The Shinjo area offers tourist attractions such as Shiraito Falls, Akakura Hot Springs, and Komyoji Temple; sightseeing events such as fireworks festivals, the Shinjo Festival, and the Shinjo Snow Festival; and local delicacies such as soba noodles, sake lees soup, and pickles.
Shinjo City is located in the northeast of Yamagata Prefecture and was once an inn town on the Hashu Highway. In addition, the Honagokai community in the southern part of the city was a major shipping port for the Mogami River water transportation. Shinjo Station, the terminus of the Yamagata Shinkansen bullet train line, is located in the city, and it serves as the central city of the Mogami region.
The city is also active in ecological activities and is known for its promotion of the Mogami Ecopolis concept, which is based on the theme of the symbiosis between nature and humans in the Mogami region. The city is also known as one of the greatest treasure houses of folk tales in the Tohoku region, along with Tono City in Iwate Prefecture, and many storytellers are active in passing down and recording folk tales, and the Michinoku Folktale Festival is held every year.
Sightseeing in Shinjo City includes Shinjo Castle Ruins and Mogami Park, where Shinjo Castle was built in Kan'ei 2 by Tozawa Masamori, the founder of the Shinjo Domain at the time. Mogami Park is a place of recreation and sightseeing for the citizens of the city. In spring, cherry blossoms are in full bloom, and the Spring Festival and Kadoyaki Festival attract large crowds of cherry blossom-viewing visitors.
Ajisai no Mori is famous for hydrangea, the city flower, and has 45,000 hydrangea plants of 34 varieties, which are the flowers of Shinjo City, and the best time to view them is in early July. The SL and cherry blossoms in Kotsu Park are also good for family sightseeing. The cherry blossoms bloom beautifully around the park, and the SL, popular with children, matches the cherry blossoms very well.
The Mogami River is the main river of the Mogami River system, a first-class river that flows through Yamagata Prefecture. The 229-km-long river basin covers about 75% of Yamagata Prefecture, and is one of the three most rapid rivers in Japan. Mogami Gorge is a gorge on the Mogami River and is the center of the Mogami River Prefectural Natural Park, which offers the best sightseeing during the season of fresh greenery and autumn leaves. The sightseeing boat cruises around Mogami Gorge, and the sight of the mountain surface pressing up against the riverbank is a sight to behold.
Shiraito Falls, located on the opposite bank of Kusanagi Hot Spring, is one of the 100 best waterfalls in Japan, and is the largest of the 48 waterfalls on the Mogami River, with a drop of 120 meters.
The Mogami River is known for its folk song Mogami Ondo, and many tourists want to see its majestic and rapid flow at least once. In this sense, access to Shinjo City is relatively easy from anywhere, so this route should not be missed when making a sightseeing trip in Yamagata Prefecture.
The Mogami River Boat Trip is one of Yamagata Prefecture's most memorable ways to experience the region's mountains, valleys, and traditional river culture. The Mogami River has played an important role in transportation for centuries, once connecting the inland areas of Yamagata with Sakata Port. Today, river cruises offer visitors a relaxing and scenic way to explore this historic waterway. The...»
Held every year from August 24 to 26 in Shinjo City, Yamagata Prefecture, the Shinjo Festival is one of the Tohoku region’s most celebrated summer festivals. With a history spanning more than 260 years, the festival fills the city with magnificent floats, traditional music, processions, and performing arts. The festival’s greatest attraction is its collection of 20 elaborately decorated floats, k...»
Hijiori Onsen is a historic hot spring resort nestled in the mountains of Okura Village, Yamagata Prefecture. The town retains the atmosphere of a traditional Japanese tōji destination, where people once stayed for extended periods to rest and recuperate in the healing waters. With abundant natural hot spring water, source-fed baths, and a simple yet nostalgic hot spring townscape, Hijiori Onsen ...»
Mogami Gorge is a beautiful valley stretching along the middle reaches of the Mogami River, one of Yamagata Prefecture's major rivers. The gorge extends for approximately 16 kilometers, from the Furukuchi area of Tozawa Village to the Kiyokawa area of Shonai Town. Mountains rise dramatically on both sides of the river, creating an impressive natural landscape. The combination of the flowing Mogam...»
Semi Onsen is a historic hot spring resort in Mogami Town, Yamagata Prefecture. Inns and hot spring facilities line the banks of the clear Oguni River, while the quiet town is surrounded by mountains and retains the simple, traditional atmosphere of an old Japanese hot spring village. Semi Onsen has long been known as the "inner parlor of Shinjo," a traditional expression describing a secluded re...»
Akakura Onsen is a historic hot spring resort along the Oguni River in Mogami Town, Yamagata Prefecture. Said to have a history of more than 1,100 years, it has long been known for its abundant hot spring water and its reputation as a warming spring that leaves the body feeling comfortably warm even after leaving the bath. One of the most distinctive features of Akakura Onsen is that many of the ...»
Shinjo Castle Ruins and Mogami Park is a park in Shinjo City, Yamagata Prefecture, centered around the former main compound of Shinjo Castle. The castle was built in 1625 by Tozawa Masamori, the founder of the Shinjo Domain, and the Tozawa family ruled the area for generations. Today, visitors can still see remnants of the former castle, including moats, stone walls, and earthen ramparts. The par...»
Roadside Station “Shirataka Yana Park” – Ayu Chaya is a popular riverside destination located along the Mogami River in Shirataka Town, Yamagata Prefecture. Its main attraction is a tourist yana fishing site on the Mogami River, said to be the largest permanent facility of its kind in Japan. A yana is a traditional fish-catching structure that uses the natural flow of a river to guide fish such a...»
Roadside Station Tozawa Momokami-no-Sato “Koraikan” is a distinctive roadside station along National Route 47 in Tozawa Village, Yamagata Prefecture. With Korean culture as its main theme, the facility offers an unusual combination of food, shopping, cultural experiences, and scenic views. Tozawa Village has a strong connection with Korea, and Korean cultural influences can be seen throughout Kor...»
Mahoroba Ancient Village Historical Park is a historic park in Takahata Town, Yamagata Prefecture, where ancient history and the natural beauty of the surrounding countryside come together. The park is centered around the three-story pagoda of Akutsu Hachimangu Shrine, a symbol of Takahata, and the Ukitamu Fudoki-no-Oka Archaeological Museum, and also features ancient burial mounds, reconstructed ...»
Former Ariji Family Residence (Hojin-no-Ie) is a historic traditional house in Sakata, Mogami Town, Yamagata Prefecture, believed to have been built in the early Edo period (1603–1868). The residence is famous for its connection with the renowned haiku poet Matsuo Basho, who stayed here for two nights and three days while traveling with his disciple Sora on the journey described in Oku no Hosomich...»
Akutsu Hachiman Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine located in Takahata, Yamagata Prefecture. The shrine grounds are home to several historic structures, including a distinctive three-story pagoda, which is widely regarded as a symbol of Takahata, as well as a traditional dance hall and main shrine building. These historic structures are designated cultural properties of Yamagata Prefecture and pr...»
Kawa-no-Eki Mogamikyo Kusanagi is a multifunctional tourist facility located in the scenic Mogami Gorge, one of Yamagata Prefecture's most famous natural attractions. It serves as the disembarkation point for the Mogami River Basho Line Boat Ride, making it a convenient place to eat, shop, and relax after enjoying a cruise through the gorge. Located along National Route 47, the facility offers im...»
Yamagata Akakura Onsen Ski Resort is a ski resort in Mogami Town, Mogami District, Yamagata Prefecture. It is located on the northern slope of Mt. Omori, near the border between Yamagata and Miyagi prefectures. The historic Akakura Onsen hot spring area is also located nearby. The resort benefits from abundant snowfall and offers a wide variety of courses for everyone from beginners to advanced s...»
Niwa-tsuki Kannon is a historic Buddhist sacred site located along the Sakegawa River in Sakegawa Village, Yamagata Prefecture. Its formal name is Teigetsuzan Gatsuzoin Temple, and it belongs to the Tendai school of Japanese Buddhism. It is more commonly known as Niwa-tsuki Kannon. The history of the temple is traditionally traced back to 1546, during Japan's Warring States period. Since then, it...»
Hijiori Nozomi Ohashi Bridge is a steel rigid-frame road bridge approximately 240 meters long, located in the mountainous Hijiori Onsen area of Okura Village, Yamagata Prefecture. Built using this particular type of road-bridge construction, it is recognized as the longest of its kind in Japan. The bridge has become a distinctive landmark of Hijiori Onsen, a hot spring village surrounded by steep...»
Okura Snow Story is a winter event held in Okura Village, Yamagata Prefecture, celebrating the unique attractions of life in a snowy region. Okura is known as one of Japan's heavy-snow areas, where snowfall can sometimes exceed 3 meters. The event transforms the snow that defines everyday life in winter into a variety of memorable experiences and seasonal attractions. From late January through Fe...»
Jizokura is a historic Buddhist site in the mountains of Hijiori Onsen in Okura Village, Yamagata Prefecture. Located among striking rock formations and steep tuff cliffs, this secluded sacred site is traditionally said to have been established approximately 600 years ago. Stone statues of Jizo Bodhisattva are enshrined beneath the rock overhangs, where they have been objects of worship for gener...»
Yunodai Plateau is a scenic highland located along National Route 458 in Okura Village, Yamagata Prefecture, just before the road reaches Hijiori Onsen. At an elevation of approximately 400 to 500 meters, the plateau is home to expansive buckwheat fields that create a beautiful landscape throughout the seasons. From late August to mid-September, the delicate white flowers of the buckwheat bloom a...»
Inu-no-Miya and Neko-no-Miya are two unusual sacred sites in the mountain village of Takayasu, Takahata Town, Yamagata Prefecture, dedicated to dogs and cats. Few places in Japan have such a distinctive tradition of worship centered on these animals. The shrines are associated with traditional local legends about dogs and cats that protected the community. Today, people from across Japan visit to...»
The Tombs of the Lords of the Shinjō Domain are a historic burial complex preserving the mausoleums of successive members of the Tozawa family, who governed the Shinjō Domain during the Edo period (1603–1868). The mausoleums are located at Zuiunin Temple and Keigakuji Temple in Shinjō City, Yamagata Prefecture, and the entire complex is designated as a National Historic Site of Japan. Locally, th...»
Torigoe Hachiman Shrine (鳥越八幡神社) is a historic Shinto shrine located on the southern side of Shinjo City, Yamagata Prefecture, within the former site of Torigoe Tate, a historic fortified settlement. Long cherished as a guardian shrine of the local community, it is home to what is regarded as the oldest surviving shrine building in Shinjo. The shrine is also known for its sacred Meoto Sugi, or “M...»
Shinjo Furusato History Center is a cultural museum in Shinjo City, Yamagata Prefecture, dedicated to the region's history, traditional culture, festivals, folk customs, and art. Through historical materials and carefully arranged exhibits, visitors can learn about the lives of people who have lived in Shinjo and the unique culture that developed in this snowy region of northern Japan. One of the...»
The Former Yahagi Family Residence is a traditional farmhouse dating from the mid-Edo period (1603–1868), located in the Izumida district in northern Shinjo City, Yamagata Prefecture. It is a valuable example of traditional farmhouse architecture from the Mogami region and was designated a National Important Cultural Property in 1969. One of its most distinctive features is the katanakamon-zukuri...»
Kosugi no Osugi is a massive natural cedar tree standing in the Kosugi area of鮭川村 (Sakegawa Village), Yamagata Prefecture. Estimated to be around 1,000 years old, this ancient tree has a distinctive shape that reminds visitors of Totoro, the beloved character from the animated film My Neighbor Totoro. For this reason, it is affectionately known as the “Totoro Tree.” Having survived for centuries,...»
Tori Motsu Ramen is a distinctive local ramen specialty enjoyed mainly in Shinjo and the surrounding Mogami region of Yamagata Prefecture. It has been loved by local residents for around 40 years and is characterized by a combination of a light soy sauce broth made with chicken bones and slow-simmered chicken offal. As the chicken offal simmers, it releases a rich depth of flavor and savory umami...»
Matsubara Ayu refers to ayu, or Japanese sweetfish, caught in the Mogami Oguni River, a tributary of the Mogami River that flows through Mogami Town and Funagata Town in Yamagata Prefecture. Blessed with clean, clear water, the Mogami Oguni River is known as one of the notable rivers in the Tohoku region for wild ayu fishing. The sweetfish raised in these pristine waters are known as Matsubara Ay...»
Kujiramochi is a traditional confection from Yamagata Prefecture with a history dating back to the Edo period (1603–1868). This rustic Japanese sweet has been enjoyed for generations, and it is said to have been served as a treat for Korean envoys who visited Japan during the Edo period. With its long history and simple ingredients, kujiramochi remains closely connected to the traditional food cu...»
Yamagata Wasabi “Yukibasho” is a premium wasabi cultivated using the pure groundwater and abundant natural resources of Yamagata Prefecture. It is grown using groundwater that serves as a source of the Omi River, a clear stream associated with one of Japan's 100 Remarkable Water Sources selected by Japan's Ministry of the Environment. Surrounded by a pristine natural environment, the wasabi is ca...»