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JUN 11 2024

Deep Yamagata that you don't know - Yamagata and Okitama, where the "real Japan" remains to be passed on to the next generation

The Okitama region in southern Yamagata Prefecture is a region that receives heavy snowfall and is deep in the mountains, where a unique culture has blossomed thanks to the wisdom and ingenuity of the people in their daily lives. This is also the place where Isabella Bird, a British female traveler who was active in the early Meiji period, traveled and, upon seeing the tranquil landscape and rural life, gave the highest praise to the area, calling it "Arcadia of the East." We will explore the charm of Okitama, where the ideal form of Japan still lives on today.

"Kuroshishi" is a traditional Shinto ritual in which the black dragon god dances and prays for the prosperity of the people.

The "Kuroshishi" lion dance, which is handed down mainly in Nagai City and Iide Town, is a lion dance of a black lion with a fierce yet heroic lion head (snake head). It is dedicated at the annual shrine festival and is carefully protected and passed down by the local people.
A large number of people enter inside the lion curtain (the part that represents the lion's body) and perform a dynamic dance in a style known as a "centipede lion," which has a long, dragon-like body.

Shishimai is a folk art form found throughout Japan, and I'm sure everyone has seen it at least once. The black lion dance of this region originated at Soumiya Shrine (Yokomachi, Nagai City) and has a history of about 1,000 years, and the lion dance is still performed at about 40 shrines in Nagai City alone.
As its name suggests, the "Kuroshishi" is characterized by its shiny black lion head.
The wooden base is carved from a willow tree and coated with lustrous lacquer. The pure white fur in contrast is the lion's mane. Responding to the dynamic movements of the lion dance, the lion's large eyes peek out from between the fur, and it is mysterious how sometimes it looks manly, sometimes it looks dignified, and sometimes it looks round and cute.

As the lion dance spread, it became linked to the legend of the dragon god that lives in the Mibuchi Valley, a place of mountain worship.
The black lion is an object of worship as a "symbol (incarnation) of the god of water," and while it is a god that brings blessings, it has also been worshipped by people as a god that brings disaster to people through droughts and floods. Ancient people believed that by believing in this god and Buddha, they could also control violent gods (nature).
During the dance, long, undulating movements are repeated like the body of a dragon. The lion curtain also features water currents and splashes, and the dancers perform movements that make it appear as if they are gliding on the water. These movements contain various meanings, such as legends, faith, and evangelism.

The Nagai Kuroshishi Festival, held every year in late May, is an event that brings together lion dances that are usually only performed at each shrine on their respective festival days, and this year in 2024 marks the 34th time it has been held.
The black lion is considered very sacred, as the spectators of the festival are purified by the lion's "teeth clattering," and it is said that the lion dancers are also purified and cleansed of impurities. The black lion runs majestically through the main streets of the city, offering prayers for the parishioners' bountiful harvests, road safety, safety in the home, and prosperity in business, before returning to the shrine in the park, where white azaleas bloom in abundance.
The powerful lion's "pakon" sound, the pleasant "pakon" sound, the loud and powerful movements, cheers, and children can't help but sway to the rhythmic festival music of flutes and drums. The lion's head facial expression, the design of the curtains, the dancing pose, and the strength contest with the guards and sumo wrestlers who control the lion all differ from shrine to shrine, so you can enjoy these too.
It is a symbol of this region, a source of pride for the people, and a festival that is a source of comfort for the people.

Shishiyado Skuntei

address2900 Kamiisazawa, Nagai City, Yamagata Prefecture
phone0238-84-1143
business hours11:00~14:00
Closed DayThursday
URLhttp://shishiyado.club/

Roadside Station Kawanominato Nagai

address2-50 Higashimachi, Nagai City, Yamagata Prefecture
phone0238-87-1121
business hoursMarch to December 9:00-18:00, January to February 9:30-17:00
Holidaynone
URLhttps://kawanominato.jp/

Long Black Lion Festival

addressNagai City, Yamagata Prefecture
phone0238-88-5279
Event periodThe Saturday one week before the last Saturday in May every year
URLhttps://kankou-nagai.jp/kurojishi/

Handicrafts and crafts of "Hometown Okitama" carefully preserved and passed down by local people

The ancient traditions of Okitama, such as food culture, handicrafts, and crafts, are products of the region's abundant nature.
We visited a cafe that uses gluten, a food ingredient common on Yamagata dining tables, Shirataka washi paper grown under the Uesugi clan, and a kendama spot in the city that is the number one producer of competitive kendama in Japan.

"Fu" is deeply rooted in the food culture of Yamagata Prefecture. It is eaten daily in the prefecture, and "yakifu" is especially popular. Yamagata Prefecture has always been one of the top producers of fu in Japan, and has the most fu factories and fu shops in Japan.
We visited Saito Fuya, which was founded in 1926.
The shop has a newly rebranded BtoC store run by the fourth-generation brothers who trained in Kanazawa, and a newly opened "CAFE Fuwari." In Yamagata, they are introducing new ways to express wheat gluten by offering it as a sweet, a type of gluten often used in simmered dishes. Their specialty is French toast made with kuruma gluten, a gorgeous dish garnished with fruits and nuts. They use freshly baked kuruma gluten made in a gluten factory on the same premises, and are promoting the most delicious ways to eat and arrange it in a way that only a gluten shop can.
All of the gluten products sold in the store are easy to purchase in single-serving sizes, making them perfect as small souvenirs.

In Miyama, Shirataka town, you can find handmade Japanese paper made using unique materials.
Here in the Miyama area, during the snowy winter when farm work is not possible, papermaking using kozo paper harvested in the fall has become a popular occupation.
A distinctive feature of Miyama washi is the use of the "Noriutsugi" plant, which is used to disperse the paper mulberry fibers during the papermaking process. Papermaking in various regions generally uses the "Tororo-aoi" plant, which is grown in fields. The "Noriutsugi" plant is only available in this area if you venture into the high mountains. It has been used since ancient times and is essential to the production of Miyama washi.
Papermaking in the Miyama area was on the verge of disappearing over the years, but with the cooperation of local people, the history has been continued.
At the Miyama Washi Research and Promotion Center, which serves as the workshop, all steps of washi-making are carried out in a consistent manner. You can also purchase washi paper. Many people visit to experience papermaking, as they can also learn about washi paper.

Nagai City is the number one producer of competitive kendama in Japan. Many of the city's residents have been familiar with kendama since childhood, and in the past they even achieved the feat of successfully breaking the Guinness World Record for the largest platter-topping challenge.
In the first place, woodworking is one of Yamagata Prefecture's industries, and there are many companies with highly skilled techniques.
Yamagata Kobo Co., Ltd., a wooden toy manufacturer founded in Nagai City in 1973, was commissioned by the Japan Kendama Association to make officially certified kendama about 40 years ago, and has been making competitive kendama using sophisticated woodworking techniques under strict standards that do not allow for even a 1mm error. The kendama used in the NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen at the end of the year is also made by Yamagata Kobo.
During the 1992 National Athletic Meet, "Benibana National Sports Festival," sixth graders at the time performed a kendama demonstration, and in 2016, the same students, now adults, attempted to break the Guinness World Record "Nagai-Style Large Plate Domino" with kendama, and succeeded brilliantly. In 2015, the year before, the city opened "Kendama Hiroba SPIKe," a kendama space officially recognized by the city where kendama can be practiced and tested. Currently, there are 56 kendama challenges taking place in the city (if you perform a set technique at each store, you can receive various services), and kendama are given to people at the time of birth and elementary school entry. Thanks to the city's efforts and the challenging spirit of its citizens, Nagai City has become "Japan's leading kendama town" in both name and reality.

SHOP Saito Fuya (CAFE Fuwari)

address1440 Narita, Nagai City, Yamagata Prefecture
phone0238-88-2551
business hours11:00~17:00
Closed DayTuesday Wednesday
URLhttps://www.saito-fuya.com/

Miyama Washi Research and Promotion Center

address2527 Miyama, Shirataka-machi, Nishiokitama-gun, Yamagata Prefecture
OpenIrregular holidays
URLhttps://www.town.shirataka.lg.jp/1294.htm

Kendama Square SPIKe

address3-5 Sakaemachi, Nagai City, Yamagata Prefecture
phone070-2016-2509
business hours10:00~17:00
Closed Daynone
URLhttp://www.nagai-kendama.com/

The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.

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