A mountain ascetic based in Tohoku. His life passes along with the mountains and festivals of the four seasons. As an artist, he participated in the Yamagata Biennale, Setouchi International Art Festival 2016, and other prestigious events. His book “Yamabushi-to-boku (A mountain ascetic and me)” is published by LittleMore.

Mt. Yudono has long been considered a sacred place that should not be asked after or spoken about, and taking photos is also prohibited. Basho Matsuo, a famous poet, is said to have shed tears when he visited Mt. Yudono. It still keeps its allure.

Rice. Mt. Gassan is considered a symbol belonging to one’s hometown by people living in Yamagata. It also has a deep relationship with rice. Kameno-o, a particular species of rice, is known as a legendary rice for brewing sake  (You may have heard of it from the manga “Natsuo’s Sake”).

There are too many good kinds of sake in Yamagata to decide on No.1, but Asahitaka of Takagi Brewery is inexpensive but has a good taste, and is loved by local people. I often drink it at a tavern.