Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [432]
YONEZAWA
0238 / pop 91,000
Carnivores should come here on a day trip from Yamagata to chow down on Yonezawa beef, famous for its tenderness and flavour, and arguably rivalling Kobe’s own. Yonezawa is also home to the ruined 17th-century castle of the Uegugi clan, which developed the feudal town into a major centre for silk weaving.
You can pick up maps and information at the tourist information office (24-2965; 8am-6pm) inside the station. Rental bicycles (per day ¥1000) are available outside, which will help you reach the outer moats of the castle, about 1km due east from the station. Alternatively, local buses bound for Shirabu Onsen depart stop 2 from outside the station, and stop at the Uesugi-jinja-mae stop (¥190, 10 minutes).
The foundations of the castle now form the boundaries of Matsugasaki-kōen (), a tiny but attractive park framed by a placid moat. Inside the park is the Uesugi Museum (; 26-8001; admission ¥400; 9am-4.30pm, closed every 4th Wed, closed Mon Dec-Mar), which displays Uesugi clan artefacts, Uesugi-jinja (), a small temple dating from 1923, and the Keishō-den, (; 22-3189, 9am-4pm), a treasury displaying armour and works of art belonging to several generations of the Uesugi family.
Festivals & Events
The Uesugi Matsuri starts off with folk singing on 29 April and mock ceremonial preparation for battle in Matsugasaki-kōen on the evening of 2 May. The real action takes place on 3 May with a re-enactment of the titanic Battle of Kawanakajima, featuring more than 2000 participants.
Sleeping & Eating
Most visitors come to Yonezawa in the late afternoon to visit the castle, and then to gnaw on some seriously gourmet beef before returning to Yamagata.
Hotel Otowa (; 22-0124; www.hotel-otowa.com; s/tw ¥4500/8400; ) Just a few minutes east of the station along the main road, Otowa is a magnificent castle-like building with more than 100 years of history – it was the only inn in town not destroyed at the end of WWII.
Tokiwagyū-nikuten (; 24-5400; 2-3 Chūō; meals from ¥3500; lunch & dinner) Yonezawa beef is on the menu everywhere, but this is the most famous place to sample the delightfully marbled meat. This Edo-period restaurant specialises in shabu-shabu (¥3700) and sukiyaki (¥4500). While the historic building is easy enough to spot from the street, it’s located in the northern Chūō district, so have tourist information mark the location on your map.
Getting There & Away
Regular futsū run on the JR Ōu line between Yonezawa and Yamagata (¥820, 45 minutes).
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NIIGATA-KEN
While not technically part of Tōhoku proper, Niigata-ken serves as a wonderful stepping-stone to these beautiful northern lands, and offers the full compliment of outdoor activities you’d expect to find in Northern Honshū. The onsen town of Echigo-Yuzawa was the setting for Kawabata’s acclaimed novel Snow Country, while Myōkō Kōgen is the mother of all Tōhoku ski destinations. Of course, the star in Niigata-ken’s tourism crown is undeniably the persimmon-peppered island of Sado-ga-shima, a former penal colony that is today one of the region’s top outdoors destinations.
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NIIGATA
025 / pop 813,900
For most travellers, the prefectural capital of Niigata is regarded as little more than a transport hub and a springboard to nearby Sado-ga-shima. Though there’s little to keep you here for more than the time it takes to change trains or board a ferry, Niigata is an attractive city that is bisected by the Shinano River, which generates a great swathe of blue sky wherever you look. Niigata is also famous for the quality of its rice, seafood and sake, so be sure to treat yourself to a nice meal before pushing on.
Orientation
The Niigata JR station is in the middle of the city; much of the tourist action is between the station and the Shinano River. Higashi Ōdori is the main thoroughfare leading north from the station. Across the Bandai-bashi, Furumachi is the downtown shopping district and home to the vibrant Honchō market area.
Information
Niigata central