Nikaho’s Shiokoshi, Konoura, Mitsumori, and Hirazawa ports are where the Kitamaebune ships made their stops. At the Kisakata Local Museum, you can see folding screens of Shiokoshi Port, anchors from Kitamaebune ships, ship chests, navigation permit documents, and more.

Hiraizumi Honpo is a sake brewery near the Hirazawa port. In business since 1487 in the Muromachi period, it’s said to be the third oldest brewery in Japan. Currently it runs as a small wholesale store while brewing sake on the side.

This tea house was originally a traditional Japanese high-class restaurant named Somaro that operated for over 100 years in the Edo period. The Kyoto area style and formalities can still be seen here even to this day.

The Sakata port’s best trade wholesale store prosperity was also featured in a poem by the famous poet, Ihara Saikaku.

This historical location is the home of the Honma family, who became wealthy merchants through Kitamaebune trading. Built by the third lord of Honma family, Mitsuoka Honma, in the middle of the 18th century, originally this gated residence was intended to serve as quarters for the Shogun’s officials sent to Sakata. It later became the Honma family’s place of residence. The building’s samurai residence and merchant structural style are rare even in Japan.

This town’s layout is virtually unchanged from the time it prospered from the Kitamaebune ships. The area’s Jozenji temple is where a bell donated by Kitamaebune merchants was placed. The bell was carried by ship from Sakoshi, the former name of Ako.

The former residence of the king of fishing, who made his fortune from herring between the Edo and Meiji periods, includes a collection of Shunkei lacquerware and features extravagant tile roof building structures.

The large residence of the wealthy merchant Watanabe family was also an Edo period post station along the Yonezawa Highway. The main wing of the house has a unique “kobabuki” structure. The residence received loans from the shogunate after suffering economic difficulties in brewing, trading, and rice until the end of the Edo era. The residence is a Nationally-designated Important Tangible Cultural Property.

Built in 1905 as a branch of the Watanabe residence. The two-story wooden structure features tiled roofing that uses structural technology being used today. The garden has wonderful autumn foliage, and is the location for the November food event, “Shokuji”.

This active volcano is the highest mountain peak in Yamagata Prefecture, and is beloved by both Yamagata and Akita prefectures. Many protected species of plants and bodies of water can also be found in this mountain named one of the top 100 mountains and top 100 views in Japan. The summit of Mt. Chokai is also home to Oomonoimi Jinja, making it known for its religious connections, as well.

A flight of 2,446 stone steps between a forest of cedar trees greets you at the front door of the Dewa Sanzan mountains, Mt. Haguro. In the middle of the path to the shrine stands the tallest tower in Tohoku, the National Treasure five-storied pagoda, as well as Japanese cedar trees said to be a thousand years old, adding to the spiritual atmosphere of the mountain.

The Dewa Sanzan mountain range’s highest peak, Mt. Gassan, is where you can enjoy trekking while viewing alpine plants and autumn foliage, summertime skiing in the mountain’s perpetual snow blanketed slopes, and many more seasonal activities. Besides simple mountain climbing, there are many shrine visitors and ascetics who visit Gassan Shrine at the top of the mountain.

Along with Ise and Kumano, this mountain is one of the top three sacred places in Japan. Mt. Yudono Shrine, considered the most holy of the Dewa Sanzan shrines, is famous for its strict no photos, no shoes policy. The Shugendo ground is also considered so sacred that one is neither to talk nor hear of what happens inside the shrine.

Dewa Sanzan is the general term for Mt. Gassan, Haguro, and Yudono. A visit to Mt. Haguro’s main shrine, Sanjin Gosaiden, is said to complete your pilgrimage of Dewa Sanzan, as all three gods of the Dewa Sanzan mountains are enshrined together there. The shrine features the thickest thatched roof in Japan, over two meters thick.

In order to save people from famine and illness, monks chose to go underground and performed sokushinbutsu, self-mummification. There are said to be 29 of these sokushinbutsu mummies remaining in Japan today, and six shrines in the Sea of Japan Kirakira Uetsu Area contain 7 of these sokushinbutsu mummies. (Pictured is Kaikoji Temple)

Once admired as picturesque scenery along the ranks of Matsushima, it’s also known as Basho’s northernmost destination on his Oku no Hosomichi journey. The Great Kisakata Earthquake in 1804 caused an uplift of land, changing the waters around the islands to dry land, which was eventually filled with rice paddies. It is designated as one of Japan’s natural monuments.

Built by the priest Jikaku Daishi in 853 in the Enryaku era, Basho once gave the temple high praise for it’s beautiful scenery. Within the temple grounds are several ancient trees and tourist highlights called the Seven Wonders of Kanmanji Temple, which include the “kinobori jizo” and the “never blooming azalea”.

Made famous from one of Basho’s poems about the rainy season, it is one of Japan’s top three rapids and an important river for the prefecture’s water transportation. Here you can enjoy an approximately hour long boat ride while listening to the boatmen sing Mogami River sailor songs.

It is said that sailors used to check weather conditions from this hilltop. A statue of Basho preparing for his journey and several haiku monuments are also situated around the grounds.

Many famous poem lines were composed about Mt. Haguro’s road to its shrine. Along the path sits the national treasure pagoda, as well. It was awarded 3 stars by Michelin Green Guide Japan.

Izutsuya is the location where Matsuo Basho and his apprentice, Sora, stayed for two nights on his Oku no Hosomichi journey. The current building is a Nationally-designated Important Tangible Cultural Property. Sake Kikkawa inherited the building in March of last year as Murakami’s first salmon specialist restaurant where you can enjoy traditional Murakami salmon year-round.

The Shinchogumi’s establishment was contributed to by Hachiro Kiyokawa, known as the father of the Shinsengumi, and whose hometown was Shonai. Here you can find relics related to Hachiro Kiyokawa, who is known as the starter of the overthrowing of the shogunate, and played a big role in the Meiji Restoration. The nearby Kankiji Temple is also where Hachiro Kiyokawa and his wife, Oren’s graves are located.

This romanesque church was built in 1903 and is a Nationally-designated Important Tangible Cultural Property. The church is renowned for its Black Madonna statue.

This medium sized thatched roof samurai residence from the 18th century is located near the Murakami Castle grounds and features many fascinating architectural designs. This is the only samurai residence in Murakami designated as a national cultural property.

The black walls that line the historical streets of Murakami were all made by hand by local citizens. In recent years, pine and maple trees have also been planted in the area, making the atmosphere of Murakami even more stylish.

In this night festival, about 20,000 bamboo lanterns are lit in Komachi-dori and the black walled streets (Azenkoji), where the castle town has an atmosphere. Live performances such as koto, shamisen, and guitar will be played at the surrounding temples and shrines and Japanese style restaurant, and the neighborhood will be surrounded by a fantastic atmosphere.

The Murakami Grand Festival boasts a long history and tradition (Important national intangible folk cultural property, main festival every July 7).
It used to be a folding screen as Shitsurai for the festival, and it was also called the "Folding Screen Festival".
This is an event to showcase many valuable folding screens that can no longer be set up and handed down to the famouse family.