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SPRING TOP > YAMAGATA:Okitama Cherry Corridor    Old and gigantic cherry trees that have survived for generations or have historical interest are scattered along the Yamagata-Tetsudou (Yamagata Railway Flower Nagai Line). It is a local railway that stretches over a distance of 43 kilometers and passes through the famous Akayu Hot Springs of Nanyo City, through Nagai City and Shirataka-machi Town. The corridor that connects the 20 or so famous cherry-viewing sites is named the "Okitama Cherry Corridor." Each tree has its own special background, and speaks eloquently of how each of them has been cherished and cared for by the locals. A number of old and famous cherry trees can be found here including: the "Eboshiyama-Senbon-Zakura (thousand cherry trees at the Eboshiyama mountains)," which is counted among the "One hundred famous cherry viewing spots of Japan," the 1200-year old "Kubo-no-sakura," which is recognized as a national natural treasure, and the "Daimyojin-Zakura of Kusaoka" and the "Yakushi-Zakura," both designated prefectural natural treasures. Bus tours are organized to offer visitors an opportunity to visit several different locations and appreciate different types of cherry trees, and night tours are also available. The best season is mid- through late-April. Nagai thrived thanks to the river transport on the Mogami River. A kimono fabric dealer, "Marudai-Ogiya," has been in business for 300 years since the Edo period. Inside the residence, various daily commodities remain exactly the same as they were in the old days. A huge Edo-Higan-Zakura, which is said to be 800 years old, stands in the town of Shirataka. The tree is the largest in Yamagata. At the Shiro-Tsutsuji-Koen (white azalea park ) of Nagai city, about 3000 white Ryukyu azaleas bloom in late May. Yamagata is famous for growing buckwheat and has its own style of serving buckwheat noodles. In "Ita-Soba," buckwheat noodles are boldly served on a large flat dish made of wood. The appetizing aroma and taste of freshly prepared buckwheat noodles are irresistible. There is a famous buckwheat noodle restaurant "Kakunaga," in the city of Nagai. It has been in operation since the early 1900s, and has steadfastly stuck to its original recipe of "Nihachi-soba," which is made from 80 percent buckwheat flour and 20 percent wheat. Ita-Soba, Yamagata's original buckwheat noodle dish served on a Japanese cedar board. The aroma and the rather firm texture of the buckwheat noodles should not be missed. The recreation of the Battle of the Kawanakajima of 1561 is performed as a finale of the festival on May 3rd each year. It is a famous scene in which Uesugi Kenshin wounds Takeda Shingen from a horse. From April 29th through May 3rd every year, the Yonezawa Kamisugi Festival is held at the castle town of Yonezawa. During the festival, various events are performed, including parades and a reproduction of the war scenes of 1561. Around the Matsugasaki Park, nostalgia-invoking fair stalls offering goldfish scooping, cotton candy, and cockshy, etc. line up and attract many visitors. Uesugi Yozan, the 9th feudal lord of the Yonezawa Domain, was a ruler of virtue who turned around the domain's faltering economy based on the concept of "simplicity and economy." His famous words, "Where there is a will, there is a way" is often quoted.