Sakata Seafood and Hiyoriyama Park: Food Culture of the Port Town Where Kitamae Ships Flourished

Sakata History and Food

Sakata, Yamagata, is a port town that flourished as a Kitamae trading hub between Osaka and Hokkaido in the Edo period, so prosperous it was called the Sakai of the east. Historic buildings and rich seafood from the Sea of Japan give the town the charm of a merchant port at the height of its fortunes.

The History and Prosperity of Sakata

Opening as a port at the mouth of the Mogami River, Sakata thrived on Kitamae trade that carried rice, safflower, and other goods across the country. Wealthy merchants amassed fortunes and culture flourished. Traces remain in merchant houses, restaurant architecture, and former mansions, and visitors can tour sites such as the former main residence of the Honma family, said to have been the largest landowner in Japan during the Edo period.

The Sankyo Storehouse

The iconic sight of Sakata is the Sankyo storehouse, a rice warehouse complex built in 1893. Rows of white-walled earthen storehouses stand behind a promenade of zelkova trees that provide shade and a windbreak. This scene, beloved as a symbol of Sakata, is also known as a filming location for the NHK morning drama Oshin. Devices such as a double roof to prevent damp make it a valuable group of buildings full of the wisdom of earlier generations.

Hiyoriyama Park and Local Seafood

Hiyoriyama Park sits on a rise that once watched over departing ships. It holds a wooden hexagonal lighthouse from the Meiji era and a reconstructed Kitamae cargo ship, and is popular as a spot to watch the sun set over the Sea of Japan. Near the park stands the former Kobata restaurant building, used as a filming location for the film Departures. At Sakata port, visitors can enjoy fresh Sea of Japan seafood such as winter cod and rock oysters.

Getting There

• Nearest station: JR Sakata Station on the Uetsu Main Line, connecting toward Shinjo and Tsuruoka
• Local transport: The city loop bus reaches the Sankyo storehouse and Hiyoriyama Park from Sakata Station
• Sankyo storehouse: About 8 minutes by loop bus from Sakata Station, or about 5 minutes by car
• By car: About 10 minutes from Sakata IC on the Yamagata Expressway into the town center
• Airport: Shonai Airport is nearby, allowing trips combined with Tsuruoka and the Three Mountains of Dewa

Practical Travel Notes

• Best Season: For seafood, winter cod in winter and rock oysters in summer are highlights; the zelkova promenade is loveliest in fresh green and autumn, and sunsets are popular year-round
• Best Time of Day: See the Sankyo storehouse and stroll the town by day, and watch the sunset from Hiyoriyama Park in the evening
• Time Needed: Half a day to a full day touring the storehouse, Hiyoriyama Park, and the Honma former residence
• Nearby Real Spots: Combine the Sankyo storehouse, Hiyoriyama Park, and the Honma former residence with Tsuruoka and the Three Mountains of Dewa in the Shonai region
• Budget: Walking around the Sankyo storehouse is free; budget for museum and mansion admissions and seafood meals
• Food: Beyond port-town seafood, seasonal local dishes such as winter cod soup are worth trying

Tips

Sakata is a port town rich in the history and culture brought by the Kitamae ships and in Sea of Japan seafood. The zelkova promenade at the Sankyo storehouse is especially beautiful in fresh green and autumn, and Hiyoriyama Park is a favorite for sunsets. Fans of the film Departures will find the former Kobata restaurant near Hiyoriyama Park as an associated site. For seafood, aim for winter when cod is in season or summer for rock oysters, and take your time exploring alongside Tsuruoka and the Three Mountains of Dewa in the Shonai region.

📚 Sources

This article draws on the sightseeing guidance published by Sakata City and its tourism and product association, materials on the history of Hiyoriyama Park and the Kitamaebune trading port town, and the explanatory boards at the historic buildings. Opening hours and fees of each facility and the operation of restaurants may change, so please confirm the latest details through Sakata City before visiting. Please also check in advance the exhibition information related to the history praised as Sakai in the west and Sakata in the east.

Visitor Checklist

• Estimated time: About half a day to a full day touring Hiyoriyama Park, the historic buildings, and the port town
• What to bring: Comfortable shoes for walking and clothing suited to the season
• Timing tips: Start at Hiyoriyama Park and tour the historic buildings tied to the Kitamaebune ships
• Highlights: The history of the port town that flourished with the Kitamaebune, Hiyoriyama Park, and the seafood of the Sea of Japan
• Note: Check opening hours at the facilities and keep to good manners while walking

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Sankyo Storehouses / overview: Rice storage warehouses built in 1893 (Meiji 26) by the Sakai family, the former feudal lords. They consist of 12 white-walled, clay-walled buildings with a rice storage capacity of 10,800 tons (180,000 straw bales). Zelkova trees were planted behind them to prevent high temperatures in summer and the buildings were given double roofs to prevent damp inside, making them cold-storage warehouses that embody the wisdom of earlier generations in making use of nature.
• Sankyo Storehouses / current status: They were designated a National Historic Site in March 2021. Nine of the 12 buildings were used as agricultural warehouses until 2022, and in September 2022 (Reiwa 4) they ended their 129-year role as rice warehouses.
• Sankyo Storehouses Information Center: Opened on April 14, 2025 (Reiwa 7), using part of Building No. 12 (the former site of "Sakata Yume no Kura"). Opening hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed from December 29 to January 3, admission free of charge.
• Sankyo Storehouses / notes for visitors: The exteriors of the warehouses can be viewed at any time (illuminated from sunset until 10 p.m.). However, apart from Building No. 12 (information center and toilets), the interiors of the warehouses, the office building and the laboratory building cannot be visited. Part of the zelkova avenue is under protective care to restore the health of the trees, and it may be temporarily closed off in strong winds or when a typhoon approaches.
• Sankyo Storehouses / changes to other facilities: The tourist facility "Sakata Yume no Kura" closed on February 28, 2025 (Reiwa 7) and moved to "Iroha Kura Park," which opened on March 27. The Shonai Rice Historical Museum in Building No. 1 is closed for the time being while the safety of the building is checked.
• Sankyo Storehouses / access: 1-1-20 Sankyo-machi, Sakata City. Nine minutes (15 minutes on some services) from in front of Sakata Station on the municipal Run Run Bus "Sakata Station University Line"; get off at "Sankyo Soko-mae," right at the site.
• Hiyoriyama Park: 1-chome Minami-shinmachi, Sakata City. Open at all times and free of charge. Parking for 106 ordinary cars (including 4 spaces for people with disabilities) and 12 large vehicles. The "Sakata Hiyoriyama Cherry Blossom Festival" is held every April.
• Hiyoriyama Park / wooden hexagonal lighthouse: A Western-style wooden hexagonal lighthouse built at Miyanoura in 1895 (Meiji 28), 12.8 meters tall. It became redundant when a modern lighthouse was completed in the 33rd year of the Showa era, and it is preserved at its present site. The sengokubune sailing ship in the park is a reproduction at half the scale of the real thing.
• Former Main Residence of the Homma Family: Newly built in 1768 (Meiwa 5). Open 9:30-16:30 from March to October and 9:30-16:00 from November to February (these are closing times, not the last admission times). Allow 40 to 50 minutes for a visit. Closed from mid-December to late January and on days when displays are changed (irregular).
• Former Main Residence of the Homma Family / admission: 1,100 yen [990 yen] for adults, 300 yen [270 yen] for junior high and high school students, 200 yen [180 yen] for elementary school pupils (figures in [ ] are group rates for 15 or more people). A combined ticket with the Homma Museum of Art is 2,000 yen (for individuals).
• Homma Museum of Art / opening hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from April to October (last admission 4:30 p.m.), and 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from November to March (last admission 4:00 p.m.).
• Homma Museum of Art / closing days: Open every day from March to November (the exhibition halls may close while displays are changed, but the nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty "Homma Family Villa Garden (Kakubuen)" and "Seienkaku" can still be visited). From December to February it closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (the following day when these fall on a public holiday).
• Homma Museum of Art / admission: 1,300 yen (1,170 yen) for general visitors, 600 yen (540 yen) for high school and university students, free for elementary and junior high school students (revised April 1, 2026). Figures in ( ) are group rates for 15 or more people. Half price for holders of a disability certificate (the holder only). Five minutes on foot from JR Sakata Station.

Note: Regarding admission to the Former Main Residence of the Homma Family, the Sakata City official website still lists 900 yen for adults and 1,700 yen for the combined ticket, which does not match the amounts on the facility's own official website. The amounts from the facility's official website are given in this block. Note: The date on which the Shonai Rice Historical Museum at the Sankyo Storehouses will reopen has not been officially announced. (Sources: Sakata City official website; Sakata Tourism and Products Association official website; Former Main Residence of the Homma Family official website; Homma Museum of Art official website)