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Safflower culture brought to Yamadera
Hanagasa Festival
Safflower was transported to the upper reaches of Japan by boat on the Mogami River and on Kitamae ships, where it was processed into gorgeous Nishijin textiles and red for cosmetics. The origin of the phrase "sasu rouge" comes from safflower. The mountain temple "Hojuzan Risshakuji," known for its thousand and several hundred stone steps, is an ancient Tendai sect temple built in the Heian period, where the "Eternal Flame of Law," a fire split from Enryakuji Temple on Mount Hiei, has been burning continuously for over a thousand years.
Safflower cultivation was also popular in the temple grounds of Risshakuji (present-day Hifu district, Tendo City), and the safflower from this area, known in particular as "Mogami safflower," was a luxury item said to be "a hundred times more valuable than rice and ten times more valuable than gold," and brought enormous wealth. The existence of the mountain temple, which is connected to Mount Hiei, attracted the "Omi merchants" who had close ties to Mount Hiei, who gained wealth and brought Kamigata culture to this area.
One of these is the Hanagasa Festival held in Tendo and Obanazawa, where the Hanagasa represents the scene of spreading out safflower mochi to dry and the people carrying them parading around, representing the scenery of fields of safflowers. The Hina dolls brought as return cargo from trade gave birth to the Hinamatsuri, and have become a seasonal feature of spring.
"Imoni" is also a part of safflower culture. It originated when boatmen on the Mogami River who transported safflower boiled local taro and dried cod that they brought back on the riverbank. "Imoni Kai" eating on the riverbank has become a seasonal feature of autumn.
Yamadera Kaisando Hall
safflower
Tendo Onsen
The area is famous for producing shogi pieces, and the "Tendo Cherry Blossom Festival - Human Shogi" held on Mt. Maizuru is unique to Tendo. Famous cherry blossom spots include Kuratsugawa and Kasumigaoka Park. This area produces cherries and other fruits, and can be enjoyed throughout the year. The hot springs are high-temperature hot springs that began flowing in 1887, and the spring quality is sodium-calcium sulfate hot spring water. Hojuzan Risshakuji, a mountain temple closely associated with safflower, is about 20 minutes away by car. The views of Mt. Hayama, the Asahi mountain range, and Mt. Gassan that can be seen in the distance are also wonderful.
Human Shogi
Ginzan Onsen
Ginzan Onsen was discovered by miners working in the silver mine during the Kan'ei era, and is said to have been a popular Ginzan Onsen even after the mine closed. Three- and four-story wooden inns line both banks of the Yamakawa River in Obanazawa City, evoking the good old days. The spring water is a sodium chloride and sulfate hot spring. A must-visit place is the Basho Seifu Historical Museum, a memorial museum introducing Suzuki Seifu, who was a safflower merchant during the Edo period. Seifu, who was also a haiku poet, encouraged Basho to visit Yamadera Temple, and Basho left behind some famous poems about safflower fields and Yamadera Temple.
Ginzan Onsen
Strong acidic sulfur spring. Sulfate spring. Zao no Yuriki
Zao Onsen is a strong acidic sulfur spring that gushes forth from the bottom of the Sugawara explosion crater in the middle of the Ou Zao Onsen town, there are mudflow deposits from about 50,000 years ago, and the acidic alteration of these deposits has caused other components to leach out, resulting in a very high acidity.
Kaminoyama Onsen is formed when the Pacific Plate sinks deep beneath the archipelago, causing the salt content of the magma, including seawater and mud, to rise and mix with the circulating groundwater that is rainwater and melted snow from Mount Zao and other places. This hot spring combines global seawater and circulating water from Zao, and the spring quality is sodium-calcium chloride-sulfate. If you bathe in it, "Zao" will tell you about its effects.
Zao Onsen
Zao (Okama)
Zao mountain range
Zao Ropeway
Zao Onsen
Zao Onsen Onsen is an atmospheric hot spring town centered around Takayu Street and Juhyo Street. There are shops where you can enjoy the local specialties "Inahanamochi" and "Igamochi", as well as hot spring parlours where you can enjoy hot spring table tennis and shooting galleries. Popular tourist spots include the mysterious crater lake "Zao no Okama" and the ropeway that has been selected as a "Lovers' Sanctuary Satellite". We also recommend the "Zao Echo Line", a 26km long driving course where you can enjoy spectacular views.
Zao Onsen
Kaminoyama Onsen
A hot spring resort located at the western foot of the Zao mountain range. Shinyu and Yumachi areas, within walking distance of the station, flourished as the castle town of Kaminoyama Castle, and storehouses and mansions still stand, retaining the atmosphere of the past. Narashitajuku was a bustling post town for feudal lords on their alternate attendance trips to Edo. Daikokuya, with its impressive thatched roof, is said to be a building from about 250 years ago, and serves a hospitality lunch. A recommended souvenir is the painstakingly made red dried persimmons.
Kaminoyama Castle
A journey of reincarnation
Tsuruoka City, where Yunohama Onsen, Yura Onsen, and Atsumi Onsen are located, developed as the northernmost silk-producing area in Japan, centered around Matsugaoka Reclamation, Japan's largest group of silkworm farms, which were developed by former Shonai samurai who traded their swords for hoes, and is known as the only place in Japan where the entire process from sericulture to silk weaving still remains.
Mount Yudono Churenji Temple
Haguro Shugendo, which was born against the backdrop of the natural scenery of the Dewa Sanzan mountains, sees Mt. Haguro as the present, Mt. Gassan as the past, and Mt. Yudono as the future, and visiting the three mountains was considered a journey of reincarnation. During the Edo period, it was known as "a pilgrimage to Ise in the west and to Oku in the east," and was bustling with many worshippers. Today, a pilgrimage to the Dewa Sanzan mountains includes a pilgrimage up the stone steps of Mt. Haguro. Anyone can experience a journey of reincarnation by climbing the steps.
Gassan
Mount Haguro Five-story Pagoda
Yunohama Onsen
One of the three great pleasure towns of Ou and Uzen. A hot spring resort along the coast where you can watch the sun set over the Sea of Japan. The hot springs are attracting attention because they have the largest number of jellyfish exhibits in the world. Popular attractions include the "Jellyfish Dream Theater," a 5m diameter tank with about 10,000 moon jellyfish floating in it, and the "Jellyfish Explanation Corner." You can also see the "Chido Museum," which is lined with historical buildings, Matsugaoka Reclamation Site, Sakata Yamakyo Warehouse, which was born from the Kitamae ships, and the Domon Ken Memorial Museum. The setting of Shuhei Fujisawa's novels, "Umizaka Domain," is mainly set in Tsuruoka, and you can visit the famous places that appear in the stories. The hot springs are a sodium-calcium chloride spring.
Yunohama Onsen
Yura Onsen
This hot spring resort faces a coast that has been selected as one of Japan's 100 best beaches, 100 best swimming beaches, and 100 best sunsets. Its symbol, Hakusan Island, is known as the "Enoshima of Tohoku" and is known for the breathtaking scenery created by the island and the sun setting into the Sea of Japan. It is said that Dewa Sanzan was founded by Prince Hachiko, who fled after his father, Emperor Sushun, was killed 1,400 years ago. From spring to late autumn, it becomes a paradise for Taigong Wang, who enjoys fishing from the rocks, breakwaters, and boats. The spring water types include sodium chloride bicarbonate springs and sodium calcium sulfate springs.
Yura Onsen
Atsumi Onsen
This is a charming hot spring resort with a history of over 1,000 years. The hot spring water is a sodium-calcium chloride sulfate spring. The banks of the Atsumi River that runs through the hot spring town show different faces with each season, from cherry blossoms in spring, sweetfish fishing in summer, and salmon swimming upstream in autumn. The historic morning market is lined with products such as Shinaori, one of the oldest textiles in Japan, Atsumi turnips, and fresh mountain vegetables. When you are strolling around, you can easily use the three footbaths, Anbe-yu, Mosshe-yu, and Mokke-yu.
Atsumi Onsen
