I participated in a 3-day/2-night “Media Tour for Air & Rail Type Solo Trips” organized by the Shonai Airport Utilization Promotion Council. On the last day, I woke up feeling the sparkling sunlight in a room at SUIDEN TERRASSE, where I stayed the night before (article on day 2).
I stretched and took a deep breath. Such a pleasant morning would not be experienced in the city. Floating in the rice paddies, the hotel was designed by world-renowned architect Shigeru Ban, and some rooms are designed with a view of the countryside. Other facilities include an open-air natural hot spring bath and a popular sauna. The fitness space is a great place to unwind after a long day, and the library on the second floor of the common building has a collection of about 1,000 books, which can be freely accessed anywhere in the facility (even in your own room).
The day was blessed with clear skies and a view of Mt. Chokai rising majestically over the Shonai Plain. First, we went to Sunatakayama Umikouji Temple in Sakata City, where Sokushinbutsu can be viewed.
Sokushinbutsu refers to a Buddha in a mummified state. There are six Sokushinbutsu in Shonai, and two of them, Chukai Shonin (entered in 1755) and Enmei Shonin (entered in 1822), are enshrined in the Sokubutsu Hall at Umimukai-ji Temple. Although photography was not allowed at the Sokushinbutsu at Haimuko-ji, I felt as if something was speaking to me when I saw it, and I could even hear the inner voice of the Buddha. Words cannot do justice to this worldview, so seeing is believing. I urge you to come and see for yourself.
Next, we went to “Sanno Club,” where we could experience making umbrella-shaped goods. Kasaofuku is a good-luck charm that symbolizes the wish for “a prosperous life,” and is a cultural tradition unique to Sakata, a port town where Kitamae-bune, a ship that connected Osaka to Hokkaido, returned to port between the Edo and Meiji eras. Sanno Kurabu was once a representative ryotei (Japanese-style restaurant) of Sakata, built in the Meiji era (1868-1912), and is now designated as a Tangible Cultural Property of Japan.
The “17th Port Town Sakata Umbrella Blessing Special Exhibition” is being held in the 106-mat hall on the second floor until October 31. Local mothers will teach you how to sew and put cotton into the umbrellas. Interaction with these local people is also enjoyable. Nearby is “Maimusume Tea House Somaro,” a renovated ryotei (traditional Japanese-style restaurant) that has been in use since the Edo period, where visitors can enjoy dancing dancers and dining.
The next stop was the Yamai Warehouse, a symbol of Shonai as a rice-producing region. Built in 1893 (Meiji 26), the warehouse is said to have a capacity of 100,000 bales (10,800 tons) of rice in its nine white-walled storehouses.
The rows of zelkova trees planted to prevent high summer temperatures are more than 150 years old and are popular as photo spots and walking paths. When I actually walked along the path, I found the shade of the trees to be cool and refreshing even in summer. The low-temperature warehouse, with a double roof to prevent moisture inside and the wisdom of ancestors who made use of nature, was used as an agricultural warehouse. Part of the building houses the Sakata Yume no Kura, Sakata City’s tourist and product center, and I was surprised by the abundance of souvenirs.
For lunch, we went to Le Pot Fou, a French-style local cuisine restaurant located at the “Milaini” exchange base facility in front of Sakata Station. We recommend the lunch course that allows you to fully enjoy the “food capital of Shonai.
The main course is a choice of fish, meat, or Yamagata beef hamburger steak, and includes Shonai vegetables and the chef’s homemade hors d’oeuvres, thick potage soup of seasonal vegetables, the chef’s recommended dessert, bread, and coffee. The restaurant is also popular among the locals for its wide variety of course and a la carte menus for dinner.
On the way, we stopped at “Roadside Station Chokai Flat (Yusa Town)” along Route 7. They offer natural rock oysters peeled on the spot for you to eat. You select and purchase the oysters yourself, and they bring them to the peeling area where they are ready to eat on the spot. This is the kind of quality you can expect from a casual stopover. I felt that Shonai is a place to be feared.
Next, we headed to “Maruike-sama” in Yusa Town, known as one of the most beautiful spots in the Shonai area. It is said to be a mysterious spring, and its only source of water is a spring. It is approximately 20 meters in diameter and 3.5 meters deep, and its clear emerald green color is beautiful. The clear emerald green color is so beautiful that it is almost as if you have entered the world of a painting. The expression of the surface of the water changes with the light of the sun, making it very mysterious. The pond itself is considered to be the sacred body of Maruike Shrine, which is located on the banks of the pond.
The nearby Ushiwatari River is 100% spring-fed and the water is cool and clear. It is said that salmon come up to the river in the fall. Many dragonflies fly along the river, and frogs are everywhere. The words, “This is what summer in Japan is supposed to be like,” naturally came out of my mouth.
Here we parted ways with Shonai and headed for Mototaki Fushiryusui in Zogata-cho, Nikaho City, Akita Prefecture. After a 750-meter walk from the parking lot, we could feel the air cool down from the middle of the road. The area around the waterfall basin is like a natural cooler, a different world. The coolness of the air is outstanding. Mototaki Fusuryusui is a waterfall of spring water that flows down from the terminal cliff of lava from Mt.
Motodaki, the source of the subterranean water, is said to be about 200 meters upstream from this waterfall, but it is now off limits due to a cliff collapse. The rock oysters we just had are also grown in this subterranean water from Mt. Chokaisan, which is also the secret of their good flavor.
The last stop was Zogata Mongol Village Baigal, a glamping facility where visitors can stay in a “ger,” a mobile dwelling of Mongolian nomads, while enjoying the spectacular views of the Sea of Japan and Mt. Glamping has become a boom in recent years. Glamping is popular as a spot where people can casually experience the outdoors in a different space from their daily lives while experiencing a different culture.
Zogata Beach is right in front of the guesthouse, and the guesthouse is equipped with toilets and showers. A restaurant with a view of the sea offers grilled dishes. There are a total of 13 gers, each 6 meters in diameter and approximately 2.8 meters high, accommodating up to 5 people. They are equipped with beds, TV, refrigerator, air conditioning, and free Wi-Fi, and can be used for work vacations.
This concludes the three-day, two-night “Air & Rail Media Tour for Solo Travelers,” which took us to the Shonai region of Yamagata Prefecture and the city of Nikaho in Akita Prefecture. I am sad to say goodbye, but I too must return to Tokyo.
On the way back, we took the “Limited Express Inaho” from Zogata Station to Niigata Station. On the way back to Niigata Station, the sun set just before Murakami. The Shinkansen “Toki-go” was waiting right next to the arrival platform at Niigata Station, making the transfer smooth. It was a very satisfying three days.
Finally, I would like to share my honest impression. Until now, I had no idea what kind of place or what kind of experiences I could expect when I heard the word “Shonai. In fact, even though it is close to Tokyo, it was not even on my list of potential travel destinations. However, I was reminded of how fascinating this place is.
In addition to the proximity of less than an hour’s flight from Haneda Airport, the area is rich in nature and abundant, or rather, too abundant, foodstuffs. It is an ideal hometown, just like the “Japanese summer” depicted in anime. I hope this article will inspire as many people as possible to consider visiting Shonai. I would like to recommend it loudly.
© Source travel watch
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