Protecting the 'Blood of Yuza': Yuza Town, Yamagata Prefecture

摘要

Yuza, located in the northernmost part of Yamagata Prefecture facing the Sea of Japan, is a town of some 20,000 people. Mt. Chokai, a majestic mountain in the Tohoku region, towers behind it as a backdrop. Many dear streams originating on Mt. Chokai flow through the town. Rice is the principal agricultural product in Yuza, while sake brewing and fishery, including the artificial incubation of salmon, are also flourishing. It's no exaggeration to say that the town owes these industries almost entirely to the water that comes down from Mt. Chokai.