Yonezawa, in the southern part of Yamagata Prefecture, is a central city in the Yonezawa Basin.
Yonezawa, in the southern part of Yamagata
Prefecture, is a central city in the Yonezawa
Basin, and was the capital of the distinguished
Uesugi family's fief since the 17th century. In
the city you can find Uesugi-Jinja Shrine in the
ruins of Yonezawa Castle, Uesugi-ke Go-byosho
(Uesugi Family Mausoleum), and other historic
sites related to the Uesugi family. There is also
a row of old houses and samurai residences along
one of the city streets. The traditional
techniques of Yonezawa textile weaving and sake
(rice wine) brewing have continued to be followed
on to the present day.
The Yonezawa
Historical Textile Museum exhibits fine quality
Yonezawa pongee. Here, you can learn the history
of how the textile industry encouraged young men
and women of good families to participate as one
of the policies for promoting production. It was
developed as a domestic industry, and elevated the
region's status to that of one of the greatest
textile weaving centers in Japan. At the Sasano
Folk Craft Museum, you can watch traditional
Sasano wood carving, which is done using just one
unique knife. You can also paint hawk carvings
called Otaka (hawk) Poppo if you book in advance.
At the Uesugi-matsuri Festival held in
mid-spring, history is reenacted during a mock
battle at Kawanaka-jima where a dozen or so
mounted warriors and hundreds of armor-clad
warriors participate in the traditional rituals of
Japan's Warring State Period of the 16th century.
The festival is always crowded with spectators.
Famous Yonezawa beef is considered to
be among the highest quality Japanese beef. You
can savor it in the form of 'sukiyaki,' steak or
'shabu-shabu' (a hot pot dish). Commemorative
souvenirs are readily available, such as
safflower-based lipsticks and soap, Yonezawa
textile kimonos, and other small items.