Yamagata: Cherries, Onsens and Snow Monsters.
Yamagata is located in the north of Japan in the Tohuku area. It features breathtaking mountain scenery that shine golden-green in the summer and are blanketed by thick layers of snow in the winter. It’s an incredible but sometimes forgotten part of Japan that is home to many interesting sights and food.
You may have heard of Osaka-ben, the famous local dialect of people from Osaka. Yamagata-ben also has it’s own distinct dialect and much like osaka-ben is sometimes seen as a backwards way of speaking. Some examples of Yamagata-ben is “ohaya-san” in place of the standard “ohayo-goziamasu” for good morning or “Oban-desu” instead of “Oyasumi” for good night. When I visited Yamagata my limited Japanese was made even more limited by these colloquialisms.
Ginzan-Onsen
Located in the small city of Obanazawa, Ginzan Onsen is the jewel of Yamagata. It get’s it’s name from the silver mines that the town originally sprung from. Nowadays it has gotten worldwide recognition because of the beautiful winter shots of the secluded hot spring town.
Historic wooden ryokan (Japanese inns) line the peaceful river and create a picturesque scene that makes the town popular for postcards. These ryokan are preserved from previous eras and in the uniquely Japanese ways you can feel the history that has been untouched by modern times here. Even the modern ryokan keep in spirit with the design of the rest of the town.
Ginzan Onsen draws in Japanese tourists year round, and you may even spot Japanese celebrities but you’ll rarely find it too suffocating. You’ll find people strolling about casually in yukatas (traditional Japanese clothing) and looking in one of the souvenir stores or cafes. Even if you’re not staying in one of the ryokan you can still visit the onsens and public baths for a small fee.
Located at the foot of Ginzan Onsen is the a beautiful waterfall that sparkles in the sunshine. The silver mines can also be accessed from here but parts of them are closed off during the Winter. Nevertheless it’s a very easy and peaceful walk up the small mountain and you can get breathtaking views of the mountain and the secluded town. Ginzan Onsen is the most famous onsen town in the area, but you find many other beautiful towns such as Kaminoyama which has spacious farmland and the volcanic Mount Zao which also offers a ski resort.
Snow Monsters
If you do travel to Zao you will find a strange natural phenomenon known as juyho. Great fir trees grow along the mountain and are attacked by Siberian winds every winter. These winds bring with them two to three feet of snow and also cause ice to climb up the trees. This combined with the texture of the trees creates these odd looking creates known as juyho that reside in the mountain.
The most popular way to view the juyho is via ropeway and you can take pictures conveniently. You can also view it from a restaurant. The best chance for pictures is at night when the juyho are bathed in illuminations. There one of the best and most unique natural art experiences you can experience not just in Japan but also in Japan.
Yamadera
Yamadera is a beautiful mountain trial featuring shinto temples and an array of something. Located in the Yamagata city. It was founded by monk Jikaku Daishi and his imprint can still be felt in the area.
At the foot of the mountain trail is konponchudo hall which is made from beech wood and houses Buddhist statues and a flame that if legend is to believed has been burning since the inception of Yamadera.
A 30 minute climb up the mountain up the 1,000 steps leads is a must if you’re a fan of hiking. Along with the natural beauty of the mountain you’ll find many ancient temples. As you climb you’ll see a rock shaped like Amida Buddha named Mida Rock. Then you will pass into the upper temple area first seeing Niomon Gate and then stepping into a number of famous buildings and temples. This area is open and free and the clean mountain air provides a relaxing atmosphere during the long climb.
Another famous visiter to Yamadera is Basho, the Japanese poet. He visited the town in the 1600’s and composed a haiku about the stillness of the area. A statue has been erected of him with the same haiku sitting by his feet. The same calmness can be felt centuries later. Japan has a wonderful way of keeping the spirit of the old shrouded away from modern society.
Food.
One thing that always surprises visitors and foreigners living in Japan is the cost of fruit. For this reason sometimes people can overlook the fruit offerings of Japan. Each prefecture boasts of their own delicacies, Yamagata is no different. It produces 70% of the countries cherry production, and Yamagatan’s will insist that their cherries are unmatched. It’s hard to argue with them after eating a handful of the juicy ruby-colored fruits. They are expertly grown and relentlessly inspected, so only the best will be served and you can expert the flavor to last long as well.
At the end of May or beginning of July an annual cherry festival is held at different locations within the prefecture. Like all Japanese festivals they are also an array of celebration with music, dances and food stalls. All of them complemented with a belly-full of cherries.
Obanazawa is not only host to ginzan onsen but also large watermelon farms. These are sold nationally throughout Japan but if you’re in the area you can easily stop at a watermelon farm to get it straight from the source. Pears are also a speciality in Yamagata. They boast of the western style “La France” pears of which 80% of them are grown in the prefecture. You can also find strawberry, persimmon and apple farms around the prefecture.
Yamagata is a wide-reaching prefecutre and I’ve barely scratched the surface of what it has to offer. If you’ve ever traveled in Japan you’ll know the real beauty is the hidden away areas that you can easily stumble upon to. So hopefully you can visit these places and discover even more areas yourself.
