Ohkura

Ohkura-mura is a beautiful village located on the Mogami District in the northern part of Yamagata prefecture, having population of 3,400. The southern part of the village is located at the foot of Mt.Gassan which is main mountain of the Dewa Sanzan mountains, as if it is protected by deep mountains. Hijiori onsen has more than 1200 years history has been crowded as the onsen resort since ancient age and thrived as a starting point for climbing to Mt.Gassan. I feel like I'm in a nostalgic era by the view of people wearing Yukata (Japanese bathrobe) and Geta shoes in the hot springs town which quaint inns stands side by side.

It is approx 50 minutes by bus from Shinjo Station to Hijiori Onsen Village which is the village tourist industry. It is said that it was named so because the old priest who fractured his elbow healed a wound more than 1,200 years ago. It is said that about 1,300 people per day headed to Tsukiyama in Hijioriguchi which is one of the starting point for climbing Mt.Dewasanzan in the middle of the most prosperous Edo period, and the visit of these people climbing for Mt.Dewasanzan is regarded as the beginning of Hijiori Onsen.
Once we step to a hot springs town, it is one of the real pleasures that we can enjoy town walks because inns are lined and shops, specialties and morning markets stand alongside narrow streets. In the ryokan lobby, elderly Toji (onsen therapy) customers are delighted by the accidental reunion and they enjoy talking. We can enjoy the nostalgic feeling as if we slipped back in the good old days.
In 2005, they joined the Union of “the most beautiful village in Japan”. Registered regional resources are Hijiori Hot Spring, and “Shikamura's rice paddy field” which was selected as the top 100 rice terraced paddy fields in Japan. Many seasonal summer events are held in August, such as “Hotarubi (Firefly Glow) Concert” with 1,200 candlelight in the rice paddy fields of Shikamura, “Hijiori Light Project” of collaboration between Hijiori Hot Spring and Arts, and others.
As the sun goes down, the lights of the lanterns under the eaves of ryokan and shop are lit one by one. The charm of Ohkura-mura soak deeply and gently throughout the heart and body of the visitor. When autumn and winter comes, this village, one of the most famous snowfall area in the whole country, is surrounded by deep snow.

Interviewed in July, 2017