The City
Central Yamagata occupies a grid of streets lying northeast of the train station. Its southern boundary is Ekimae-dori, a broad avenue leading straight from the station as far as the Hotel Castle , from where the main shopping street, Nanokamachi-dori, strikes north to the former Prefectural Office, one of the city's main sights. The district's west side is bounded by the train tracks and Kajo-koen, an area of gardens and sports facilities created on the site of Yamagata castle, where there's a moderately interesting municipal museum. Pottery enthusiasts might like to wander the picturesque lanes of Hirashimizu village, on Yamagata's southeastern outskirts, and visit some of the workshops clustered in the narrow valley. In early August (5-7), the city turns out for its major festival , the Hanagasa Matsuri, during which yukata -clad women wielding flowery hats perform a slow graceful dance. An imposing, European-style building of stone and ornate stucco dominates the north end of Nanokamachi-dori, some twenty minutes' walk from the station. Originally built in 1911, the interior of this former Prefectural Office (Tues-Sun 9am-4.30pm; free) has been magnificently restored, particularly the third floor with its parquet-floored dining room and elegant Assembly Hall. As you walk through, don't forget to look up at the ceilings' spectacular plasterwork - it was all handcrafted by one man at the rate of 15cm per day. From the Prefectural Office, head southwest to the Yamagata Art Museum (Tues-Sun 10am-5pm; Y500-1000 according to the exhibition) beside the castle walls. This modern museum boasts a small collection of major European names, such as Picasso, Chagall, Renoir and Monet, but unless there's a special exhibition of interest it's not really worth the entrance fee. Instead, cross the train tracks to the entrance to Kajo-koen by its beautifully restored East Gate, the only remnant of the former castle. Inside the park, turn left and you'll come to the City Museum (Tues-Sun 9am-4.30pm; Y200), occupying a delightful, multicoloured clapboard building. Erected in 1878, the museum originally served as the town's main hospital and its exhibits include a fearsome array of early medical equipment and anatomical drawings, including a guide to pregnancy rendered as woodblock prints. There's also a room devoted to an Austrian, Dr Albert von Roretz, who came here in 1880 and spent two years instructing local doctors in the ways of Western medicine. Though Hirashimizu lies on the city's southeastern outskirts, this pretty little pottery village has a surprisingly rural atmosphere. There's just one main street and a small river running down from the hills, which provides local potters with their distinctive, speckled clay. If you poke about a bit, you'll find several family potteries with showrooms (daily 9am-5/6pm), such as Shichiemon-gama on the left at the top of the main street, just before the road splits. On the way, you'll pass Bun'emon-gama and the attractive Heikichi-gama, all of which offer the chance to throw a pot or two (daily 9am-3pm; Y1500-1800 plus postage), while the more refined Seiryudo occupies a thatched building down the lane opposite Heikichi-gama. To reach Hirashimizu, take a bus from Yamagata Station (8 daily; 30min) or the Yamako Building bus terminal (hourly; 20min). Alternatively, a taxi will cost around Y2000 one way.
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