot spring groups and 47 hot springs. Its history is more than 1900 years. The hot spring town of Zao Onsen has many hot spring facilities for a day trip, such as public baths and footbaths. So, even if […]
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What are the three conditions for forming Rime on trees?
Tourists come to Zao from all over the world to see Rime on trees! “Rime on trees” is the winter feature of Zao, where is located on the border between Yamagata and Miyagi Prefectures. Rime on trees is the art of nature that can be only seen in a limited area in the world such as Mount Zao, Hakkoda mountains (Aomori Prefecture), Mount Moriyoshi (Akita Prefecture) and so on in Japan. They are called “ice monsters” or “snow monsters” because the shape of trees covered with ice and snow looks like monsters. The core of the Rime on trees is a coniferous tree called “Aomori Todomatsu (Abies mariesii)”. Without this […]
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Uesugi Shrine (Yonezawa castle ruins)
There is the Uesugi Shrine, the Uesugi Museum, the Uesugi Earl’s Residence, and a bronze statue. I took a walk around the Yonezawa castle ruins. The “Uesugi Shrine,” which located in the ruins of the former Yonezawa Castle in Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture, is a shrine dedicated to Kenshin Uesugi. He is a warlord during the age of civil wars (16th century). Kenshin Uesugi died in 1578, and his body deified in Kasugayama Castle in Echigo Province (current Niigata Prefecture). However, when Kagekatsu Uesugi, who was a successor of Kenshin, was transferred to Yonezawa after Aizu, Kenshin’s coffin was also moved from Echigo to Yonezawa. He built the ancestral hall […]
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The Legend of Tenaga Ashinaga in Mt. Chokai
When you visit the foot of Mt. Chokai, do not forget the story of “Tenaga Ashinaga,” a supernatural monster in Japanese folklore. Mt. Chokai (elevation 2236m) is an independent mountain located on the border of Yamagata Prefecture and Akita Prefecture. The beautiful scenery of Mt. Chokai is selected as one of 100 famous mountains in Japan and 100 landscapes of Japan. Mt. Chokai is called “Dewa Fuji.” This is because the beautiful snowy appearance resembles Mt. Fuji. The foothills of this magnificent mountain extend to the sea. Mt. Chokai influences a lot on the people who live around the foot of the mountain. People believe that a god called “Omonoimino […]