:Yamagata Prefecture

{{See also|Historic Sites of Yamagata Prefecture}}

File:Sankyo Warehouse in Sakata, Yamagata, 16 June 2013, 02.jpg, related to Kitamaebune and transport on Mogami River.]]

The aboriginal {{nihongo|Ezo|蝦夷}} people once inhabited the area now known as Yamagata. Yamagata and Akita Prefecture were known as Dewa Province until the Meiji Restoration.Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" in {{Google books|p2QnPijAEmEC|p. 780|page=780}}

During the Heian period (794–1185), the {{nihongo|Fujiwara|藤原}} family ruled the area. Yamagata City flourished during the Edo period (1603–1867) due to its status as a castle town and post station, famous for beni (red safflower dye used in the production of handspun silk). In 1689, the famous haiku poet, Matsuo Bashō visited Yamagata during his five-month trip to the northern regions of Japan.

File:Yamagata-ken géolocalisation relief.svg

Yamagata Prefecture is located in the southwest corner of Tōhoku, facing the Sea of Japan. It borders Niigata Prefecture and Fukushima Prefecture on the south, Miyagi Prefecture on the east, and Akita Prefecture on the north. All of these boundaries are marked by mountains, with most of the population residing in a limited central plain.

As of 31 March 2020, 17 percent of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as Natural Parks, namely the Bandai-Asahi National Park; Chōkai, Kurikoma, and Zaō Quasi-National Parks; and Goshōzan, Kabusan, Kennan, Mogamigawa, Shōnai Kaihin, and Tendō Kōgen Prefectural Natural Parks.{{cite web |url=https://www.env.go.jp/park/doc/data/natural/naturalpark_4.pdf |script-title=ja:自然公園都道府県別面積総括 |trans-title=General overview of area figures for Natural Parks by prefecture |language=ja |publisher=Ministry of the Environment |date=31 March 2020 |access-date=22 September 2020}}

{{See also|List of cities in Yamagata Prefecture by population}}

Thirteen cities are located in Yamagata Prefecture:

These are the towns and villages in each district:

{{main|List of mergers in Yamagata Prefecture}}

The climate of Yamagata Prefecture is characterized by long, hot, and humid summers and long, snowy winters. Both spring and autumn are short, the former often cold, the latter often warm, but both quite dry and sunny. Yamagata Prefecture, along with northern parts of Miyagi and Iwate are the transition areas from humid subtropical climate (Koppen Cfa/Cwa) to humid continental within the Japan mainland. Winter temperatures rarely fall below {{convert|-10|°C}} in populated areas; they frequently rise above {{convert|30|°C}} in July and August. Precipitation falls all year round and the remnants of one or perhaps two typhoons usually pass through between August and October. The winters see heavy snowfall especially at higher elevations, though the Japan Sea coast (Sakata) is milder and has more rain. Snowfall for Shinjō is typical of populated mountainous areas, snowfall for Yamagata City typical of the valleys. The central mountains around Gassan may see as much as {{convert|3000.|cm|ft}} of snow in a season with depths up to {{convert|8|m}} at higher elevations.

{{Weather box

|location = Yamagata, Yamagata

|collapsed = yes

|metric first = yes

|single line = yes

|Jan record high C = 18.1

|Feb record high C = 17.3

|Mar record high C = 23.7

|Apr record high C = 33.3

|May record high C = 33.4

|Jun record high C = 35.6

|Jul record high C = 40.8

|Aug record high C = 38.9

|Sep record high C = 36.1

|Oct record high C = 32.3

|Nov record high C = 26.9

|Dec record high C = 20.1

|year record high C = 40.8

|Jan high C = 3

|Feb high C = 4

|Mar high C = 8

|Apr high C = 16

|May high C = 22

|Jun high C = 25

|Jul high C = 28

|Aug high C = 30

|Sep high C = 25

|Oct high C = 19

|Nov high C = 12

|Dec high C = 6

|year high C = 16

|Jan low C = -4

|Feb low C = -4

|Mar low C = -1

|Apr low C = 4

|May low C = 10

|Jun low C = 15

|Jul low C = 19

|Aug low C = 20

|Sep low C = 16

|Oct low C = 9

|Nov low C = 3

|Dec low C = -1

|year low C = 7

|Jan record low C = -20.0

|Feb record low C = -19.0

|Mar record low C = -15.5

|Apr record low C = -7.3

|May record low C = -1.8

|Jun record low C = 3.0

|Jul record low C = 6.7

|Aug record low C = 8.4

|Sep record low C = 3.0

|Oct record low C = -2.4

|Nov record low C = -7.2

|Dec record low C = -15.0

|year record low C = -20.0

|Jan precipitation mm = 75

|Feb precipitation mm = 70

|Mar precipitation mm = 67

|Apr precipitation mm = 68

|May precipitation mm = 81

|Jun precipitation mm = 103

|Jul precipitation mm = 144

|Aug precipitation mm = 149

|Sep precipitation mm = 134

|Oct precipitation mm = 76

|Nov precipitation mm = 81

|Dec precipitation mm = 77

|year precipitation mm = 1125

|Jan snow cm = 163

|Feb snow cm = 147

|Mar snow cm = 71

|Apr snow cm = 3

|May snow cm = 0

|Jun snow cm = 0

|Jul snow cm = 0

|Aug snow cm = 0

|Sep snow cm = 0

|Oct snow cm = 0

|Nov snow cm = 12

|Dec snow cm = 92

|year snow cm = 491

|source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency[http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/monthly_s3_en.php?block_no=47588&view=1 Yamagata Station], Japan Meteorological Agency

|date=August 2010

}}

{{Weather box

|location = Shinjō, Yamagata

|collapsed = yes

|metric first = yes

|single line = yes

|Jan record high C = 13.3

|Feb record high C = 14.0

|Mar record high C = 19.5

|Apr record high C = 30.2

|May record high C = 33.5

|Jun record high C = 32.6

|Jul record high C = 36.9

|Aug record high C = 37.4

|Sep record high C = 33.9

|Oct record high C = 27.9

|Nov record high C = 22.5

|Dec record high C = 19.0

|year record high C = 37.4

|Jan high C = 1

|Feb high C = 2

|Mar high C = 6

|Apr high C = 14

|May high C = 20

|Jun high C = 24

|Jul high C = 27

|Aug high C = 29

|Sep high C = 24

|Oct high C = 18

|Nov high C = 11

|Dec high C = 4

|year high C = 15

|Jan low C = -4

|Feb low C = -4

|Mar low C = -2

|Apr low C = 3

|May low C = 9

|Jun low C = 14

|Jul low C = 19

|Aug low C = 20

|Sep low C = 15

|Oct low C = 8

|Nov low C = 3

|Dec low C = -1

|year low C = 7

|Jan record low C = -19.6

|Feb record low C = -20.2

|Mar record low C = -16.5

|Apr record low C = -9.3

|May record low C = -2.1

|Jun record low C = 3.7

|Jul record low C = 7.6

|Aug record low C = 10.9

|Sep record low C = 4.1

|Oct record low C = -0.8

|Nov record low C = -5.8

|Dec record low C = -15.2

|year record low C = -20.2

|Jan precipitation mm = 181

|Feb precipitation mm = 145

|Mar precipitation mm = 112

|Apr precipitation mm = 98

|May precipitation mm = 107

|Jun precipitation mm = 131

|Jul precipitation mm = 186

|Aug precipitation mm = 175

|Sep precipitation mm = 153

|Oct precipitation mm = 152

|Nov precipitation mm = 195

|Dec precipitation mm = 211

|year precipitation mm = 1843

|Jan snow cm = 283

|Feb snow cm = 242

|Mar snow cm = 134

|Apr snow cm = 20

|May snow cm = 0

|Jun snow cm = 0

|Jul snow cm = 0

|Aug snow cm = 0

|Sep snow cm = 0

|Oct snow cm = 0

|Nov snow cm = 28

|Dec snow cm = 168

|year snow cm = 878

|source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency[http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/monthly_s3_en.php?block_no=47520&view=1 Shinjo Station], Japan Meteorological Agency

|date=August 2010

}}

{{Weather box

|location = Sakata, Yamagata

|collapsed = yes

|metric first = yes

|single line = yes

|Jan record high C = 15.5

|Feb record high C = 21.6

|Mar record high C = 22.6

|Apr record high C = 28.6

|May record high C = 31.3

|Jun record high C = 31.8

|Jul record high C = 36.9

|Aug record high C = 40.1

|Sep record high C = 35.1

|Oct record high C = 30.9

|Nov record high C = 24.2

|Dec record high C = 19.0

|year record high C = 40.1

|Jan high C = 4

|Feb high C = 4

|Mar high C = 8

|Apr high C = 14

|May high C = 19

|Jun high C = 23

|Jul high C = 27

|Aug high C = 29

|Sep high C = 25

|Oct high C = 19

|Nov high C = 13

|Dec high C = 8

|year high C = 16

|Jan low C = -1

|Feb low C = -2

|Mar low C = 1

|Apr low C = 5

|May low C = 11

|Jun low C = 16

|Jul low C = 20

|Aug low C = 21

|Sep low C = 17

|Oct low C = 10

|Nov low C = 5

|Dec low C = 1

|year low C = 9

|Jan record low C = -16.9

|Feb record low C = -12.8

|Mar record low C = -9.9

|Apr record low C = -3.7

|May record low C = -0.2

|Jun record low C = 7.5

|Jul record low C = 9.5

|Aug record low C = 13.2

|Sep record low C = 7.0

|Oct record low C = 1.4

|Nov record low C = -5.1

|Dec record low C = -12.5

|year record low C = -16.9

|Jan precipitation mm = 153

|Feb precipitation mm = 115

|Mar precipitation mm = 104

|Apr precipitation mm = 106

|May precipitation mm = 117

|Jun precipitation mm = 128

|Jul precipitation mm = 186

|Aug precipitation mm = 176

|Sep precipitation mm = 185

|Oct precipitation mm = 174

|Nov precipitation mm = 224

|Dec precipitation mm = 202

|year precipitation mm = 1861

|Jan snow cm = 138

|Feb snow cm = 120

|Mar snow cm = 43

|Apr snow cm = 1

|May snow cm = 0

|Jun snow cm = 0

|Jul snow cm = 0

|Aug snow cm = 0

|Sep snow cm = 0

|Oct snow cm = 0

|Nov snow cm = 10

|Dec snow cm = 64

|year snow cm = 375

|source 1 = Japan Meteorological Agency[http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/monthly_s3_en.php?block_no=47587 Sakata Station], Japan Meteorological Agency

|date=August 2010

}}

Image:Persimmons yamagata 2005-10.JPGs in October, Yamagata Prefecture.]]

Image:YamagataCherries.jpg, such as these, often sell for US$30 per pound or more.]]

Yamagata Prefecture is the largest producer of cherries and pears in Japan. A large quantity of other kinds of fruits such as grapes, apples, peaches, melons, persimmons and watermelons are also produced.

File:Yamagata prefecture population pyramid in 2020.svg

As of October 2020, Yamagata Prefecture had a population of 1,068,027.{{Cite web|title=Yamagata (Japan): Prefecture, Cities, Towns and Villages - Population Statistics, Charts and Map|url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/japan/yamagata/|access-date=2021-12-24|website=www.citypopulation.de}} As of October 2019, 33.4% of the population was over 65 with 15.5% aged between 65 and 74 and 17.9% over 75.{{Cite web|date=October 1, 2019|title=Current Population Estimates as of October 1, 2019|url=https://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/jinsui/2019np/index.html}} This is an increase of 8.5% over census data from 2004 where 12.8% of the population was aged between 65 and 74, and 12.1% was over 75.{{Cite web |archive-date=20 May 2005 |title=2004np |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050520130548/https://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/jinsui/2004np/zuhyou/15k16-12.xls |url=https://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/jinsui/2004np/zuhyou/15k16-12.xls |format=xls |access-date=5 March 2023}}

Yamagata prefecture experienced its greatest growth period following the end of World War II, but then quickly began to slow down and eventually decline steadily.{{Cite web|date=October 1, 2020|title=Statistics Bureau of Japan|url=https://www.stat.go.jp/english/index.html}} Today, the population is nearly the same as it was in 1930.

{{Historical populations

| 1890 | 742,600

| 1920 | 969,000

| 1930 | 1,080,000

| 1940 | 1,119,000

| 1950 | 1,357,347

| 1960 | 1,321,000

| 1970 | 1,226,000

| 1980 | 1,252,000

| 1990 | 1,258,000

| 2000 | 1,244,147

| 2010 | 1,168,924

| 2020 |1,068,027

|align = none

| footnote =

}}

Yamagata City is the central hub for Yamagata Prefecture and has many shops and restaurants around its main station. It is also the location with the most western hotels and the primary place of lodging for visitors visiting this region. This city serves as a good hub to visit the surrounding cities and towns around this prefecture with bus lines and train lines linking almost every part of Yamagata from the station.

There are also many bars near the station giving this city a good night life for visitors to enjoy at the front of the station as well as the nanukamachi district in the downtown area of the city. {{cite web | url=https://thehiddenjapan.com/yamagatacity/ | title=Yamagata City | date=9 May 2022 }}

Yamagata Prefecture has a number of annual festivals and events.

The largest is the Yamagata Hanagasa Festival (花笠祭り) which takes place in Yamagata City on the first weekend in August, when thousands of people perform the hanagasa dance in the city centre and attracts up to 300,000 spectators. Yamagata City is the home of the bi-annual Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival in October.

In February, a snow lantern festival is held in Yonezawa at the Uesugi Shrine. Hundreds of candle-lit lanterns light pathways dug into the snow around the shrine. Yonezawa is also the site of the Uesugi Festival (上杉祭り, uesugi matsuri) in mid-spring. The festival's highlight is a re-enactment of the Battle of Kawanakajima on the banks of the Matsukawa River.

In September, Yamagata Prefecture is famous for its imoni, a taro-root stew popular in Northern Japan during the autumn. Imonikai, taro-root soup parties, are very popular during this season, and many tourists come to Yamagata Prefecture specifically for its particular style of imoni.

Beginning in 2003, Yamagata city officials with the aid of Tōhoku University of Art and Design began a three-year project in which the Buddhist art of the city's temples would be catalogued and compared to a set of guidelines in order to identify "cultural assets".{{cite news|title=Yamagata: City unearths wealth of Buddhist Treasure |work=The Asahi Shimbun |date=December 5, 2006 |url=http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200612050117.html }}{{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} One hundred and ninety temples have had their works of art examined and several significant examples of Buddhist sculpture have been discovered. At Heisenji Temple, in the Hirashimizu district, a particularly rare statue, a seated Vairocana Buddha made from zelkova wood, was found. Other significant works include sculptures from the Heian period (794–1185) and Kamakura period (1192–1333).

The Yamagata Museum of Art, located in Yamagata City, was opened in 1964 through the efforts of a foundation led by Yoshio Hattori, the president of Yamagata Shimbun and Yamagata Broadcasting Co, Ltd. The permanent collection consists of three types of art: Japanese and Asian, regional, and French. Special exhibitions are held periodically.

Yamagata Prefecture is known for its local dialect Yamagata-ben, sometimes thought of as backward sounding in other parts of Japan. The 2004 movie Swing Girls (スウィングガールズ), co-written and directed by Shinobu Yaguchi, is set in Yamagata and makes use of Yamagata-ben for comedic purposes.

File:NDsoftstadium0628 2.JPG, home of Montedio Yamagata.]]

The sports teams listed below are based in Yamagata.

Football

• Montedio Yamagata

Volleyball

• Pioneer Red Wings (Tendō)

Basketball

• Passlab Yamagata Wyverns

• Shonai Airport (Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo by All Nippon Airways)
• Yamagata Airport (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo by Japan Airlines)

{{Div col}}

• Aterazawa Line
• Flower Nagai Line
• Ōu Main Line
• Rikuu East Line
• Rikuu West Line
• Senzan Line
• Uetsu Main Line
• Yamagata Shinkansen
• Yonesaka Line

{{Div col end}}

The temple of Yama-dera, carved into the mountainside near the city of Yamagata, is a major attraction.

The Dewa Sanzan are three holy mountains that form a traditional pilgrimage for followers of the Shugendō branch of Shintō. The famous Gojudo (five-story pagoda) is at the base of Mount Haguro, the lowest of the three mountains.

Mount Zaō is a famous winter ski resort, also known for its snow monsters (frozen snow-covered trees) in the winter, and the Okama crater lake, also known as the Goshiki Numa (Five Color Lake) because its colour changes according to the weather.

Ginzan Onsen (銀山温泉) is a Silver Mountain hot spring town located in the mountains of Obanazawa City, Yamagata Prefecture. The area originally developed around a silver mine.

File:220430 Bunshokan Yamagata Yamagata pref Japan01s3.jpg|Former Yamagata Prefectural Office

File:Yamadera 2004-11.JPG|Yamadera niōmon

File:Hagurosan Gojunto 2006-A.jpg|Mount Haguro, The Gojuto Pagoda

File:Ginzan Onsen 2019 no.3.png|Ginzan Onsen Spa

File:220430 ZaoOnsen Yamagata Yamagata pref Japan02s3.jpg|Zaō Onsen Ski Resort

• Okitama Times [https://web.archive.org/web/20070116044023/http://www.okitamatimes.co.jp/]
• Shonai Nippo
• Yamagata Shimbun [http://yamagata-np.jp/]
• Yonezawa Shimbun

• Rhythm Station (JFN)
• SAY TV (FNN)
• TUY TV (JNN)
• YBC TV and Radio (NNN, JRN, and NRN)
• YTS TV (ANN)

• Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival{{cite web|url=http://www.yidff.jp/home-e.html |title=YIDFF Official Site |publisher=Yidff.jp |access-date=2014-02-14}}

Yamagata is pictured in the 1991 Studio Ghibli film Only Yesterday directed by Isao Takahata.

{{notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

• Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2QnPijAEmEC Japan encyclopedia.] Cambridge: Harvard University Press. {{ISBN|978-0-674-01753-5}}; [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/58053128?referer=di&ht=edition OCLC 58053128]

{{Commons category|Yamagata prefecture}}

• [http://www.pref.yamagata.jp/ Yamagata Prefecture Official Website] {{in lang|ja}}

{{Coord|38|26|N|140|8|E|scale:500000|display=title}}

{{Yamagata}}

{{Regions and administrative divisions of Japan}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Tōhoku region

Category:Prefectures of Japan