2025 Sakata Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in March)

Address: 1 Chome-10 Minamishinmachi, Sakata, Yamagata 998-0063, Japan Getting there: The park is about a half an hour walk or a short taxi ride from Ishinomaki Station. Highlights: The Hiyoriyama Park is a hilltop park in central Ishinomaki City. The park enjoys commanding views out over the city including the Kitakami River Estuary and the waterfront districts along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. At the entrance to the park is Kashima Shrine where merchants would visit to pray for safety before heading out to sea. rom there a small network of walking paths lead around the grounds to several viewpoints, green spaces, and two long stairways that lead down the hillside to the lower city districts below. 😁 #gooutside #traveljapan #park #chilling

#Yamai Warehouse #Mogami River #Sakata Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture. Currently, the Shinkansen does not run here, but I think it is a city with many things to see. At Sakata Station, rice bale ships and train wheels are on display, so you can feel the history. 25 minutes walk from Sakata Station. Yamai Warehouse (no admission fee) was a sake brewery in the Edo period, and although you cannot enter it now, the Mogami River is around the warehouse, so you can enjoy the history and scenery. At Honmatei (admission fee required), you can enter the home of a wealthy merchant who had more assets than samurai in the Edo period, and at the time it was said, "Even if I can't become a samurai, I want to be like Honma-sama." All of these places are within walking distance from Sakata Station, and there are many other places of interest such as Hiyoriyama Park. Sakata also appears in Matsuo Basho's "Oku no Hosomichi," and has been a place of interest since then. #Historic Sites

A whirlwind 3-day trip to Yamagata with no nights and no drinks✨ Day 1 22:30 Depart Saitama for a long 3-day trip with no nights and no drinks🚗 Day 2 1:00 Eat a late-night sinful meal at Futatsume Kainuma branch. [Paicho Ramen • Fried rice • Fried chicken • Rice] 2:00 Takasaki IC 🚗 5:30 Head north from Asahi Mahoroba IC along the Sea of ​​Japan 🌊 8:00 Arrive Sakata ✨ [Purchase rice crackers at the unmanned rice cracker direct sales store] 9:00 Visit Yamai Warehouse ✨ 10:00 Eat Ika Koi Sanmaiju at Ika Koi Shokudo 🦑 11:30 Leave Sakata 🚗　 12:30 Play in the snow at Gassan Lake PA ❄️ 13:30 Purchase souvenirs at Roadside Station Yamagata Zao 🛍️ 15:00 Yunohana Chaya Shinzaemon no Yu ♨️　The main purpose of this trip was to enjoy the snow-viewing bath ❄️ 16:30 Purchase souvenirs at the local supermarket Yamazawa 🛍️ 17:15 Purchased dondon-yaki at the Yamagata specialty dondon-yaki shop Yatsuya-san. The bar at the back of the restaurant opens at 5pm, so we decided to have a toast with a glass of wine while eating the Dondon Yaki✨•Cheese Dondon Sauce Flavor•Evening Drink Set [2 drinks + meat tofu + 2 side dishes]•Ham cutlet, French fries, parent chicken char siu, potato salad, etc. 19:00 At Mitsuya Dewajian Ekimae Odori Branch　　Eat Oita Soba✨ 20:20 Depart Yamagata Kaminoyama IC🚗 22:30 Take a nap at Nasu Kogen SA💤Day 3 1:00 Arrive Saitama🚗 End of a long 3-day trip with no nights. The plan for this trip was to leave Saitama at 3am, but the plan changed the day before and it suddenly became a 3-day trip with no nights. The purpose of this trip was to go see the snow and take a bath in a snow-viewing bath, and I'm glad I was able to experience both. On the way there, in Nagaoka City, there was a moment of near whiteout in front of us, which was quite scary, but I'm glad we made it to our destination safely. Once again, it was a trip where I was able to enjoy many of Yamagata's tourist attractions, gourmet food, and hot springs. It was also a wonderful trip where I was able to experience the warmth of the local people. I'm grateful to my companions who joined me on this trip as well. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -📍Spot name: Gokukou Yumen Futatsume Kaizawa Store974-1 Kaizawa-cho, Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture☎️ 027-363-8688📍Spot name: Yamai Warehouse1-1-8 Yamai-cho, Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture☎️0234-22-1223📍Spot name: Ika Koi Shokudo2-5-15 Senba-cho, Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture☎️0234-25-0102📍Spot name: Roadside Station Yamagata Zao79-1 Omote Zao, Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture☎️023-676-6868📍Spot name: Yunohana Chaya Shinzaemon no Yu 905 Zao Onsen Kawamae, Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture ☎️ 023-693-1212 📍 Spot name: Dondon Yaki no Mise Oyatsuya 2-6-16 Jonan-cho, Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture ☎️ 023-646-1344 📍 Spot name: Mitsuya Dewajian Ekimae Odori Store 1-1-26 Tokamachi, Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture ☎️ 023-622-0328 Thank you very much. #Domestic Travel Strategy #Day Trip #Domestic Travel #My Travel Plan

Introducing the inn "Mogamiya Ryokan" featured in "Japan's Shabby Inns Travelogue 2"!! This inn was built in the Taisho era and has a very nostalgic atmosphere🫧It seems to have a reputation for its delicious food🤍Due to time constraints, I only stayed overnight, but next time I go I'd like to stay with meals included🥰 ✼••┈┈┈••✼••┈┈┈••✼✼••┈┈┈••✼••┈┈┈ ••✼ ➸Tips︎︎︎︎︎︎☑︎For reservations, please contact the inn directly︎︎︎︎︎︎☑︎14-minute walk to the tourist spot, Yamai Warehouse︎︎︎︎︎︎︎☑︎There are many famous Yamagata ramen shops nearby ✼••┈┈┈••✼••┈┈┈••✼✼••┈┈┈••✼••┈┈┈••✼ ➸Recommended spot information📍Mogamiya Ryokan ✤Address: 2-2-16 Nakamachi, Sakata, Yamagata✤Access: Sakata Station▶︎5 minutes by car✤Cost: From 5,500 yen ✼••┈┈┈••✼••┈┈┈••✼••┈┈┈••✼••┈┈┈••✼#Yamagata #Yamagata trip #retro architecture #winter trip #solo trip #overnight trip record

Sanju Warehouse was built in 1893 and is a rice warehouse that is still in use today. A double roof was used instead of insulation materials, and beech trees were planted behind the warehouse to avoid the west sun and strong winds. The wisdom of our ancestors in making clever use of nature is admirable. Even today with advanced technology such as refrigerators, traditional ingenuity and mechanisms continue to protect rice from moisture and heat. The warehouses within the site extend deep into the building, creating a strong nostalgic atmosphere. The bustling atmosphere of the rice shipping port can still be felt today. This is one of the few photography spots in the area, and NHK morning series "Oshin" and movies have also been filmed here. #2024TravelReview

#100waysoftravel

Sakata City in Yamagata Prefecture, Tohoku, Japan 🇯🇵, is home to an important historical landmark from the Edo period—the Sankyo Soko. During the Edo period, Sakata City relied on the westbound shipping routes of the Sea of Japan ⚓️, becoming a crucial rice port. The design and construction of the warehouses reflect the commercial wisdom of the time, utilizing the local natural environment to maintain stable temperatures inside the warehouses, ensuring the safe storage of rice. Surrounding the Sankyo Soko is an ancient beech forest 🌳, with trees over 150 years old providing a natural barrier against the strong winds from the Sea of Japan. Walking along the path, 36 beech trees line both sides, each showcasing its own beauty 😍. Near the Sankyo Soko, the 'Sakata Yume no Kura' offers many unique souvenirs 🛍️ from Yamagata, each item brimming with local charm. 📸 Attraction: Sankyo Soko 📍 Address: 1-1-20 Sankyo-cho, Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture 🚝 Access: From Sakata Station, take the Shonai Kotsu Bus to the Sankyo Soko-mae Bus Stop, about a 10-minute ride, then a short walk to Sankyo Soko.

The main purpose of this trip was to visit the many self-sustaining buddhas that remain in the Shonai area. I went to Kaikoji Temple in Sakata City. Shingon sect...I wonder if it's connected to the story of Kukai himself entering nirvana? It was the first time I've seen a crossed vajra (I later found out that there are family crests like that, I didn't know that). At this temple you can see two of them face to face (there is also a hanging scroll related to another monk enshrined in another temple in the bathhouse on display). It was a very mysterious experience. If you head a little north along the coastline, you will find a place where you can see rock-carved Buddhas on the rocks along the sea, and a place where a shimenawa rope is tied to a rock called Dewa Futami. I recommend going in the evening. #Travel with Me #Yamagata Tourism #Shonai #Self-sustaining buddhas #Shingon sect

My first trip to Shonai. The gate here (Suishinmon) has a ringing ceiling, and if you stand in the middle and clap your hands, you can hear a sound like bells ringing. It's the same as the ringing dragon at Nikko Toshogu Shrine. There are no people here, so you can try out different things at your own pace and have fun. When you look up in the worship hall, you'll see a dragon supporting the beams. What, that's unusual... I thought, but I ended up seeing it many times while touring the shrines and temples in this area. Is it something unique to the region? Is it something from a certain era? I'm curious... #Travelingwithme #YamagataTourism #Shonai #ArchitectureTour #TempleandShrineArchitecture

I went to "Hirata Farm Ton-ya" in #Sakata City, #Yamagata Prefecture (((((((っ･ω･)っ I went to eat tonkatsu because I could eat Hirata Farm's brand pork, Sangen pork and Jinhua pork (*´ч ` *) I was attracted by the words "Golden Week only" and ordered the #Sangen pork platter (o･ω-人) The meat was soft, the fat was light, and the sweetness unique to pork was strong, and it was very juicy (*´ч ` *) 🏍Hirata Farm Ton-ya 🏍 Address: 2-17-8 Mizuho, ​​Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture Business hours: 11:00-14:30 17:00-20:30 #Traveling with me #Shinobi-chan

It's like a time slip back to the Meiji era 🫧 Introducing "Yamai Warehouse"!! You can take pictures while walking along the stone pavement 🤍 An emotional spot used in commercials 🫶 There is also a cafe so you can enjoy it alone 🦢 Why not spend some nostalgic time slowly ☕️𓈒 𓂂𓏸 ----------------------------- ➸ Recommended spot 📍Yamai Warehouse ✤Address: 1-1-8 Yamaimachi, Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture✤Access🚗About 15 minutes by car from Sakata IC on the Nihonkai Tohoku Expressway🚎From Sakata Station, take the city-run bus, Sakata Station University Line for 9 minutes (15 minutes depending on the bus), get off at Yamai Warehouse, and walk for a short distance🚶♀️✤Cost: free🉐Free to view the exterior and enter Sakata Yume no Kura·͜·✌︎´-【Shonai Rice History Museum】300 yen for adults, 200 yen for junior and senior high school students, 150 yen for elementary school students✤Recommended points: It was just designated as a national historic site in 2021!!⚠Caution: The cafe has a break between lunch and dinner, so please check if you are going to the cafe -----------------------------#solo trip #solo girl #Yamagata #Yamagata sightseeing #Yamai Warehouse #Yamagata sightseeing #trip #Sakura2024

It's like a time slip back to the Meiji era 🫧 Introducing "Yamai Warehouse" which is beautifully lit up at night!! The view from "Yamai Bridge" has a great atmosphere - ̗̀ ☺︎☺︎☺︎ ̖́- The shop is closed, but it's nice this time of year, so it's a great date spot for an evening gathering 👫💓 Please come for a night walk 🐈 ----------------------------- ➸Tips ︎︎︎︎︎︎☑︎Lighting time: Sunset to 22:00 ︎︎︎︎︎︎☑︎The parking lot is open at night ︎︎︎︎︎︎☑︎The stars are very beautiful ︎︎︎︎︎︎︎☑︎Nationally designated historic site in 2021 -----------------------------➸Recommended spot information📍Yamai Warehouse ✤Address: 1-1-8 Yamai-cho, Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture✤Access: Japan Sea Tohoku Expressway About 15 minutes by car from Sakata IC Free parking available✤Admission fee: free🉐 -----------------------------#Yamagata sightseeing #Yamagata #Yamai warehouse #Nostalgic #Time slip #Trip #Solo trip #Solo girls trip #Travel with me

The Sankei Warehouse is located in Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture. It was built in 1893 as a warehouse for storing rice. Sakata City was once famous as a rice export port. It is also the filming location of the famous TV series "Oshin". There are 9 Shanju warehouses in total, which are built with earth and painted white on the outside. The rice collection capacity is about 10,800 tons. The back is covered with beech boards to prevent high temperatures in summer, and a two-layer roof is used inside to prevent moisture. By utilizing the wisdom of the ancients, low-temperature warehouses were realized, and later they were still used as agricultural warehouses. It completed its mission as a rice warehouse in September 2022. On March 26, 2021, it was designated as a historical site by the Japanese government. Currently, the second building is used as the Sakata City Tourist Products Center "Sakata Dream Club", and the first building is used as the Shonai Rice History Museum. The Sakata City Tourist Products Center "Sakata Dream Club" sells various souvenirs from Sakata City. There are 35 beech trees over 150 years old planted on the street behind the Sanju Warehouse, which contrast well with the beech boards on the walls of the warehouse. It is a great place to shoot various commercials and has become the most popular internet celebrity attraction in Sakata City. Address: 1-1-20 Yamai-cho, Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture Transportation: About 5 minutes by bus from JR Sakata Station Opening hours: 9:00-18:00 Admission: Free Parking lot: Yes, free

Jujuken Park is a historical park located in Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, famous for its unique cherry blossom scenery. The most attractive thing is the magnificent cherry blossom forest in the park. There are nearly a thousand cherry trees planted throughout the park, including many rare varieties such as Yayoi cherry and Gion cherry. Every spring when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, the entire garden path is surrounded by pink and white cherry blossoms, like a long romantic flower tunnel, which is beautiful beyond words. The uniqueness lies in the fact that the cherry blossom trees and the surrounding waterscape complement each other. There is a small winding river running through the center of the park. The water is calm and clear, reflecting the cherry blossoms in full bloom on both sides, adding a touch of poetic and picturesque vitality to the entire scenery. The most amazing thing is that during the annual cherry blossom festival, local people will hold a grand cherry blossom viewing picnic on the riverside. With the faint aroma of wine, the cherry blossom scenery becomes even more romantic and elegant. The most amazing thing is the unique historical origin of the garden here. Jujuken Park was originally a private garden of a merchant town dweller and has been famous since the Edo period. Today, the park has become the most important civic heritage of local residents. Every year when the flowers are in full bloom, a large number of citizens flock to the park to enjoy the flowers, making it an annual event. The century-old cherry blossom tradition has remained fresh over time, attracting countless tourists to come and see the charming scenery of this mountain city. #Japan and Korea Springtime Destinations

Are you struggling with the heat and rising and falling humidity every day? There is a Meiji era building that uses technology to keep the temperature and humidity constant just by ingenuity in the construction of the building! This time we will introduce "Sankyo Warehouse" in Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture. It is a warehouse built to store rice and was used as one of the bases for shipping on the Mogami River🚣♀️Currently, part of it is a rice museum and a product store🌾 41 Zelkova trees are planted on the west side of the warehouse, which block the sunlight and protect the building from the strong seasonal winds in winter🌲It's not just that they were planted there, but that they were there intentionally, so if you know this information before visiting, you will enjoy it even more! It is one of the must-see spots for sightseeing in Yamagata, so if you are visiting Yamagata, why not stop by here and experience the Meiji era? ✨~ ...

#樱花2024 Hiyoriyama Park is crowded with visitors, some strolling under the flowers, some sitting on the ground, enjoying the spring scenery. The petals are flying everywhere, like rain and clouds, which makes people intoxicated. There is an observation deck in the park. Visitors can go up to the deck and enjoy the beautiful cherry blossoms in the park. Mount Fuji and the cherry blossoms in the distance complement each other, forming a beautiful picture. The cherry blossoms in Hiyomasa Park are so beautiful that you will never want to leave. In this picturesque spring day, wouldn’t it be great to enjoy the cherry blossoms, climb the observation deck, and spend a wonderful time with family and friends? Wouldn’t it be great to go up to the observation deck and spend some quality time with your family and friends?

What can you do with 2,500 yen? Have a seafood donburi? Travel from Tokyo Station to Narita Airport? Would you believe that for 2,500 yen, you can also enjoy a 'dance performance' by the lovely maiko ladies, and even take a photo with them! In Sakata City, near the Sea of Japan in Yamagata Prefecture, there are many old ryotei that were once flourishing. Soma-ro is one of them, and now it has been converted into a tourist facility where you can enjoy maiko performances. The admission fee for the museum and the performance is over 2,000 yen, but you need to make a reservation in advance. You can visit the rooms inside the building, including the 'Takehisa Yumeji Art Museum', and finally enjoy the beautiful performance of the maiko in the 'large hall' on the second floor. Unlike the geisha of Kyoto, the maiko here are very down-to-earth. You can even take a photo with them! Address: 1-2-20 Hiyoshi-cho, Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture

#StayingReview The Domon Ken Memorial Museum was established to honor the achievements of Japanese photographer Ken Domon. The museum collects and exhibits his lifelong work and valuable materials. Ken Domon is one of the most influential photographers in Japan's postwar photography world, and is especially known for his work capturing the landscapes and people of postwar Tokyo. His work conveys the state of Japanese society at the time through his unique perspective on everyday landscapes and people's lives. The Domon Ken Memorial Museum features exhibits of his representative works and his activities as a photographer, allowing visitors to experience his art and life. Visitors can also learn about the stories and production processes behind his work. Visitors can not only experience Japanese history and culture through the work of Ken Domon, but also gain a deeper understanding of his contributions to the development of the art of photography. His work continues to inspire many people today for its beauty and deep insight.

This is a municipal art museum in Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture. The exterior and atmosphere of the museum were very detailed, which is hard to believe for a municipal museum. On this day, an exhibition by a sculpture artist was being held. Bronze statues were used to express the beauty of beautiful human flow. There is a cafe inside the museum, and a ticket for both the cafe and the exhibition is a very reasonable 1,000 yen, so I highly recommend it. I bought a booklet about the collection exhibition for about 500 yen and read it while drinking my coffee. You can see a beautiful garden from the cafe, and the atmosphere is excellent. #besttrip2023 #museumtour

The Homma Museum of Art is located in Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture. Long ago, Sakata prospered through trade as a key navigation point during the Edo period. The Shonai Domain was also an important outsider that was feared by the Edo Shogunate, as it produced a lot of rice. At the Homma Museum of Art in Sakata City, you can enjoy both a magnificent garden and artworks. Although the garden is compact, the landscape has been carefully designed with a strong awareness of the visual sense. Nearby is the Domon Ken Photography Museum, which is famous for its photography. Tickets for both museums are also available, so please consider this as well. #besttrip2023

Seafood Donya Tobishima You can enjoy delicious seasonal local fish at reasonable prices They prepare seasonal dishes with fresh and abundant seafood every day. It opens from 7am and is popular with locals and tourists alike. The seafood rice bowl is priced at 1,000 yen (tax excluded), and there are also limited quantities of funamori-zen, salmon roe rice bowl, sea urchin ikura rice bowl, crab rice bowl, etc. The menu has a wide variety. You can buy sea urchins and oysters at the market and eat them right away. A seafood restaurant where you can enjoy Shonai seafood while looking out over the Sea of ​​Japan! It’s a good choice. #酒田鮮產市場 Sakata Seafood Market 2F, 2-5-10 Chibacho, Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture 8 minutes by car from JR Sakata Station, 13 minutes by car from Sakata IC Hours: 0700–09:00 11:00–18:30

In Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture, there is a century-old wooden building called Soma House, originally called "Soma House" in ancient times. The first floor houses an art gallery, a rest area where you can view a Japanese garden, a dance practice field, etc. Watch a short video first, then the dance performance starts at 2pm, - one day per day, the performance lasts about 20 minutes. Dancers are part of the culture of the restaurant, using songs and dances to heat up the atmosphere during banquets and business entertainment. There are not many places for viewing now. In ancient times, you had to pay a very high remuneration to have the opportunity to watch traditional arts such as dancer's singing and dancing performances. To become a dancer, the age must be between 18-25 years old, dancers in Kyoto are younger and have to retire once they reach the age. When you come to Soma House, you can choose to visit purely, or add and dine, but be sure to make a reservation first. But the combination of history and art, Soma Tower, is still unique, at least outside of Kyoto you can see maiko performances so close, so it is recommended to visit Yamagata Prefecture, to Soma Tower to feel the former Sakata style. #Samalou Address: 1 Hiyoshi-cho, Sakata, Yamagata Prefecture Business Hours: 10:00 - 17:00 (Last admission 4:30 p.m.) Closed Wednesdays Admission: 1,000 yen for adults, 500 yen for middle school and college students, free for elementary school students

The Sankei Warehouse is located in Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture. It is an earthenware warehouse used to store rice. It was designated a National Historic Site in 2021. The two warehouses were converted into the Sakata City Tourist Products Center. The Shonai Rice History Museum displays introductions to various types of Yamagata rice, their history, and the daily lives of local farmers. The front of the warehouse faces the river bank. The triangular roof, white walls and the warehouse are reflected on the river. There are small cormorant boats transporting rice at the dock. There are beech trees behind the warehouse. The beech trees change with the seasons. The big trees with a history of more than 140 years have a quaint flavor. The beech trees along the roadside and the blackboard wall are impressive. The blackboard walls and stone roads complement each other, and all the scenery changes with the seasons and time of day. Free external visits Shonai Rice History Museum Adults 300 yen Junior high and high school students: 200 yen Elementary school students: 150 yen Transportation: About 5 minutes by car from JR Sakata Station About 15 minutes by car from Sakata IC on the Nihonkai Tohoku Expressway #Mountain Warehouse

#timetotravel Sakata is a gorgeous harbour town in Yamagata, Northeast Japan. Located along the coast of the Sea of Japan, it’s only an hour away from Tokyo by plane, and it’s rich in nature, culture and tradition. During the Edo period, many ascetic mountain monks sought to go under a strict training consisting of meditation and gradual self-starvation, which was meant to lead to self-mummification. This practice is known as ‘sokushinbutsu.’ There is now over a dozen sokushinbutsu left in Japan, and 6 of them are in Shonai (the area of Sakata), which is more than any other region.

ANA Flight 400 took off from Shonai Airport at 17:45 and headed to Haneda Airport for a flight of just over an hour. I sat in window seat A, which is a rare occurrence. After a while, the captain made an in-flight announcement, and when I listened carefully, he said that I could see the shadow of the Earth between the sky and the horizon. I looked out the window and took a photo. The dark gray part seems to be the shadow of the Earth. I've flown many times, but this was the first time I'd seen or heard the shadow of the Earth! I felt like I'd gained something by seeing such a rare sight♪ In Tsuruoka City, I visited Shonai Shrine. The flower water fountain was beautiful! #AirTravel #ShonaiAirport #ANA #TsuruokaCity #ShonaiShrine #FlowerWaterFloor