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From the Field

Yonezawa Beef: Inside One of Japan's Three Great Wagyuall

Food & Sake· June 19, 2026

Yonezawa Beef: Inside One of Japan's Three Great Wagyu

Yonezawa beef ranks among Japan's three great wagyu brands, a product of cold mountain basins, strict grading, and a castle town that learned to eat beef from a 19th-century English teacher. Here is what defines Yonezawa beef and how to taste it well.

Tsuruoka and the Shonai Plain: Yamagata's Gastronomy Coastall

Itinerary· June 18, 2026

Tsuruoka and the Shonai Plain: Yamagata's Gastronomy Coast

Tsuruoka, on Yamagata's Sea of Japan coast, became Japan's first UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in 2014. Its kitchens, temples, and farm fields make the Shonai plain one of the country's most quietly serious food destinations.

Tono: Walking Through Japan's Folklore Heartlandall

Itinerary· June 18, 2026

Tono: Walking Through Japan's Folklore Heartland

Tono is a quiet valley in eastern Iwate where Japanese folklore was first written down. A walk through Tono means tracing kappa, oshirasama, and the magariya farmhouses that gave the Tono Monogatari its enduring shape.

Tohoku Without a Car: How to See the Region by Train and Busall

Itinerary· June 17, 2026

Tohoku Without a Car: How to See the Region by Train and Bus

The idea that you need a rental car to see Tohoku is one of the region's most persistent myths. Visiting Tohoku without a car is not only possible, it is often the smarter, more relaxed way to travel northern Japan.

Tohoku in Winter: The Complete Guide to Snow Countrywinter

Itinerary· June 17, 2026

Tohoku in Winter: The Complete Guide to Snow Country

Tohoku winter travel rewards those who come for the snow rather than in spite of it. This is the complete guide to Japan's snow country, from Ginzan Onsen under heavy drifts to Zao's frosted ice monsters and the lantern festivals of the deep north.

Skiing in Tohoku: Powder Beyond Hokkaidowinter

Nature· June 16, 2026

Skiing in Tohoku: Powder Beyond Hokkaido

Tohoku skiing offers the deep, dry powder that draws crowds to Hokkaido and Nagano, but with shorter lift lines, lower prices, and a stronger sense of place. For travelers willing to look north of the headlines, the ski resorts of Iwate, Yamagata, Akita, and Fukushima reward the detour.

“Tohoku is Japan's best-kept secret — a land of ancient gold, deep snow, and living traditions that the rest of the world hasn't found yet.”

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Before Everyone Else Discovers Tohoku

Seasonal guides, hidden experiences, and stories from the field — delivered quietly.