Yamagata Vegetarian Food Experiences(5)

Experience the cultural activities and cuisine of beautiful Shonai! During this tour, you’ll visit Kamo Aquarium, enjoy a tasty lunch at a local farmer’s restaurant, and learn how to make e-rosoku candles, a traditional handicraft of the area.

Tsuruoka, recognized as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, has a rich and diverse food culture. Come and learn how to make hinagashi, a Tsuruoka specialty that’s made of sweet bean paste and shaped to look like the area’s local specialties.

Ever wondered how tofu is made? A versatile ingredient that’s beloved by vegetarians, during this workshop you’ll make your own tofu using local Yamagata soybeans, then enjoy a lunch where the ingredient makes a starring appearance.

The Onodera family welcomes you to stay overnight at their 100-year-old farmhouse in Tsuruoka, Yamagata. The only UNESCO-designated City of Gastronomy, in Tsuruoka you can experience an early-morning harvest and a cooking class with seasonal produce.

With instruction from Chef Sawatari, the bilingual owner-chef of an upscale kaiseki restaurant in Yamagata, you’ll learn to make “takikomi gohan,” a rice dish that features abundant local vegetables from the region.