The Shonai Plain has beautiful rural scenery and is surrounded by a diverse natural environment, including the rocky coastlines and sandy beaches along the Sea of Japan, the snowy Dewa Mountains, and gushing hot springs at various locations. Tsuruoka City has been recognized as Japan’s first UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy with its diverse food culture, including rice cultivation developed over generations of dedication, approximately 60 kinds of heirloom crops, seasonal local foods, meals for special occasions that have been passed down in each family, and dishes that embrace a spirit of respecting and appreciating nature.
The structure of the castle town has been preserved in the present day, and the city has many historic sites, including the former Shonai domain Chidokan school and the Western-style buildings of the Meiji period. In addition, along with the castle town culture that respects scholarly research since the Edo period, there is a diverse and multilayered cultural structure. This includes mountain worship such as Dewa Sanzan and Haguro Shugen, both recognized as Japan Heritage properties, the silk industry— centered on the Matsugaoka Reclamation Site and developed by samurai after the Meiji Restoration, replacing swords with hoes—folk culture such as Kurokawa Noh, and rural culture in the farming, mountain, and fishing villages.
In this course, we will focus on the rich environment of Tsuruoka City and the Shonai region, learn how to enjoy nature and cultures through first-hand experiences, and discuss the ideal living environment and way of life.