Carefully selected by JAL staff! 10 souvenirs you should choose if you're unsure what to buy at Yamagata Airport

"Cherry Tart Cake" with the sweet and sour flavor of cherries

"I want to give it to someone" category No. 1

When you think of Yamagata, you think of cherries. If you want to bring back the juicy, sweet and sour taste as a souvenir, you can choose not only fresh produce, but also tart cakes. This product is a rich tart cake filled with juicy cherry paste. Enjoy the combination of the softly fragrant cherries and the mellow tart. It is small and easy to eat, so it is a snack that will be enjoyed by adults and children alike.

A word from JAL staff!
"This is the one to have when you feel like something made with cherries, a specialty of Yamagata. Adults can have one during their work break, and children can have one as a snack. It's easy to eat, so I would recommend it."

Available for purchase at "Sakuranbo" in the departure lobby on the 2nd floor

"Sakata Salt Lightly Pickled Vegetable Base" packed with the delicious flavors of the sea

"I want to give it to someone" category No. 2

Founded 70 years ago, Yamagata's only spice specialty store, "Taishokan Foods," carefully selects and blends ingredients. In addition to using Sakata salt, which is rich in natural minerals and is made locally, they also use a special blend of seafood ingredients such as kelp powder and rare seaweed powder. The carefully selected bounty of the sea brings out the natural flavor of the vegetables in this lightly pickled dish. In addition to lightly pickled vegetables, this versatile seasoning can also be used to flavor fried rice or instant ochazuke, so it's convenient to have one in every household.

A word from JAL staff!
"It's delicious not only as a lightly pickled dish, but also as a topping or with ochazuke."

Available for purchase at "Sakuranbo" in the departure lobby on the 2nd floor

"Safflower Fuuki Mame" is a Yamagata specialty snack that you can't help but reach for.

"I want to give it to someone" Category 3

Denroku is a Yamagata sweets manufacturer known nationwide for its Denroku Beans and Pollippy. The company's "Safflower Fuuki Beans," sold in Yamagata Prefecture, are sweet azuki beans colored with the refreshing flavor of green peas, and are a Yamagata specialty that has attracted many fans. With a refined sweetness and a crunchy texture, and a subtle saltiness, it's a sweet treat that you won't be able to stop eating once you start. It's also perfect as a snack, so why not give it to someone who likes alcohol?

A word from JAL staff!
"Once you start eating, you can't stop (laughs)."

Available for purchase at "Sakuranbo" in the departure lobby on the 2nd floor

"Yamagata Tsuyahime Rice Crackers" - Surprisingly chewy and delicious with rice

"I want to give it to someone" Category 4

Tsuyahime is a brand of rice from Yamagata that is highly rated for its perfect balance of texture and stickiness. This luxurious item is made by cooking this Tsuyahime rice until it is plump and kneading it into rice crackers. Although it is a thin rice cracker, you will be surprised by its strong texture and deep umami flavor, which belies its appearance. This surprising deliciousness, which defies common sense when it comes to thin rice crackers, will show you the true power of Yamagata, a rice-producing region.

A word from JAL staff!
"It contains Tsuyahime, a rice variety that represents Yamagata, so I think you can really experience the quality of Yamagata."

Available for purchase at "Sakuranbo" in the departure lobby on the 2nd floor

Mogamigawa Awayuki: A soft and moist Japanese-Western combination dessert

"I want to give it to someone" category No. 5

"Mogamigawa Awayuki" is a sweet that is synonymous with Pandora, a Japanese-Western confectionery shop in Yamagata. As its name suggests, it is a meringue sponge that melts in your mouth like light snow, sandwiched with zunda bean paste and mashed bean paste, expressing a rich taste and fluffy texture. The deep flavor of the butter cream blends together to create an exquisite sweet that dances softly in your mouth. Its unique deliciousness has led to many repeat customers. Its refined taste will be enjoyed by people of all ages and genders.

A word from JAL staff!
"The fluffy sponge cake is reminiscent of light snow, and is sandwiched between fresh cream, red bean paste, and zunda, making it very delicious. It's not too sweet, and it's very light, so you could eat as many as you like."

Available for purchase at "Sakuranbo" in the departure lobby on the 2nd floor

The crunchy texture is addictive: the unusual local pickle "Suika-zuke"

"I want one for myself" Category #1

This unusual pickle uses whole watermelons from Oishidacho, Obanazawa City, a famous watermelon producing area. The watermelons are harvested before the flesh turns red and sweet, so you can enjoy a different taste from the watermelons you usually eat. When you think of watermelon, you imagine a crisp texture, but these pickles are crunchy. With a pleasant texture and refreshing taste, you'll find yourself gobbling them down in no time. Be sure to check out this delicacy that can only be found in Yamagata.

A word from JAL staff!
"Watermelon pesora pickles (pickled eggplant said to have originated in Oishida Town, Yamagata Prefecture) are rare. They have a different flavor to eggplant, and I was impressed when I tried them for the first time."

Available for purchase at "Sakuranbo" in the departure lobby on the 2nd floor

"Gassan Soba Pasta" goes well with any Japanese or Western style dish! A pasta with a rich soba flavor

"I want one for myself" Category #2

You may be confused at first, thinking "Soba, but pasta?", but this is a special pasta that makes the most of the aroma of soba, which is also known as a Yamagata specialty. Carefully selected durum wheat flour and stone-ground homemade buckwheat flour are aged for a long time. Slowly finished at low temperature drying, this special dried pasta is complete. You can feel the fragrant aroma of soba, which will make any seasoning a luxurious taste that is one rank above the rest.

A word from JAL staff!
"The soba has a great flavor. It goes well with both Japanese and Western sauces."

Available for purchase at the Yamazaki Shop in the 1st floor lobby

"Tamaki Special Fukinotou Miso" is a spicy miso that will stimulate your appetite when eating rice.

"I want one for myself" Category #3

"Fukinotou Miso" is made by a wild vegetable specialty store in Nishikawa, Yamagata, and is a bottle filled with the bounty of the mountains of Yamagata. It is a spicy miso made with a special miso based on Shinshu miso, using only the flower parts of the butterbur. Eat it with white rice and you'll find your bowl empty before you know it. You can also dip it in vegetables, eat it with cream cheese, and there are endless ways to enjoy it, so you'll likely finish the whole bottle in no time. We recommend buying in bulk.

A word from JAL staff!
"Butterbur sprouts make you feel like spring is here. They go really well with miso, and when you put them on rice you could eat as many bowls as you like. Of course, the rice should be delicious Yamagata rice!"

Available for purchase at the Yamazaki Shop in the 1st floor lobby

"Yamagata Obanazawa Watermelon Cider" - Drink up the juicy watermelon in one gulp

"I want one for myself" Category #4

This cider uses a generous 30% of juice from Obanazawa watermelon, a brand of watermelon from Yamagata. It is fruity and easy to drink, while still retaining the freshness of the watermelon. When poured into a glass, it is a vivid red, the color of watermelon itself. With its refreshing carbonation and overflowing juiciness, you can enjoy the charm of watermelon with just one bottle, and feel immersed in a luxurious feeling. Another point is the cute packaging that makes you want to display it.

A word from JAL staff!
"If you're a watermelon lover, you'll absolutely love this. It's made using Obanazawa watermelon, so once you've tried it, you won't be able to drink anything else!"

Available for purchase at "Sakuranbo" in the departure lobby on the 2nd floor

"Oshidori Milk Cake" is a milk cake that has been loved by the people of Yamagata Prefecture.

"I want one for myself" Category #5

Oshidori Milk Cake is a local sweet that people in Yamagata Prefecture have been eating since they were children. It is a milk confectionery made mainly from milk, and is rich in milk-derived protein and calcium, so it is also known as "edible milk." The richness and flavor of raw milk is condensed into the cake, and when you put it in your mouth, a soft, gentle sweetness and aroma spreads. Even if you are not a Yamagata resident, you will surely feel a sense of nostalgia for the taste.

A word from JAL staff!
"If I have these at home, I can't help but eat them. They're a great way to reward myself for a hard day's work!"

Available for purchase at "Sakuranbo" in the departure lobby on the 2nd floor

Yamagata Prefecture is full of delicious things, including fruits, rice, mountain produce, and seafood. With so many eye-catching items, choosing a souvenir may seem like a difficult task, but we hope you'll bring home something that you can only get in Yamagata. The time you spend choosing souvenirs at Yamagata Airport, which has a wide selection of souvenirs, will be an enjoyable part of your trip.

Carefully selected by JAL staff! Airport souvenirs from around the country

JAL staff have carefully selected recommended souvenirs for each airport across the country! We will introduce them by category.