History / Culture / Tour Spots in Murayama Area Area

  • Hoshuyama Risshakuji Temple
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    4.5
    903 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Yamagata Pref. Yamagatashi Yamadera 4456-1
    A temple of the Tendai sect, Hoshuyama Risshakuji is located across the Tachiya River from JR Yamadera Station on the Senzan Line. Normally called “Yamadera”, it was opened by Ennin in 860 by decree of Emperor Seiwa. Currently, it is designated a Zao Quasi-National Park, with 1,090,000 square meters green lot with about 30 towers—the most historic holy mountain in the Tohoku region. A famous haiku poet Matsuo Basho wrote “Shizukasa ya iwa ni shimiiru semi no koe (Such stillness / The cries of the cicadas / Sink into the rocks)” here. Its remnants remain as “semi-zuka,” and many poets like Mokichi Saito have poems inscribed here.

    The pictures you find on the internet from this place looks better than the actual place. Most of the climb is just stairs with a few small statues along the way. Most of the path is covered in...

  • Yamagata Prefecture Local Museum Bunshokan
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    4.5
    193 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Yamagata Pref. Yamagatashi Hatagomachi 3-4-51
    Yamagata Prefecture Local Museum Bunshokan is located along Prefectural Route 49 in Hatagomachi in the city of Yamagata. It is housed in the remodeled and repurposed former Prefectural Office and Prefectural Assembly Hall (built in 1916). This English Gothic Revival-style building has been designated an Important Cultural Property by the national government. The museum contains exhibits about the remodeling of the building and the history and culture of the prefecture. In addition, it is possible to rent the hall, the meeting rooms, the central courtyard and other areas for various events.

    We walked in and no one asked for an entrance fee. Interesting exhibition of the history of the building with many authentic details still present.

  • Yamagata City Folk Museum (Former Saiseikan Hospital Main Building)
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    4.0
    93 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Yamagata Yamagata-shi Kajomachi 1-1
    This museum is located inside Kajo Park in Kajo-machi, Yamagata City. Built in 1878 as the prefectural hospital, the “Saiseikan” was relocated and restored, and is now used to exhibit items related to local history and medicine. The building is designated as a National Important Cultural Property.

    A beautiful building with a lovely garden in the middle. The exhibits cover medicine in Japan. I was most impressed by the eye chart that used animals.

  • Mogami Yoshiaki Historical Museum
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    4.0
    56 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Yamagata Yamagata-shi Otemachi 1-53
    This museum is on Koen-dori Street in Otemachi, Yamagata City. Located on the ruins of Komyo-ji temple, which was the Bodaiji temple holding the remains of first Mogami Clan lord Shiba Kaneyori, and holds materials connected to the first Yamagata domain lord, Mogami Yoshiaki, and other members of the clan. They display martial pieces like swords and armor, as well as scrolls, paintings, and other valuable items.

    山形城跡の東側にあります。山形繁栄の基礎を築いた最上義光を中心に最上家関係の資料を収集、展示がされています。前には庭園があり、銅像もあります。文翔館といい、メジャーな文化歴史関係の施設が無料なのは山形はいいですね。

  • Yamadera Basho Museum
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    4.0
    55 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Yamagata Pref. Yamagatashi Yamadera Minamiin 4223
    This is a memorial museum for Matsuo Basho, the renowned haiku poet, located along Prefectural Route 19 in Yamadera, Yamagata City. The museum host various events such as haiku contests along with the permanent exhibit displaying drafts written in Basho's own hand, letters, and other archival materials pertaining to his life, as well as a theater corner documenting his life. The museum has tatami mat training rooms and tea rooms available for seminars or tea ceremonies and other traditional cultural art events.

    Basho is considered one of the best, if not the best, Haiku poet. If one is really, really interested in this art form, this museum is well worth a visit. If Haiku is not your thing, visiting the...

  • Honzan Jionji Temple
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    4.5
    38 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Yamagata Pref. Sagaeshi Jionji Cadastral 31
    Honzan Jionji Temple is located in Jionji in the city of Sagae. It is said to have been founded in 746 by Baramon Sojo. During the Edo period (1615-1868) it controlled 18 villages and land that produced about 505,095 liters of rice, making it the most powerful temple in the Tohoku region. Even though its influence has shrunk in the present day, its former precincts have been designated a National Historic Site, and it contains many Important Cultural Properties, including its main building and collection of Buddhist statues, as well as Jionji Bugaku, a type of dance performed during the Issai Kyoe Festival, held on May 5 every year.

    As a previous noted, visit the museum at the bottom of the hill for an overall understanding of this mountain complex going back well over a thousand years. There are artefacts, some explanations in...

  • Yamagata Museum of Art
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    4.0
    54 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Yamagata Pref. Yamagatashi Otemachi 1-63
    This museum is located across the way to the east of Kajo Park in Ote-machi, Yamagata City. Exhibited here are not only the Japanese works of Matsuo Basho's Three Mountains of Dewa writings, Yosa Buson's The Narrow Road through the Provinces scroll, but also a collection of Modern French works including Monet and Renoir. The museum also hosts various planned exhibits related to the collections, the Yamagata General Art Exhibits, local art exhibits, photography exhibits, and calligraphy exhibits.

    Living in Paris, I go quite often to Orsay or marmottan museums. The 40 paintings exposed (monet, pissaro, van dongen, Chagall,... ) are very fine. There are very well representating the period...

  • Yamagata Prefectural Museum
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    4.0
    53 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Yamagata Pref. Yamagatashi Kajoumachi 1-8
    Yamagata Prefectural Museum is made up of three facilities, the main building (Kajo Park, Yamagata City), the Educational Resources Museum (Midori Town, Yamagata City), and the Nature Study Park (Hataya, Yamanobe Town, Higashimurayama County). It’s an extensive museum where visitors can learn all about Yamagata. The main building exhibits the Jomon no Megami, a goddess figure from the Jomon period, and the Yamagata Daikaigyu, a mysterious looking sea cow fossil which swam the seas over nine million years ago, and exhibits of folk materials related to the production of rice. The museum is approximately 10 minutes by car from Yamagata Chuo Interchange on the Tohoku Chuo Expressway.

    城址公園内にある県立博物館、展示室は2階、展示内容は山形の自然&歴史の博物館。目玉の展示物は平成4年に道路工事現場で発見され平成24年に国宝指定された縄文の女神と小学生が見つけた大海牛のマナティやジュゴンの仲間のヤマガタダイカイギュウの化石。他には日本海の誕生と山形台地の成り立ちや出土された化石、植物や蝶・昆虫・鳥などの標本、縄文土器と弥生土器、古墳や稲作、律令体制下における出羽国、武士の台頭と最...

  • Tendo Municipal Shogi Museum
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    3.5
    38 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Yamagata Pref. Tendoushi Honchou 1-1-1
    The Shogi Museum in Tendo city, with a 95% share of Japan’s Shogi piece production, hosts exhibitions explaining how the game was born, how it came to Japan, Shogi around the world, how pieces are made, and displays of famous works by Shogi craftsmen, all to help visitors better understand and appreciate the game. It’s eight minutes’ drive from Tendo Interchange on the Tohoku Expressway.

    「将棋」といえば「天童」。天童駅内の1Fに「天童市将棋資料館」があります。 「将棋のルーツ、歴史」と「将棋の駒作りの職人技」の紹介展示が中心だったかな。ごじんまりとした資料館ですが良い感じでした。 ちなみに、天童駅前の郵便ポストには将棋の駒(王将)のオブジェつきでした。まさに「将棋」といえば「天童」。「天童」といえば「将棋」ですね。

  • Jakushou-ji Temple on Mt. Reiryu
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    4.0
    28 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Yamagata Pref. Tendoushi Yamamoto 2205-1
    Jakushou-ji Temple is a Tendai Buddhist temple located on the slopes of Mr. Reiyu in Tendo City. It is the first stop in the 33 Kannon Temples pilgrimage, and is also known as Jakushou Kannon Temple. According to tradition, the Temple was founded in 708 A.D. by the bodhisattva Gyoki, who saw a vision of 33 images of the Buddhist deity Kannon on Mt. Reiyu after being led to the site by the sound of a bell. Praying to Kannon at Jakushou-ji Temple is said to bring good luck with respect to love and marriage, and it is also said that visitors who ring the large “Enfuku” wind-bell in the Temple will be blessed with a happy partnership. The Temple’s Kannon Hall and its gilt-bronze round plaque bearing an image of Kannon have both been designated as Important Cultural Properties, as has a colored ita-e (painting on a wooden panel) depicting heavenly horses.

    縁結びで有名なお寺です。縁結び祈願の絵馬がたくさんありました。 雨が降っていましたが、なんだか荘厳な雰囲気で身が引き締まるような感覚になりました。またお遍路の1番所でこれからお遍路に回る予定の方がいらっしゃいました。たまたま聞けたのですが、おいずりの色が3種類あって、赤は両親が健在の方、青は片親しか生きていない人、白は両親がどちらともいない方、のようです。

  • Yamagata Museum of Science and Industry
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    3.5
    27 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Yamagata Yamagata-shi Jonanmachi 1-1-1 Kajo Central Uchi
    This science museum is in front of Yamagata Station West Exit, in Jonan-machi 1-Chome, Yamagata City. Their permanent exhibit is divided into three themed zones: Lifestyle / Industry & Environment, Yamagata Prefecture Manufacturing, and Science Plaza. They offer education on science and environmental problems through activities and displays, and they also offer observation of prefectural enterprises and their cutting edge technology. They also feature the Industrial Time Tunnel, which instructs visitors on the history of Yamagata's industry from the Edo period until the present day.

    山形駅すぐの霞城セントラルにあります。入場は4階からのみです。フロアごとに科学や工業に分かれて紹介されています。どちらかというと地元の人向けですが、霞城セントラルが観光客とって便利な施設があるので、無料ですしついでに見学するにも悪くないです。

  • Yamagata Prefectural Education Museum
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    4.0
    22 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Yamagata Yamagata-shi Midoricho 2-2-8
    This museum is in Midori-cho 2-Chome, Yamagata City. The building housing it was built in 1901, formerly the main building of the Yamagata Teacher's Education College, and is a nationally registered Important Cultural Asset. It exhibits materials related to feudal domain and temple elementary schools, and local educational history during and after the second world, as well as materials related to the education college.

    駅からは距離があるので直接向かうのであればバスに乗った方がいいです。ルネッサンス様式を基調とした木造建築で趣のある建物でした。この後で文翔館にも向かったのですが、個人的には味わい違いますが、こちらのほうが良かったです。

  • Hiroshige Museum of Art
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    3.5
    21 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Yamagata Pref. Tendoushi Kamatahonchou 1-2-1
    This museum is in Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture. The museum preserves and displays the work of Utagawa Hiroshige, the famous artist know for the 53 historic stages on the historic Tokaido Road. Utagawa Hiroshige had connections with the Tendo domain and this relationship is introduced at the museum, where one can also take in drawings in his own hand and ukiyoe prints created on behest of the Tendo clan. There is a sword archive corner and a collection of engraved stamps by Kataoka Ginsaku as well as displays of valuable inscribed Gassan style swords. The museum shop sells Utagawa Hiroshige related ukiyoe goods, as well as other artists' items, and the specialty, Gassan washi paper goods.

    こじんまりしていて良かったが、イメージしていたのとちょっと違って、もう少し展示と説明があったらなお良かったと思いました。

  • Yamadera Goto Museum of Art
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    4.0
    20 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Yamagata Yamagata-shi Yamadera 2982-3
    This art gallery is located along Prefectural Route 62 in Yamadera, Yamagata City. The gallery features a collection from local industrialist, Suejiro Goto. The majority of the collection falls in the Academism style, Barbizon style or other European schools, but there are also sculptures, porcelain panel paintings, glass crafts and more split into two exhibits: “The world of European paintings” and “The art nouveau world of fantastic glass.” There is also an observation rest room overlooking the expansive nature of the Yamadera area.

    山寺ミュージアムめぐり共通チケットを利用しました。 出入口の近くに、イエスが小屋で生まれた絵画があります。博士達が天使に導かれて訪ねてくるのですが、その愛くるしい天使に引き込まれました。額縁も見入ってしまい、最後にもう一度見たい作品となりました。 モデスト・カルリエの花といちごのある静物、花は儚い人生を表すとともに果実をもたらすことから、キリスト教では望徳(後世において終わりなき幸福を得られ...

  • Saito Mokichi Memorial Museum
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    4.0
    15 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Yamagata Pref. Kaminoyamashi Kitamachi Benten 1421
    This is a memorial museum to the poet, Mokichi Saito, a native of Yamagata, near the Mokichi Kinenkanmae Station. The permanent exhibit is divided into the four worlds of Mokichi, a theater room, and special exhibits honoring his nephew and his wife, Seijiro and Fumi Moriya who contributed to the creation of the museum, which also holds special exhibits are also held periodically. For the 50th anniversary, in April 2018, the museum renovated the exhibit hall making it completely accessible and barrier free.

    斎藤茂吉は上山市出身の日本の歌人であり精神科医で、歌集を発表する等の創作活動とドイツやオーストリア留学で精神病学研究を行った人物。斎藤茂吉記念館近くにはJR茂吉記念館前駅がある為、山形新幹線が近くを走って行く。 斎藤茂吉記念館と斎藤茂吉の銅像。斎藤茂吉記念館は1968年(昭和43年)9月開館した記念館で、東京国立近代美術館をはじめ、数多くの美術館や劇場・記念館を手がけた建築家「谷口吉郎」氏によっ...

  • Harusame-an
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    3.5
    18 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Yamagata Kaminoyama-shi Matsuyama 2-10-12
    This historical building is in Matsuyama 2-Chome, Kaminoyama City. This is a restoration of the housing built by Kaminoyama lord Toki Yoriyuki for monk Takuan Soho when he was exiled from Kyoto's Daitoku-ji temple in the Purple Robes incident. It is a designated prefectural Important Cultural Asset. It also has the tearoom Choutei.

    沢庵和尚が流刑により3年間居住した庵です。大根漬けのたくわんにはその発祥に諸説あるようですが、上山市ではここをたくわん発祥の地としているようです。実際、庵の庭にはそのような看板を見ることができました。保存状態もよく、歴史散策で訪問するには良い場所だと思いました。

  • Kaminoyama Castle Folk Museum
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    4.0
    7 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Yamagata Pref. Kaminoyamashi Motojounai 3-7
    The ruins of this castle are in the Tsukioka Park in Motojonai, Kamiyama City. Originally this castle was built during the reign of the Mogami as the most southerly fortress of the Yamagata clan, and then refurbished by the Toki clan, after which it acquired the name, The Famous Castle of Ushu because of its magnificent walls. The castle was destroyed upon a national edict in 1692, and today only the moat and stone walls remain. The reconstructed castle is used as a regional museum. In addition to the displayed items, a wonderful view can be had from the uppermost tower.

    歴史から自然に関することなど さまざま資料があって勉強になりました。 城の一番上から見える景色は最高です。 上山市内が一望できます。 上山市に来たならば ぜひ立ち寄りたいスポットです。

  • Tendo Municipal Former Higashimurayama County Office Archive
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    3.5
    16 Reviews
    Travel / Tourism
    Yamagata Tendo-shi Itsukamachi 2-4-8
    This museum conveys the history of Higashimurayama County. The building was constructed as the county office following the implementation of the county system in 1878. The quasi-western building, which has a tower on the third floor, features an eye-catching design with white walls and a red brick roof. It served as a county office, city office, library, and a number of other roles before finally becoming a museum. The well-preserved and historically significant building has been designated as a Tangible Cultural Property of Yamagata Prefecture.

    入館料200円で明治初期の洋風建築と幕末から明治の天童周辺の歴史が学べます。ステンドグラスや急な階段、オルガン(弾いてよい)に往時を偲びました。学習室は休憩室にもなっていて、インスタントのコーヒーやココアが無料でいただけます。

  • Yamagata Castle Ruins (Kajo Park)
    Travel / Tourism
    Yamagata Pref. Yamagatashi Kajoumachi 1-7 (management office)
    These castle ruins, in Kajo-machi Yamagata City, is designated as a National Historic Site. It is said that Kaneyori Shiba, the father of the Mogami, built the Yamagata Castle in 1356. Today the ninomaru moat, the earthen mound, and the stone walls remain. A replica of the ninomaru west gate has been reconstructed at the entrance to Kajo Park (Kajo being another name for the castle). Selected as one of Japan's top 100 castles, it is one of the recommended sites to visit in Japan.
  • Dewazakura Art Museum
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    3.5
    14 Reviews
    Leisure / Hobbies
    Yamagata Tendo-shi Hitoichimachi 1-4-1
    This art museum is operated by the Yamagata sake brewery Dewazakura. The museum was built in 1988 near the Dewazakura brewery by Seijiro Nakano, its third generation owner. It primarily houses works of art collected by Nakano over many years. The collection has a focus on ancient Korean ceramics and industrial arts from the Gojoseon, Silla, Goryeo, and Joseon Dynasty periods. It also features many works of Japanese painting by artists such as Shinichi Saito as well as the writings of notable authors. Every three months, the museum holds themed exhibits featuring a variety of works from the collection.

    山形の銘酒「出羽桜」の蔵元が個人収集した李朝陶磁器を中心とした個人美術館です。展示の中心は李朝の陶磁器ですが、見学した時は新収蔵の「北斎漫画」、夢二の画、茂吉の短冊等が展示されていました。建物自体が蔵元の旧家で座敷の違い棚や天井の高さ、趣のある庭、蔵座敷も興味あるものでした。手作りの吊飾りも素敵でした。場所は出羽桜酒造工場に向かって右側の住宅です。道路反対側に駐車場があります。吟醸香が漂うのも酒蔵...

Yamagata Areas

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Although often overlooked, Yamagata prefecture by no means lacks appeal: the Yamadera temple trail through the mountains, deliciously tender Yonezawa wagyu, and over 100 steaming hot springs, most notably Zao Onsen, await visitors. When winter comes, the snowcapped peaks become dotted with skiers by day and onsen-goers by night, while summer brings the celebration of juicy Yamagata cherries.

Yamagata Photo Album

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