Kaneyama Seasons

The ever-changing scenery of a rural Yamagata town

Amber Mezbourian Apr 01, 2013 - 1 min read

Summer: In mid-August, the rice fields around Kaneyama are lush and vibrantly green. This view, with its distinctive hills in the distance, is the first glimpse visitors get of Kaneyama when travelling north from Yamagata City.

Summer: Dramatic colours before a sudden storm. Kaneyama is famed for its Japanese cedar trees, and thick forests cover the surrounding hills. Many houses in the town are built using cedar, with black wooden frames and white walls.

Autumn: A misty October morning, and stacks of harvested rice hang out to dry in the fields. Agriculture is one of the main industries in Kaneyama, and many fields are still tended by hand.

Autumn: By November, the rice fields are bare, and a dusting of snow covers the distant mountains - a reminder of the rapidly approaching winter.

Autumn: As winter approaches, wooden tipi-like structures spring up all over the town. They protect carefully-pruned trees and bushes from the weight of the snow.

Winter: Persimmon grow in abundance around Kaneyama, and are delicious eaten both fresh and dried.

Winter: Buildings in the town are softened by the fresh snowfall.

Winter: Kaneyama often receives over two metres of snow, but everyday life carries on as usual. Here, a junior high school student walks home along a path cut through the snow.

Winter: On a clear day, the surrounding mountains are striking against the sky. This road appears to lead straight towards them.

Winter: This is a typical sight in Kaneyama - daikon (Japanese radish) hanging outside a house to dry in the sun.

Winter: An invigorating walk through the forest is the perfect activity for a sunny afternoon.

Spring: The fields are flooded in preparation for the new rice crop. Mount Chokai, the tallest mountain in Yamagata at 2,236m, is visible in the distance.

Spring: On a still day, the flooded rice fields reflect the clouds like mirrors.

Spring: Rapeseed is another crop grown in Kaneyama, and in May, its bright yellow flowers add a splash of colour to the fields.

Spring: The cherry blossoms usually bloom in early May, and this is one of the most beautiful times to visit Kaneyama.

Kaneyama is a small town in the north east of Yamagata. It offers visitors a glimpse into a rural side of Japan that has remained largely unchanged for generations. Surrounded by rice fields and forest-covered hills, it is a world away from the bright lights of Tokyo, and life here moves at a far more leisurely pace. It has four very distinct seasons, typified by hot, humid summers and heavy snowfall in winter. The ever-changing landscape is part of its beauty, and there is always something new to see, whatever the time of year.

Amber Mezbourian @amber.mezbourian

I spent three years living in Japan as an Assistant Language Teacher on the JET Programme, not knowing what to expect but with images of Tokyo, geisha and Mount Fuji in my mind. I was placed in Yamagata prefecture in a small rural town that I couldn't find in any guidebook. I learnt to sno...