Tsuruoka 鶴岡

Tsuruoka Travel Guide

With a population of 130,000, Tsuruoka is the third-largest city in Yamagata prefecture, after the eponymous capital and Sakata.

Sea and Mountains

Located about four hours by train, north-west of Tokyo, it offers a varied landscape at the foot of the mountains and a stone's throw from the sea. The peaceful and authentic city also serves as a starting point for exploring the Dewa Sanzan, the three sacred mountains traveled by pilgrims. Mount Gassan, which rises to 1,984 meters, Mount Haguro at 414 meters, and Mount Yudono at 1,504 meters, are the spiritual land of shugendo, the religion of the Yamabushi hermits, literally "those who sleep in the mountains".

Blend of Three Crops

Tsuruoka's history dates back to the Edo period (1603-1868). The Shonai domain, on the coast of Yamagata Prefecture, was ruled by Lord Sakai, one of the four generals of the Tokugawa clan. The city flourished as the administrative center of the domain.

It is still strongly marked by the mixture of three cultures: that of Edo, through its lord who was a hereditary vassal of the Tokugawa, that of Kyoto and Osaka linked to the trade route of the Kitamaebune, these ships that used the Sea of ​​Japan from Osaka to Hokkaido, and finally the culture of the Tohoku region which includes Yamagata Prefecture. 

Among its rich heritage is the vast Chido museum in the heart of the city, the Chidokan samurai school founded in 1805, the only one that remains in the Tohoku region, or the cleared lands of Matsugaoka, where the samurai idle after the abolition of the working class embarked on the breeding of silkworms.

First Creative City of Japan

Tsuruoka is full of diverse ingredients for all seasons. Edamame from the area, called dadachamame ("dadacha" meaning father in the regional dialect), are renowned for being the best in Japan. In 2014, the city was the first in Japan to join the Unesco network of creative cities in gastronomy.

It has a variety of good restaurants emphasizing local produce, from the organic farm inn Naa to the fine Italian restaurant Al-che-cciano. At the top of Mount Haguro, at the shukubo Sakai located near the Sanjin Gosaiden shrine, you can even enjoy the monks' vegetarian cuisine.