Area Mamurogawa Tomoaki Sato Mamurogawa (真室川) is known as Ume no Sato (梅の里 lit. 'plum town'). A Plum Festival is held here every year during Golden ...
Beauty & Spa The Travels of Isabella Bird: III Amber Mezbourian Victorian adventurer Isabella Bird wanted to find the 'real Japan' so headed north into the wilds of Tohoku, braving snakes,...
Culture Kurokawa Noh Alena Eckelmann Kurokawa, a small village near the mountains of Dewa Sanzan in Yamagata Prefecture, is preserving a 500-year-old tradition of...
15 Activities Hiking the Dewa Sanzan Amber Mezbourian The Dewa Sanzan are the three sacred peaks of Yamagata, representing birth, death and rebirth. For centuries, pilgrims have w...
Area Iide Alena Eckelmann Iide Town is a small town in the southern part of Yamagata Prefecture. The town is surrounded by four mountain ranges: Zao Re...
10 Culture Shogi Time at Tendo Town Alena Eckelmann Shogi Time at Tendo Town.Painting a shogi piece as lucky charm
Culture Wara Craft Master Saito-san Alena Eckelmann Watching a wara (rice straw) craftsman produce sandals and boots like in the old days
Accommodation Zao Shiko Hotel in Zao Onsen Alena Eckelmann Zao Shiko Hotel. onsen and ski slopes nearby. Excellent service by English-speaking staff
Activities Zao Onsen in Winter Alena Eckelmann Zao Onsen is a winter sports and an onsen paradise. Zao's Snow Monsters are a top attraction.
