Over three days and two nights, experience omikoshi, a shrine procession on the sea and local performing arts.
A visit of of two nights and three days is highly recommended to fully appreciate the Yamada Festival. In addition to experiencing the festival’s powerful omikoshi and the sea procession, this morning-to-night itinerary includes discovering local cuisine and venturing into nature.
On day one, enjoy local performing arts on Yoimiya (the evening before the main festival). On day two, relish the nature and food of Yamada while experience the powerful omikoshi procession. On day three, witness the sea crossing of the omikoshi and visit Yamada Bay. This itinerary offers the best of the Sanriku region in the fall, and with inimitable Japanese comfort and hospitality.
Day 1: Sep. 13 (Sat) Start your visit with the taste of Sanriku and the Yoimiya festivities.
08:00 – Leave Tokyo Station by the Tohoku Shinkansen and head to Sanriku. The excitement is starting to build.
10:30 – Arrive at Morioka Station, the gateway to Iwate. This is where the real Iwate adventure begins.
11:00 – Lunch on “Morioka’s three great noodles” of wanko soba, Morioka cold noodles and jaja noodles. Begin the discovery of Iwate through these delicious local dishes.
12:45 – Take a bus from Morioka and head to the coast (arriving at Miyako Station at 15:00). Relish the ever-changing scenery as the bus follows the river to the sea.
16:00 – Arrive at Yamada and check into your accommodation in this picturesque fishing town. The festival is about to kick off.
16:30 – Offer prayers at Yamada Hachimangu Shrine, the beating heart of the festival. Excitement is in the air.
17:30 – At the festival square, enjoy a dinner of street food and local entertainment. With the richly fragrant food and the beat of the drums, the festive mood is growing.
18:45 – At Yamada Hachimangu’s Yoimiya celebrations, enjoy local performing arts and experience the enthusiasm and pride of the region up close.
20:00 – At a local restaurant, experience the “monuchi” custom of local performers bursting into the restaurant and dancing. If you’re lucky, you’ll see this up close.
22:15 – Arrive at your ryokan for a night of relaxation in preparation for the following day’s big event.
Day 2: Sep. 14 (Sun) Discover Yamada nature and cuisine, and feel the power of the omikoshi.
07:30 – Breakfast is a bowl of ramen at Fujishichiya. Charge your batteries for the Yamada Festival with the local dish of “Morning Ra,” a tradition rooted in this fishing town.
08:30 – The Yamada Hachimangu Shrine Festival finally begins. Be sure not to miss the omikoshi as it leaves the shrine.
11:00 – The Sukuiso coast and Akahira Kongo Cliff, one of the highest cliffs in Japan, on the Funakoshi Peninsula are superb places to look out over the the sea.
13:00 – For lunch, gorge on fresh oysters and seafood at an oyster hut, an experience unique to Sanriku.
14:00 – Take a short break at Roadside Station Ibesu near Arakami Beach. One of the simple pleasures of travel is to take a nap in the sea breeze.
15:00 – Experience the thrilling moment at the Yamada Festival when the omikoshi and a float carrying local performers collide.
18:00 – Dine at Takematsuya on regional cuisine brimming with seasonal ingredients that satisfy both stomach and mind.
20:00 – The Yamada Festival reaches its climax with weatherworn fishermen struggling to shoulder the huge omikoshi through the streets.
22:30 – Return to your ryokan and fall into a deep sleep.
Day 3: Sep. 15 (Mon, national holiday) Luxury cruise on Yamada Bay as a finale to this amazing experience
06:30 – Breakfast on local foods to prepare yourself for the final day.
07:30 – Leave the ryokan and head to the shrine amid the beat of drums and the cacophony of flutes.
08:00 – Return to the Yamada Festival, where the omikoshi comes up against floats carrying local performers.
09:00 – The Omikoshi is hoisted onto a boat and carried to Myojinzaki at the mouth of Yamada Bay.
10:00 – Enjoy the beautiful beach on Oranda Island floating in the middle of the bay and see how oysters and scallops are farmed.
11:30 – Stop by Roadside Station Oista for souvenirs of this eventful three days. There are lots of locally made items to choose from.
12:00 – Lunch at the the roadside station and savor the taste of Yamada one more time.
13:00 – After lunch, enjoy a performance of local dance.
14:00 – Depart from Miyako Station (14:45) with memories to last a lifetime.
