Derek Yamashita - Creative Director

The Hassaku Ritual

The annual Hassaku Ritual is a great chance to see around 150 yamabushi training in the holy Dewa Sanzan mountain area.

The Dewa Sanzan, located in Yamagata Prefecture, are a triumverate of mountains considered one of the holiest places in all of Japan.

Mount Gassan, one of the Dewa Sanzan holy mountains, is known as the mountain of death where spirits ascend.

Mount Yudono, the most sacred and secretive of the Dewa Sanzan holy mountains, has been a pilgrimage destination since the sixth century.

Gyokusenji Temple is a beautiful temple in Tsuruoka, Yamagata. It features a Japanese garden recognized as a National Site of Scenic Beauty.

The Sankyo Soko Warehouses are located in downtown Sakata. They played a vital role as rice storehouses during the Edo period.

The Ken Domon Museum of Photography houses the collection of photographer Ken Domon and is located in his hometown of Sakata, Yamagata.

The Sanno Club is a museum and crafts center exhibiting Kasafuku dolls, a famous craft of Sakata, Yamagata.

The Tohoku Kizuna Festival, a collaboration event combining the Tohoku region’s 6 most famous summer matsuri into one giant celebration!

Sendai is the capital of Miyagi Prefecture. As the largest city in Tohoku, it also serves as the gateway to this off-the-beaten-path region.