Yamagata–based travel specialist The Hidden Japan has launched a new collection of multi-day tours showcasing local crafts and hands-on experiences unique to Niigata and Yamagata prefectures.
All tours start in Tsubame-Sanjo, Niigata, and finish in Sakata City, Yamagata and are designed primarily for travelers seeking intellectually stimulating, authentic cultural experiences, particularly tourists from Western countries.
Experiences cater to a wide range of interests, including martial arts, sake, hot springs, ceramics, weaving, gastronomy and more.
Tokyo is well linked to Yamagata and Niigata prefectures by bullet train, making northeastern Japan an ideal off-the-beaten-path region for travelers seeking less crowded destinations
Why visit Niigata and Yamagata Prefectures?
Niigata Prefecture is best known for its sake, rice, and snow. Yamagata Prefecture is famous for the yamabushi of Dewa Sanzan, and the snow monsters and ski slopes of Mount Zao. But this is only the tip of the iceberg. With their new fully-guided tours linking these prefectures, travel specialist The Hidden Japan hopes to shine the spotlight on the lesser-known cities of Tsubame and Sanjo in Niigata, and Tsuruoka and Sakata in Yamagata.
Located along the northwestern coast of Honshu, these cities share a long history based on trade and exchange, with connected yet distinct cultures and traditions. According to Saori Yamashina, CEO of The Hidden Japan, visiting both regions allows for a deeper experience of the culture, history, and people, each tour a journey with its own distinct and compelling narrative.
Deep dives into craft, cuisine and culture
The tours have been designed primarily for travelers who seek authentic, intellectually stimulating cultural experiences on their travels, particularly tourists from Western countries. Yamashina notes that the tours can be experienced as is, but individual elements of the tours can also be combined using a mix-and-match approach for bespoke tours.
Niigata and Yamagata are home to some of Japan’s most skilled craftspeople and artisans, with Tsubame-Sanjo in particular widely recognised as a center for craftsmanship. Proximity to the Sea of Japan as well as the rich soils of the Shonai Plain have nurtured rich culinary traditions, while the Dewa Sanzan mountains have for centuries attracted those making spiritual pilgrimages.
With Tsubame-Sanjo being less than two hours from Tokyo Station by bullet train, the tours are an excellent and convenient add-on to itineraries beginning in Tokyo.
Beyond the Sushi Bar: The Foundations and Future of Japanese Cuisine
A five-day, four-night tour with a strong emphasis on gastronomy, craft, and hands-on experiences. Learn to sharpen knives from blacksmiths, harvest vegetables alongside farmers, and make your very own dashi (fish stock) blend. Catch and prepare your own fish with a local fisherman. Visit sake breweries, a pickle maker, and a maiko geisha teahouse. Delicious meals and hospitality in Japanese-style hot spring inns.
The Artisans of Uetsu: Encounters with Silk, Steel, and More
A four-day, three-night tour with a strong emphasis on craftsmanship in the Uetsu region. Marvel at metalworking, see the construction of kitchen knives and hammered copperware, and create your own paper knife. Immerse yourself in samurai silk traditions. Visit sake breweries and vineyards. Shop for top-quality crafts and sew your own ornaments. Delicious meals and accommodation in Japanese-style hot spring inns.
Soul of Uetsu: Spirituality and Cuisine Shaped by Nature
A four-day, three-night tour introducing the Uetsu region’s culture, cuisine, and spiritual traditions, with an element of physical activity through walking and cycling tours. Slurp se-abura (back fat) and Sakata ramen, sample seasonal delicacies at a fish market, and stroll around spiritual sites. Hike up Mount Haguro with a yamabushi priest, savor the spiritual shojin ryori cuisine of the mountains, and meditate with a temple abbot. Hop on an e-bike and explore Sakata. Delicious meals and hospitality in Japanese-style hot spring inns.
For detailed itineraries, please visit the respective tour pages at The Hidden Japan’s website.
Introducing the cities and regions
Tsubame-Sanjo, Niigata
- A major industrial cluster area comprising the cities of Tsubame and Sanjo
- Combined population of about 180,000 people
- Has over 5,000 small/medium-sized metalworking and manufacturing companies
- Tsubame is known for copperware, fine engraving, cutlery
- Sanjo is known for kitchen knives, blades, tools
- Accessible from Tokyo in under two hours via bullet train
Tsuruoka, Yamagata
- A rural agricultural city along the coast of Yamagata
- Official population of about100,000; around 34,000 people in central Tsuruoka
- Japan’s first UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy
- Home to the Dewa Sanzan (Three Holy Mountains of Dewa)
- Accessible from Tokyo in under four hours via bullet and local trains or by domestic flight
Sakata, Yamagata
- Yamagata’s main port city and historical major centre for kitamaebune coastal trade during Edo period (1603-1868)
- Official population of around 97,000 people
- Major producer of high-grade rice and sake
- Leading producer of safflower
- Highest ramen consumption rate in Japan
- Accessible from Tokyo via Niigata in under 4 hours by bullet and express trains, or by domestic flight
Uetsu, Niigata/Yamagata
- “Uetsu” (羽越) refers to the historical provinces of Dewa (出羽) and Echigo (越後).
- Today, Uetsu officially encompasses ten areas near the Sea of Japan’s coastlines in Akita, Yamagata, and Niigata Prefectures
- In Yamagata, these include Tsuruoka City, Shonai Town, and Sakata City
Extraordinary adventures
Thanks to factors such as an increasing consumer awareness of overtourism and a growing interest in sustainable travel, the Tohoku region has received more attention as a travel destination in recent years.
In January, the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) revealed that the number of international visitors to Japan in 2024 reached record heights of 36.9 million, 15.6% more visitors than the previous record of 31.9 million in 2019.
Furthermore, research by the JTB Foundation and Development Bank of Japan suggests that up to 30% of foreign visitors have personally experienced the effects of overtourism; and moreover, that 70% of respondents surveyed take sustainability into consideration when choosing travel destinations.
In a region with very few tour companies catering to English-speaking visitors, their commitment to hiring locals and building strong relationships with artisans and small businesses has made The Hidden Japan one of the leading tour operators in Yamagata and the Tohoku region.
Both Yamagata and Niigata have a wealth of culture and traditions still little-known to travelers, along with a rich culinary history, stunning landscapes, and friendly residents.
Japan is at the top of the list of countries many people want to visit, and recent international coverage has spotlighted the Tohoku region as an underrated, off-the-beaten-path travel gem. Pieces on the newly-opened 1,000-km-long walking path, the Michinoku Coastal Trail, have appeared in the South China Morning Post and BBC Travel, while Mountain Watch has highlighted the region as a must-visit for snow and winter sports lovers.
ABOUT The Hidden Japan LLC
Established in 2018, The Hidden Japan is an inbound tourism company aiming to offer travelers deep Japan experiences alongside local masters with a focus on culinary, craft, and outdoor experiences.
CONTACT INFO
The Hidden Japan (Japanese/English)
Saori Yamashina & Derek Yamashita (available for interview)
Sakata Head Office: 2-26-20 Shinbashi Sakata City, Yamagata
Yamagata Branch Office: 1-A Q1 Yamagata Creative City Center, 1-5-19 Honmachi, Yamagata City
Phone: 023-678-8686
Email: info@thehiddenjapan.com
Hours: Mon–Fri 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
© Japan Today
No Comment
Login to comment