[Yamagata] A historic agricultural warehouse complex that is still in use today, “Sankyo Soko”

Meiji era agricultural warehouse

Sankyo Soko is located in Sakata City, a city in the northern part of Yamagata Prefecture, and is a symbol of Shonai, a rice-producing region. This warehouse was built in 1893 to store rice, and is still in use as an agricultural warehouse.

Photo by f_a_r_e_w_e_l_l – SANKYO SOUKO 3(2008) / Size-adapted.

The 12 warehouses are all built with white walls and earthen storehouses, giving a sense of history and reminding us of the nostalgic image of Japan. The tree-lined path, which is made up of 36 zelkova trees that are over 150 years old and creates a spectacular view, is actually used to protect the rice from moisture. The roof has a double layered structure that has an insulating effect, and you will be surprised by the two-tiered system that combines zelkova to maintain a low temperature. It is a structure that can be said to be the crystallization of the wisdom of ancient people's lives.

As a facility that conveys the history of Sakata City as a thriving rice shipping port, it is also used as one of the city's leading tourist attractions. It was also once used as a filming location for the NHK morning TV drama series "Oshin." The local tourist association distributes maps of the filming locations, so use the maps to visit the filming locations and enjoy the world of Oshin.

The white-walled storehouses that are the symbol of Sakata City and the rows of rows of zelkova trees are beautiful and attract many people. Its scenery has been praised so much that Yamagata Prefecture has selected it as one of the ``Yamagata Scenery Stories - 33 Recommended Viewpoints''. On the premises of the facility, you can see the Sakata City Tourism and Product Center ``Sakata Yume no Club'' where local specialties are displayed and sold, as well as materials such as the history of agriculture and rice cultivation in Shonai and the tools used. The Shonai Rice History Museum is attached, and it is crowded with many travelers and tourists.

To access Sankyo Soko, take the Joetsu Shinkansen from Tokyo to Niigata Station. From there, take the limited express "Inaho" bound for Akita and get off at JR Sakata Station. It is located 5 minutes by car from Sakata Station. In addition, the parking lot can accommodate up to 27 cars, so you can also visit by car. By car, it is approximately 15 minutes by car from Sakata IC on the Nihonkai-Tohoku Expressway.

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