Ichinoseki and Hiraizumi offer spectacular scenery. Geibikei Gorge, with its 100m-high cliffs, is one of Japan’s 100 most scenic spots.
For visitors who want to spend time with the locals, the method for making kiritampo is best learned from the wives of Odate’s farmers. You can also join the people of Odate in harvesting rice and other produce. Those who are charmed by the rustic community can stay at a farmhouse to learn about local foods firsthand from the family and see what rural life is really like.
While at Ichinoskei and Hiraizumi, make sure to partake in a mochi honzen meal or try your hand at pounding mochi while singing a mochi-tsuki song that has been handed down for generations.
Since ancient times, Buddhist shugendo ascetics have handed down vegan practices developed deep in the Three Mountains of Dewa. In order to survive the harsh winters of the mountains, the yamabushi (literally, “those who prostrate themselves on the mountain”) developed ways of preserving vegetables and herbs to last through the lean months. As a result, ascetic cuisine is sometimes referred to as “life-sustaining food.” These healthy, delicious, yet simple meals are created with ingredients gathered from the foot of the mountain, and are distinctive even within Buddhist cuisine. Consumed with gratitude for the blessings of nature, this spiritual food purifies both the body and the soul.
Ishinomaki was the area hit hardest by the Great East Japan Earthquake. The Ishinomaki Minamihama Tsunami Memorial Park was developed as a place for memorial services, and as a base for passing on the memories and lessons of the disaster to posterity.
On the Shonai Plain, expansive agrarian scenery stretches out to the feet of Mount Gassan and Mount Chokai, and the ochre rays of the sun setting over the Shonai Coast are breathtaking. Cherry blossom lovers will delight in a visit to Tsuruoka Park, one of Japan’s top 100 cherry blossom spots.
Life is returning to normal for people along the coast after a strong-spirited recovery from the 2011 tsunami. Meet these people and hear their stories through an engaging fishing experience.
Experience living cultural treasures such as traditional grains and fresh fruit by harvesting them by hand or learn how to pound buckwheat for soba.
The dadacha-mame is considered Japan’s best-tasting edamame (immature green soybeans) due to its unique aroma, sweet flavor, and full umami.
The dadacha-mame is considered Japan’s best-tasting edamame (immature green soybeans) due to its unique aroma, sweet flavor, and full umami. The Atsumi turnip is another local favorite, grown in swidden fields made with fire-fallow farming techniques. Local food culture is marked by miso soup with seasonal ingredients, premium local rice, and full-bodied sake, all of which are deeply imbued with the flavors of the region.
