Yamagata is famous for its fruits – but there’s one fruit that is a symbol of the prefecture cherries. The ‘Sato Nishiki’ cherry is possibly the most instantly recognizable in Japan and is grown mainly in Higashine.

The cherry fun doesn’t just end with eating them however, there are even events with cherries as the main theme – such as festivals with cherry pip spitting contests and marathons with ‘cherry’ stations for the runners to get a boost in energy.

But it’s not all fruit, Higashine offers fun festival, onsen hot springs, skiing resorts and more for tourists. What’s not to love?

The above video was provided by Higashishine city to give you insight into just what the city has to offer backed with a catchy tune by the local idol group

Check out more about Higashine at the official homepage:
https://www.higashine.com/foreign-visitors/english