Discovering traditional Japanese music in her father's CD collection as a teenage girl has changed the tracks of Sara Milliot's life. A JET Programme assignment to northern Tsuruoka has led her to discover a deep love for Tohoku, and what's even more important: the incredible local people who readily accepted her as a part of their community! This made her decision to stay there even after her contract ended a really easy one. Working with Tsuruoka's Tourism Bureau she's had many opportunities to explore Japan, she even got to shoot a tv commercial with one of her favourite actresses! Sara shared with us her top tips on getting around Tohoku, why there are so many mummies in the area, secrets of the local cuisine, and what else is hiding in the north, a bullet train ride away from Tokyo.
Hi, could you tell us a little about yourself?
Hi! My name is Sara, I am 27 years old, and I was born in a small village in northern France. I developed a passion for Japan and studied the language for a while at Toulouse University. I went to Tokyo for a year as an exchange student. Soon after, I got my first job as a "Coordinator for International Relations'' under the JET Programme in Tsuruoka City (Yamagata Prefecture). I am currently working as the manager of Tsuruoka Tourism Bureau's business section.
What first got you enthusiastic about Japan?
I was 13. My father is a musician. One day, I found a big box full of CDs in his violin rehearsal room. I randomly grabbed one. On the cover, there was a lady in a pale blue kimono that automatically drew my attention. When I played it, I fell in love with the violin's cheerful rhythms and the language. The song was Omatsuri Mambo by Misora Hibari, a popular enka singer.
I searched for more songs from Misora Hibari on Youtube and discovered the enka music genre. I can't explain why, but I wasn't so much a fan of the male singers. Still, I loved female singers such as Mori Masako, Sakamoto Fuyumi, Kozai Kaori, and Ishikawa Sayuri. Maybe it has something to do with the beautiful kimono and graceful gestures when they are on stage. I soon started to love the Japanese language and decided to learn it by myself.
How did you end up settling in Japan?
After graduating from university, I was granted a chance to study abroad at Waseda University for one year. Living in Tokyo for just one year was an amazing experience; I learned so many things about Japanese culture and the people, but I was craving nature and peace. After that year, I came back home, but I soon missed Japan. I felt that I needed to go back to Japan, but I also knew I wouldn't be happy in Tokyo. I stumbled across the JET Programme's job offers and applied for the CIR position. That year, there were only positions in countryside cities, so it was perfect for me. I got selected, and they placed me in Tsuruoka City (Yamagata Prefecture).
I have worked for 3 years as a CIR at Tsuruoka City Hall, doing tourism promotion amongst many other things. As a part of my job, I had to study the city's history, meet many people, and discover many beautiful places that eventually made it impossible for me to leave the city. And here I am, still working in Tsuruoka City, even after my contract as a JET has ended!
You currently work with the Tsuruoka Tourism Bureau. What would you say makes Tsuruoka special? Do you have any recommendations?
Tsuruoka is much more unique than it looks. It is the only UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in Japan since 2014. The city's food has been shaped by geography of course, (the city is encircled with mountains and the sea), but the mountain-worshipping spirituality left an even bigger print on its culinary customs. The Yamabushi priests of the Dewa Sanzan's sacred mountains have taught people in the plains how to eat the mountain vegetables, called sansai 山菜, which are usually non-edible because of the bitterness. With their knowledge of the mountains acquired from their training there, they developed techniques to take the bitterness away and even make them tasty.
This is one of the characteristics of Tsuruoka's food, it is this desire to avoid "mottainai" (Japanese for "wasteful") that precisely comes from the yamabushi way of thinking: "nature is a god, so nature should not be wasted". For example, Yamabushi priests are the ones who helped make itadori イタドリ edible. Itadori is traditionally used to heal wounds (itami 痛み: “pain”, toru 取る: “to take away”) but is too bitter to eat. To avoid throwing away the parts that were not used as an unguent, the practitioners made it edible by marinating it in salty water. Agriculture also reflects this "nature-worshipping" aspect inherited from the Dewa Sanzan. Farmers prefer to use traditional and environmentally friendly methods to cultivate their vegetables. For example, the Atsumi red turnip is cultivated with the "slash-and-burn technique" on steep slopes, called yakihata 焼畑. Even though it is very troublesome for the farmers, they refuse to replace it with chemical or mechanical treatments. They say there is nothing better to make turnips tasty than to reoxygenate the soil. I'd recommend Saikan, a shojin-ryori restaurant on top of Mt. Haguro, if you are curious about Tsuruoka's food. It is all local, vegetarian and handmade, but you need to contact them beforehand if you need it to be vegan.
Dewa Sanzan, the "Three Sacred Mountains of Dewa" hasn't just influenced the city's food. It is a real cultural treasure that tells the history of the pilgrims who walked its trails for more than 1400 years. It has the oldest wooden pagoda in the Tohoku region (the Five-Storied Pagoda on Mt. Haguro, a National Treasure), but it also has mummies called Sokushinbutsu! Sokushinbutsu are mummies of Shingon Buddhist monks who undertook a severe diet and harsh training to mummify their own body so that they could become Buddhas themselves, to save the people around them.
Out of the 20 sokushinbutsu mummies present in Japan, 11 mummies are those of monks who trained at Mt. Yudono (one of the three sacred mountains of Dewa). There are 8 mummies in Yamagata Prefecture, from which 4 are still kept in Tsuruoka. It is undeniable that Mt. Yudono had something to do with the "boom" of the Sokushinbutsu during the Edo Period (1604-1868). Funnily, we saw many mummies appear around Mt. Yudono (a mountain that belonged to Shingon Buddhism) just after Mt. Haguro had converted to Tendai Buddhism around 1640 and asked Mt. Yudono to do the same (in vain). It could have been a tool for Mt. Yudono's temples to affirm their adherence to Shingon Buddhism and reject Mt. Haguro's influence.
Apart from its gastronomy, sacred mountains, and mummies, there are so many more unique things in Tsuruoka, but I'd need to write a whole book to list all of them.
What do you find the most fascinating about Tohoku culture?
I would say two things: history and people.
The Tohoku region has a very ancient history. Many dogū clay dolls, the first remains of arts in Japan, were found in the Tohoku region. Also, in Aomori Prefecture, there is the Sannai-Maruyama site, the biggest historical site dating from the Jomon Period (Japanese prehistory). History lovers will see many exciting prehistoric relics in the Tohoku region. People interested in the way of life of the matagi people (bear-hunters) could visit the matagi museum in Kita-Akita (Akita Prefecture) or hire a personal matagi guide in Odate City very easily.
Wherever I visited in Tohoku, I found it very easy to connect with the local people. Maybe the lack of tourists in Tohoku makes the people less "worried" about foreigners. Within my first year, the people of Sekikawa village made me a Shinaori-Hime ("Shinaori Princess") to present their ancient wooden weave, the Dewa Sanzan shrine's Head Priest welcomed me in his personal office, grandmas invited me in their homes to have a taste of their handmade food, I had mandarins in a bonsai maker's family house in Fukushima, I had saké with a Yumori (onsen protector) in Dake onsen…
I haven't changed that much since my time in Tokyo, yet I have many more opportunities to connect with people now that I live in the Tohoku region.
How would you recommend someone include Tohoku in an itinerary?
I would say Tohoku is even more enjoyable when visited after the rest of Japan, to appreciate the culture even better. Seeing the simple architecture of Tohoku's shrines and temples after visiting Nara's gorgeous pagodas, for example, makes the contrast even bigger. Tasting Tsuruoka's simple and rustic food after having kaiseki food in Kyoto will make you realize how different food is perceived in rich and poor regions.
Tohoku is easily accessible with the JR Pass. I would recommend using the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Niigata (Uetsu-shinkansen line). Niigata is a good transition to Tohoku, by the way. Niigata has been largely influenced by Kyoto culture thanks to the Kitamaebune merchant road in the 19th century but still has many rice fields and natural spots to see.
Then, go to Tsuruoka in Yamagata Prefecture on the local train to see the Dewa Sanzan. I recommend staying at least 2 nights to hike all the three mountains. Go to Kitaakita or Odate in Akita Prefecture (still JR) to learn about the matagi culture, go to Aomori station in Aomori Prefecture (still JR) to see Sannai-Maruyama's site, go to Ichinoseki Station in Iwate Prefecture (still JR) to see Hiraizumi (a UNESCO World Heritage), go to Ishinomaki station in Miyagi prefecture (still JR) to see Kinkasan's Buddhist mountain islet, then go to Nihonmatsu in Fukushima Prefecture to go to Dake Onsen (still JR). You will have visited all the prefectures in Tohoku!
Tohoku is a slightly unchartered territory for a lot of people. What would be your top tips for logistics when planning a trip there?
It is true it is hard to travel in Tohoku. Very little information in English is available, and most of the info about transportation is obsolete. It is such a pity because there are many places that need to be visited! The best thing to do is to refer yourself to the website of the city where the attraction of your choice is located, and send them your questions. They might have some English-speaking staff to answer your questions.
Otherwise, there is this website of the Tohoku Tourism group that has plenty of information and that you can reach out to if needed.
What have been your biggest adventures in Japan until now?
I had my biggest adventures in Tohoku.
The one that required the most effort and courage would be the Yamabushi training on Mt. Yudono in late October. Two yamabushi monks have you dressed in the shiroshozoku pilgrim robe and explain the purpose of the experience. They make you walk inside Mt. Yudono's wild forests, climb down dangerous ladders stuck in the rocks, cross frozen rivers, and the most important part, they have you take the waterfall training. This is very painful, much more than it looks, but the cold numbs your body, and you very quickly start to accept the pain. The strength of the water that flows right on your head and your neck compresses your chest, which makes it hard to breathe. Yet, you have to shout Buddhist incantations during the whole process. It is a real physical and spiritual challenge. But it feels so good when you accomplish it.
I also very much liked my hike to the Dake Onsen's hot spring source, in Mt. Adatara (Fukushima Prefecture). We had to walk on planks suspended above the void, it was quite dangerous. But at the end, our efforts were rewarded by a pristine hot spring.
Do you have any favourite memorable experiences from your time in Japan?
I had the chance to shoot a commercial for Japan Railway on top of Mt. Haguro with the amazing Yoshinaga Sayuri, a very well-known actress I would never have dreamed of meeting one day. I was delighted to hear she loved Mt. Haguro and already had the shojin-ryori in the past. It felt unreal to spend time on my favorite mountain, in my favorite restaurant, with my favorite actress. I felt I wasn't worthy of all of that.
What’s your favourite spot in Japan and what would you most recommend to someone coming for the first time?
My favourite spot in Japan is without any doubt Mt. Haguro.
When I thought of Tohoku even before coming to Tsuruoka, in my head I had this picture of Haguro's pagoda under the snow. I might have been to Haguro a hundredth time. Yet, I am always amazed by its beauty every single time. Whether you go in the summer, in winter, or on a rainy day, you will see a different face of Mt. Haguro you have never seen before. The light never reflects the same way in the cedar trees, and you will always have a different shojin-ryori every time you eat at Saikan.
Any food recommendations?
You have to try out Dewa Sanzan's shojin-ryori at Saikan's pilgrim lodge, even if you're not a vegetarian. It has been designed to give the pilgrims enough energy during their mountain training, so it is very rich, but includes many medicinal plants I am sure you have never tasted before. It will definitely surprise you.
And of course, because we are right next to the Sea of Japan, I cannot forget to recommend the local fish meals. My favorite one, especially during winter, is the Anko-jiru, an anglerfish-based soup that contains a piece of the fish's liver. It tastes exactly like foie gras.
This month we’re focusing on the word ‘furusato’ meaning ‘home’ not just in terms of where you were born, but also your heart’s ‘furusato’. Where do you consider your spiritual home in Japan?
My heart is in Asahi, an old region that has fused with Tsuruoka a few years ago. I had the most memorable hikes on the Rokujurigoe-kaido trail, long talks with the sokushinbutsu temples in Oami, and delicious sansai meals in Tamugimata. Every time I need some "feel-good" energy, I hike the rokujurigoe-kaido and meet my friends at Oami's temples. There's no better soul medicine than human warmth and nature.
If you are interested in checking what Sara has been up to, take a look at Tsuruoka's Facebook page and Sara's French Youtube channel!
