Tozawa, village in Mogami District, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
Tozawa is a small village in the Mogami district of Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, surrounded by farmland and crossed by the Mogami River running from east to west. The village has restored old farmhouses, traditional guesthouses, and hot springs nearby.
Tozawa developed over many generations as a farming community built around rice and vegetable growing. In the 17th century, the poet Matsuo Basho traveled through this region and recorded his journey in Oku no Hosomichi.
The name Tozawa is tied to the Mogami River, which has long shaped how people live and work in this area. Walking through the village, you can see locals gathering seasonal plants and preparing foods that have been passed down for generations.
The village is best explored on foot or by bike, as the roads are narrow and easy to manage. A slow walk is enough to take in the restored farmhouses and the surrounding fields.
Visitors can take part in hands-on classes where they knead and cut traditional soba noodles by hand. A local shop sells botamochi, a sweet rice cake filled with red bean paste, which travelers have long picked up as a snack on the road through this region.
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