B

Access to Shonai, Yamagata Prefecture

7By PlaneTokyo

Haneda Airport （Approx. 60 min.） ANA︎◀◀︎Shonai
AirportDC
8 ●Sakata
2

By Train (JR *Japan Railways)
sta.

Tokyo Joetsu Shinkansen
Sta. （Approx. 2 hours）

sta.

G

Sakata︎◀◀︎ Tsuruoka/（Approx. 2 hours）

SakataE9

7NihonkaiTohoku
Expressway

1Shonai

Yamagata
Expressway

Yamagata ●Niigata ●345

By CarAsahi
Kan-Etsu
Niigata Nihonkai-Tohoku
Nerima IC
Mahoroba ◀︎Expressway
Chuo JCT Expressway(Tokyo) （Approx.
IC（Approx. 50 min.）3 hours 30 min.）National Route 7 etc.
（Approx. 15 min.）● MoriokaSakata●Tsuruoka ● Shinjo●Long time ago, people believedthat the Ise (located in MiePrefecture) in the west was"yin" and the Dewa Sanzan
was "yang", and that one must
pay visit to both sanctuaries atleast once in their life time.
Photo: The Five-story Pagoda
in Mt. Haguro,
the oldest pagoda in Tohoku● Sendai● Fukushima

JoetsuShinkansen

Tokyo Shibuya/Ikebukuro/Omiya/ （Approx. 9 hours） ︎◀◀︎ Tsuruoka/Sakata
Shinjuku/Akihabara/Ueno

National Route 7Asahi
Nihonkai-Tohoku
etc.
Mahoroba
Expressway（Approx. 50 min.）
IC（Approx. 15 min.）

Akita ●A 3H︎◀◀︎ Tsuruoka/

Mogami River

4Tsuruoka ●By Highway Express BusYamagata

107FUetsu honsen ︎◀◀︎ Tsuruoka/
Niigata
SakataSta. （Approx. 2 hours）（Approx.3 hours）● Aomori● Shonai Airport

Tokyo Yamagata Shinkansen Shinjo Rikuu Saisen ︎◀◀︎ Tsuruoka/
Sta. （Approx. 3 hours 30 min.） Sta. （Approx. 1 hour）
SakataSendaiLife Ritualfrom Olden Days The Dewa Sanzan,
the East Sanctuary

56 JR Uetsu honsen

庄内Kan-Etsu
ExpresswayTohoku
Shinkansen● Omiya● TokyoTsuruoka ◀︎Nishi IC︎◀◀︎ Tsuruoka/

SakataVisiting the Mummies
to Reach the Heightof Mountain Worship

Nangakuji Temple

Between Edo and beginning of Meiji
period, some monks mummifiedthemselves. Wishing for peace,
they did so by voluntarily entering
underground stone room at the end of
their strict training. In Shonai, there
are six mummies in five temples.

Honmyoji Temple

Address: 3-6 Sunadamachi, Tsuruoka city,
Yamagata Tel: 0235-23-5054
Opening hours: 9am to 6pm
Address: 388 Uchino, Higashiiwamoto,
Tsuruoka city, YamagataTel: 0235-53-2269 Reservation required

Dainichibo Temple（Yudonosan）
Address: 11 Nyudo, Oami, Tsuruoka city,
Yamagata Tel: 0235-54-6301
Opening hours: 8am to 5pm

Churenji Temple（Yudonosan）

Address: 92-1 Nakadai, Oami, Tsuruoka city,
Yamagata Tel: 0235-54-6536
Opening hours:
9am to 5pm (May - October),
9am to 4pm (November - April)

Kaikoji Temple

Address: 2-7-12 Hiyoshimachi, Sakata city,
Yamagata Tel: 0234-22-4264
Opening hours:
9am to 5pm (April - October),
9am to 4pm (November - March)

World Class
Gastronomy City
Tsuruoka has nurtured and promoted
over 50 kinds of local food and has
not only protected but also developed
their gastronomical traditions andculture by integrating with otherindustries in the city. In 2014,
Tsuruoka was the first Japanesecity to be appointed as UNESCO
Creative City of Gastronomy.

Contact: Shonai Visitors Association
Tel: 0235-68-2511 Fax: 0235-66-4728 Mail: shonai@mokkedano.net

Shonai
Yamagata
Come to Shonai! A Fun Place with Delicious FoodPrefectureHaguro A
Where You can Climb the Mt.
(The Dewa Sanzan Shrine)
Sacred Mountains andThe sanctuary where the gods
Mt. Haguro,
Taste the Gifts from Nature ofandMt.Mt.Gassan,
Yudono meet, offers

Population:
281,506 (as of October 1, 2014)
Land:2,405.2k㎡
Noted Products: Rice（TSUYAHIME, HAENUKI, etc.）,
Dadachamame beans, red onions,turnips, bamboo shoots, red pepper,eggplant, cucumber, potatoes, melon,
strawberry, persimmon, pork, trout,oyster, flounder, shrimp, crab, sea
bream(geisha in training)High class restaurant culturein Sakata represents the city's
success in sea trade businessduring the Edo period. Soumaro
offers cultural attractions suchas traditional performances by"Sakata Maiko" .

a lot to see with brilliant
architectural designs. Alsoat an extra cost, you canexperience monk training
at Ideha Cultural Memorial
Hall while wearing the whiteshroud.

Mountain worship has been part of Tohoku
culture for centuries. The Three Mountainsof Dewa - Mt. Gassan, Mt. Yudono, and Mt.
Haguro - are visited from around the world.
Mt. Haguro welcomes its visitors with theastonishing five-story pagoda, which is theoldest in Tohoku. The snow will turn into
fresh river water, providing Shonai Plain withrich rice and vegetables, which in turn is
produced into sake and food.
Shonai, Yamagata Prefecture Profile

Sakata Maiko D

Contact: Soumaro
Address: Maikozaka, 1 Chome
Hiyoshimachi, Sakata-city,
Yamagata Tel: 0234-21-2310
Open: 10am to 5pm
Closed: Wednesday

Contact: The Dewa Sanzan Shrine
Address: Touge Haguromachi,
Tsuruoka-city, Yamagata
Tel: 0235-62-2355
Contact: Ideha Cultural Memorial
Hall Address: 72 Injuminami,
Touge Haguromachi, Tsuruoka-city,
Yamagata Tel: 0235-62-4727

Cruising down
Mogami River

The valley between Furukuchi
and Kiyokawa offers spectacular
scenery every season. Wild
cherry trees blooming in spring,followed by fresh green insummer. Golden leaves inautumn, and ink painting-like
scenery in winter.

Japanese Sake
Shonai is a leading sakeproducing region with many
winning sakes in national saketasting competitions. The secretlies in the pure undergroundwater from the surrounding
mountains and the rich ricefor sake making. You may findcomparing sake from different
local producers to be very
entertaining.

Sankyo Warehouse C
Mt. Chokai B
Mt. Chokai, also called "DewaFuji" for its phenomenallybeautiful volcanic peak, is thehighest mountain in Yamagata
Prefecture. It is perfect for
hiking, offering seasonal
sceneries. When the weather
is beautiful, you can see Mt.
Chokai's shadow reflecting
over the Japan Sea at dawn.
Contact: Yuza Chokai Tourist
Association
Tel: 0234-72-5666

10 Gourmet Stops Recommend by the Locals
Al-ché-cciano 1

Where Italian Meets
Incredible Shonai Ingredients

This Italian restaurant
showed Japan that Shonai
has incredible food. Thelocally sourced ingredients
daily delivered to Chef
Okuda, write a seasonalmenu each day.
Address: 83 Yamazoe
Ichirizuka, Tsuruoka city,Yamagata
Tel: 0235-78-7230
Open: 11:30-14:00 (L.O.) and6pm-9pm (L.O.)
Closed: Monday
URL: www.alchecciano.com

Men-kobo 2
Sarashina

Hagurosan Saikan 3

Sakata Ramen is a signaturedish in Shonai. Sarashina”isa unique restaurant thatserves rich and creamy“tonkotsu" (pork broth)ramen.

Inside one of the rebuilt partsof the Dewa Sanzan Shrine,
you can enjoy the local foodpassed down for generations.
You can stay overnight.

Traditional Japanese café
provides confectionary using“mochi”(glutinous rice) as themain ingredient. The combo
set is highly recommended.

Address: 33 Toge,
Haguro-machi Toge,
Tsurukoka city, Yamagata
Tel: 0235-62-2357
Open: 11am-2pm
Lunch courses starting
1,500JPY+tax / Overnight stay for
7,000JPY+tax (Includes two meals,reservation required)

Address: 220 Yokoyama,
Mikawa-machi Yokoyama,
Higashitagawa-gun, Yamagata
Tel: 0235-66-2050
Open: (shop) 9am-5pm, (cafe)
11am-3pm
Closed: MondayWhen in Sakata,
Eat as the Locals Eat

Address: 5-4-40 Kamegasaki,
Sakata city, Yamagata
Tel: 0234-24-2258
Open: 11am-2:30pm
Closed: Sunday

Sacred Vegetarian
Cuisine in Historical Serenity

Contact：Mogami Kyo BashoLine Kanko Furukuchi port
Address: 86-1 Furukuchi,
Tozawa-mura, Mogami-gun,
Yamagata
Tel: 0233-72-2001
Open: 9:30am to 3:30pm at
Furukuchi port
URL: http://www.blf.co.jp

Ooi-mochiya 4

Enjoy the Local Grandma’s
Traditional Cooking“Flat Genkina Hamamise”5at Chokai Road Station
Fresh Fish, Grilled or Fried!

This shop
offers delicious
tempura,grilled fish,
as well as otherfresh seafood caught from thelocal fishing cooperatives.
Lines of fresh seafood delimade by the local moms
brighten up the shop.
Address: 308-1 Sugano, Sugasato,
Yuza-machi, Akumi-gun, Yamagata
Tel: 0234-71-7222
Open: 9am to 5:30pm (daily)
URL: www.chokai-flat.com

Yuza Curry 6

Healthy Currywith NO Preservatives

Yuza-machi is noted forvegetable production such as
red peppers, and this restaurant
serves“Seasonal VegetableCurry”. This healthy curry has
over 10 kinds of vegetables
as toppings.
Address: 1F at Yuza JR station,
19-18 Ishida, Yuza,
Yuza-machi, Yamagata
Tel: 090-6683-8530
Open: 11am-2:30pm,11am-6pm on weekends &national holidays
Closed: Tuesday

You can find the symbols ofSakata, the twelve warehouses
built in 1893, as you walkamong the rows of beautiful
Zelkova trees. Inside theproperty has souvenir hall andrice history museum of the portcity.
Contact: Sakata Tourism and
Products Association
Address: 1-1-20 Sankyomachi,
Sakata-city, Yamagata
Tel: 0234-24-2233
Open: 9am to 6pm (souvenir hall),
9am to 5pm (museum)
Closed: January 1stKoeido Seikaho 7

Fresh and Fruity Gelato Using
Local Natural IngredientsThe gelato is made mainlywith local ingredients, using
no additives or preservatives.
A happy dessert for all
family members. One cup
is 380JPY (including tax).
Offered only between Julyto mid-October.
Address: 187 Kaidoomote,Oshikirishinden,
Mikawamachi, Yamagata
Tel: 0235-66-3841
Open: 8am-8pm
Closed: Monday &some Tuesdays

Yunohama Hot Spring F
Atsumi Hot Spring G
Yutagawa Hot Spring H
Shonai is gifted with quality
h o t s p r i n g s . Yu n o h a m a ,Atsumi, and Yutagawa eachone has its own history. They
offer options in location (sea,river, and mountain) and spring
quality to choose from or you
can enjoy them all!

Kumura no Sakaba 8 Mogamigawa 9
Slip into Nostalgic
Oshin Bento (boxed lunch)

Amarume Hotel 10

Time and Placewith a Glass of Sake

It’s worth reserving!

Locals have cherished this“izakaya” (Japanese bar)since its opening in 1961.
Japanese bar favorites
accompany a variety of local“sake”. Ask Toshie-san forrecommendation.

Filled with signature food ofMogami and Shonai, it will be
a great accompaniment, as
you gaze at the river scenery.
Reservation required 3 daysin advance.

This Japanese style inn was
founded a 100 years ago witha reputation for delicious homecooking. The young owner,
Ms. Nami Kawamura entices
her guests with Japanesehome cooking menu.

Address:1-41
Kotobuki-cho, Sakata
city, Yamagata
Tel: 0234-24-1935
Open: 5:30pm to 9pm
Closed: Sunday

Mogami Kyo Basho Line Kanko
at Furukuchi Port
Address: 86-1 Furukuchi,
Tozawa-mura, Mogami-gun,
Yamagata
Tel: 0233-72-2001(for reservation)
Open: 9:30am-3:30pm(Furukuchi Port)
URL: http://www.blf.co.jp

HeartwarmingHome Cooking Using Locally
Sourced Ingredients

Address: 114 Sawada, Amarume,
Shonai-machi, Higashitagawa-gun,
Yamagata Tel: 0234-42-2442
Check-in starting 4pm /Check-out by 10am
Starting 6,400JPY per stayincluding dinner & breakfast
URL: http://amarumehotel.n-da.jp