Pleasures in spring, the season of budding flowers and plants
The long snowy winters in Yamagata Prefecture make people long for the arrival of spring. Spend time in Yamagata to enjoy the special time unique to spring when the trees and plants are budding one after another.
Cherry blossoms herald the arrival of spring
Blooming cherry blossoms exemplify the arrival of spring in Japan. In Yamagata Prefecture, cherry blossoms are in full bloom in various areas from mid-April to early May. In addition to Tsuruoka Park and Eboshiyama Park, which have been selected as two of the 100 best places for cherry blossoms in Japan, there are many famous trees that add color to spring in Yamagata, such as the 1,000-year-old Isazawa no Kubo-zakura and Yakushi-zakura. Why don't you experience the arrival of spring in Yamagata?
The Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival) and Hina Meguri (Doll Tour) will enchant you with the beauty of Hina dolls
Kyoto culture was transmitted to Yamagata Prefecture by the Kitamae-bune ships that came and went during the Edo period. Hina dolls are a part of this resplendent Kyoto culture. The dolls, which were carried inland up the Mogami River, have been handed down from generation to generation and carefully preserved. From February to early April, the Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival) and Hina Meguri (Doll Tour) events are held in various parts of the prefecture to specially display these dolls.
Fantastic scenery you can only see in this season!
The submerged forest of Lake Shirakawa, where willow trees with sprouting buds emerge from the surface of the lake. This is special scenery that can only be seen from mid-April to mid-May, when the water level in the lake increases due to melting snow. Early in the morning when there is no wind, fresh greenery is reflected on the surface of the lake amidst the morning mist, creating a fantastic atmosphere! Canoeing through the submerged forest is also recommended.
Enjoy tartly sweet strawberries to your heart's content
In Yamagata Prefecture, you can enjoy fruit picking all year round. From March to June (from mid-January at the earliest farms), you can pick strawberries. Look for bright red, large strawberries. Many farms allow you to pick strawberries standing up, so you can enjoy strawberry picking right until closing time without getting tired.
Have a spring feast with wild vegetables, the blessings of the mountains
Surrounded by rugged mountains and rich in nature, Yamagata Prefecture harvests a large amount of fresh, natural wild vegetables. If you want to enjoy wild vegetables to your heart's content, try them cooked as tempura or ohitashi (vegetables boiled and steeped in dashi sauce). You will be able to fully enjoy the original flavor of the ingredients.