1. Yume-Area

The Mogami Wide-Area Exchange Center Yume-Area is a complex facility directly connected to the JR Shinjo Station that was constructed in 1999 in conjunction with the extension of the Yamagata Shinkansen bullet train line to Shinjo.

It is positioned as a symbol of this region, which has developed while valuing its integration with the countryside and nature, and is also an information base for the eight municipalities in the Mogami area.

Taken from the official website

Yume-Area is a facility packed with the charms of Shinjo and the wider Mogami area. On the first floor, there is the Mogami Information Center that provides tourist information, the Mogami Bussankan where souvenirs are sold, and a meeting place. There is the flower and green exchange plaza that is perfect for flowers and greenery, the Yume-Area Railway Gallery that is popular with children and railway fans, and on the second floor there is the Shinjo Mogami Manga Museum of manga that is unique to Shinjo and Mogami.

This time, we will introduce the following facilities in detail.

[1st floor facilities]
● JR Shinjo Station
● Information Hall
● Yume-Area Railway Gallery
● Mogami Information Center
● Coworking Space
● Yume-Area Office
● Mogami Bussankan
● Flower and Green Exchange Plaza (café arikA)

Taken from the official website

[2nd floor facilities]
● Shinjo Mogami Manga Museum
● Hall Abeige

2. JR Shinjo Station

First, I would like to introduce JR Shinjo Station, which is directly connected to Yume-Area.

JR Shinjo Station opened in 1903.

Since its opening, it has played an important role as a transportation hub for Shinjo and the wide Mogami area.

・Station with unusual structure

Shinjo Station is the terminal station of the Yamagata Shinkansen bullet train.

Tsubasa, the Yamagata Shinkansen, is known as a mini Shinkansen that runs on the Ou Main Line, a conventional line.

It is very convenient, taking about three and a half hours from Tokyo Station without changing trains, and attracts many tourists from the Tokyo metropolitan area.

The photo is of the E3 series, but new E8 series vehicles are scheduled to be introduced one after another from spring 2024!

Three conventional lines serve Shinjo Station: the Ou Main Line, the Rikuu East Line, and the Rikuu West Line.

By the way, Shinjo Station is a station with a very unusual structure.

Shinjo Station has platforms up to Platform 5, including the Shinkansen bullet train, but there are actually no stairs or underground passages.



Both the conventional lines and the Shinkansen lines have stops on the first floor, and each platform is connected by the same platform.

Platform 1: Yamagata Shinkansen bullet train/Ou Main Line (Yamagata/Fukushima/Tokyo direction)
Platform 2: Yamagata Shinkansen bullet train/Ou Main Line (Yamagata/Fukushima/Tokyo direction)
Line 3: Rikuu West Line (toward Furuguchi, Amarume, Sakata), Ou Main Line (toward Mamurogawa, Yuzawa, Yokote, Omagari, Akita)
Line 4: Ou Main Line (toward Mamurogawa, Yuzawa, Yokote, Akita)
Line 5: Rikuu East Line (toward Naruko Onsen/Furukawa) (towards Mamurogawa, Yuzawa, Yokote, Akita)

Therefore, you can transfer to the conventional line from Shinkansen line without using stairs.

Also, the gauge (width between rails) of the mini Shinkansen is the same as that of the Tohoku Shinkansen (1,435 mm). Therefore, it is not possible to connect directly to other conventional lines that have a normal (1,067 mm) gauge.

It may be a little hard to tell from the photo, but can you see that the rail is narrower than the previous photo?

This is a sight unique to Shinjo Station ♪

In addition, there are other historically valuable railway facilities remaining within the station grounds, such as the red brick engine shed and turntable that were built at the same time as the station opened.

·Ticket Office (Midori-no-madoguchi)

There is a ticket office in front of the ticket gate.

·Waiting room

There is a waiting room next to the counter, which holds chairs, lockers, and even a private shared office called STATION BOOTH that you can use in 15-minute increments when you have an urgent meeting or work.

It’s nice to have a desk, power supply, monitor, etc.

·Convenience store

There is NewDays in the back of the waiting room, where they sell Yamagata souvenirs and the popular ekiben lunchbox Yonezawa Specialty Beef Domannaka!

I’m so happy that I can enjoy that deliciousness while staying at Shinjo Station ♪

3. Introducing Yume-area

From here, I will introduce Yume-area

・Information gallery

In the plaza in front of the ticket gate, floats from the Shinjo Festival, which was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016, are on display.

Many people can’t help but admire the gorgeous floats.

The Shinjo Festival is a festival that has continued for over 260 years since 1756 in the middle of the Edo period. The Shinjo Domain was hit by an unprecedented famine at the time, and the festival was held at Tenmangu Shrine to energize the people.

Held for three days from August 24th to 26th every year, about 20 dazzling floats handmade by local residents parade through Shinjo City.

In 2019, 560,000 tourists from within and outside the prefecture visited, and the city has been attracting even more attention since being registered with UNESCO.

・Yume-Area Railway Gallery

The next thing we would like to introduce is the Railway Gallery located at the Mogami Experience Center.

Many photographs, goods, and dioramas from the time when the city flourished as a “railway town” are on display.

Admission is free. It seems that it is open all year round from 9:00 to 18:00.

Let’s dive in!

The first thing that caught my eye was this SL model.

Officially called the “D51 steam locomotive,” it is affectionately known as “Degoichi”.

This model is a 1/5 scale reproduction of a vehicle that was manufactured in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture and used for many years.

The chimney, driving wheels, and other details have been faithfully reproduced, giving it a presence even though it is a model.

Retro destination boards and headmarks from the JNR era are on display here.

In fact, there are many JNR alumni living in this Shinjo area, and it was given to them by them.

Therefore, in addition to this photo, you can see many other valuable exhibits.

This is a railway diorama created by 20 students from Shinjo Kamuro Sangyo High School.

You can also see dioramas of Shinjo City, Mogami Town, and Tozawa Village.

The charm of each region is condensed tightly and is worth seeing♪

I was surprised at how elaborately the floats at the Shinjo Festival were made! !

I was fascinated by it for a while.

This is an N gauge train model diorama set that was inherited from Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture, which is known as Japan’s oldest station building.

Following the previous diorama, this one is also made with great detail!

When you press the button, the train moves and you can enjoy watching it travel on five routes.

It has a somewhat nostalgic atmosphere.

This is the ticket office that used to be located at the former Karikawa Station in Shonai Town, and has been relocated and renovated as Yumeria Railway.

There were nostalgic items with a Showa retro feel, such as a Dutching machine that prints the date on tickets and a black telephone.

We also rent station staff hats, so you can pretend to be a station staff and take a photo.

And this is “Saruhaneyama 0 series Shinkansen bullet train Yume-Area.

It was actually in operation at Sarubaneyama Amusement Park (1971-1963) in Funagata-cho, next to Shinjo City, and was revived for the first time in 30 years with improved drive systems.

There are rails throughout the museum that the whole family can enjoy.

Hours
10:00~13:00
*Ending time may vary depending on the situation

Closed
1st and 3rd Sunday of every month

Ride experience fee
・Adult 200 yen
・Children 100 yen
・Free for children under 3 years old
*Small children need to be accompanied to ride the train

・Future Creation Warrior Yumerion

Here, I suddenly encountered Yumerion! !

Apparently it was patrolling around here and called out to me★

I was kindly asked to show you around Yume-Area, so from now on I would like to introduce it to you along with Yumerion♪

Before that, who exactly is Yumerion? For those who are interested, here is a little introduction!

A future-creating warrior who appeared to defeat Yandayan, the evil demon of the Dazun Empire who plots to turn humans into evil child monsters called Ignas.

It is said that the eight lights representing the eight cities, towns and villages of the Mogami area are the source, and the souls of these lights dwell in one man, Meguru Mogami.

In addition to appearing at various events to give children energy and courage, they also fly around every day to spread the word about the charm of Yumeria Mogami area!

・Mogami Information Center

So let’s get started!

The first place to start is the Mogami Information and Information Center .

General information center for sightseeing and event information in the Shinjo Mogami area.

Open all-year-long and available from 9:00 to 18:00.

Our resident staff will provide information on the attractions and access of various parts of the Mogami area, and we also offer bicycle rentals and wheelchair rentals for a fee.

We have a wide selection of pamphlets and event flyers for the 8 municipalities, so feel free to stop by if you want to know about sightseeing information!

◆Bicycle rental
<Usage hours>
9:00-17:00 (Reception until 16:00)
<Fees>
300 yen once (cannot be used beyond the rental date)
*There are also items for children *Children under junior high school age must be accompanied by a parent/guardian *Rental may be canceled depending on the weather

・Co-working space

There is a co-working space on the 1st floor of Yume Area.

It costs 100 yen per hour and can be used for up to 2 hours.

In addition to Free Wi-Fi, it is also equipped with power supplies, monitors, etc., and can be used as a place for work or meetings.

A courtyard spreads out in front of you, providing a space where you can relax and work while looking at the green trees and birds flying around.

Yumerion: “I often use this place as well. It’s the best place to think about Mogami’s future.”

・Yume Area Office

At Yume Area Office, you can rent facilities such as Hall Abeige, Yume Area Meeting Room, Flower and Green Exchange Plaza, and Street Gallery, as well as electric kickboards.

It can be used for various purposes such as holding events and seminars, so if you are interested in doing something, please apply.

What we especially recommend is renting an electric kickboard, which can be used to walk around the city or visit sightseeing spots.

Prices start from 1,000 yen per hour, so you can use it quickly and easily.

Free helmet rental is available so you can ride with confidence.

If you are using the service, please check the Yumeria official website .

・Mogami Bussankan

Mogami Bussankan has all kinds of special products from the Mogami area.

It covers souvenirs from eight municipalities.

Open all year long from 8:30 to 18:30.

In addition to mountain vegetables, local sake, local sweets, and traditional crafts, they also sell popular local ramen.

You can also buy lunchboxes made with local ingredients and bread from popular local shops!

・Café arikA Flower and green exchange plaza

After walking around, let’s take a short break here.

arikA will open in the spring of 2023 in a flower and green exchange plaza.

The flower and green community plaza can be used as a meeting place and is also a lively event venue.

The shop was created by making effective use of the space under the landing in the corner, and the idea behind the name was that it would become a place of relaxation for each customer.

Anyone can feel free to stop by as a mini café, and it’s a 1-minute walk from the station ticket gate, so even those waiting for the train can use it with confidence.

I was introduced to the store by Anjiki-san, the store manager with a lovely smile★

Special sweets such as pudding and scones are lined up over the counter.

New products and seasonal limited edition items are also added on a regular basis.

● Rice scone

A scone made with rice flour from Tsuyahime rice.

The rich flavor and moist texture unique to rice flour are irresistible!

You can choose from plain, chocolate chip, maple, Gateau au chocolat, etc. (from 230 yen).

According to the manager of the affordable eatery, the most popular flavor is maple.

There is an oven next to the cash register that you can use freely.

These scones are delicious as is, but if you heat them up for about a minute and a half, they take on a whole new flavor!

So, I tried warming up some maple flavored scones in the oven.

When you eat it, the surface changes to a moderately crispy texture, and the inside feels even more moist!

The maple melted nicely and it was very delicious ♡

It had an addictive taste!

● Edible fruit tea

It’s a dried fruit tea called “TeaEAT” and you can choose from five types, including peach and pineapple.

I’ve tried some samples, but they all have the rich scent of ripe fruit, so I’m having a hard time deciding which one to choose.

Since it’s an edible fruit tea, Naruto is curious about what kind of texture it has.

After thinking about it, I chose “Chardonnay Sweet” this time!

You receive a pot and glass at the counter and pour hot water yourself.

After a while, a nice scent of dried fruits began to waft up.

Nice colorful colors too ☆

It was a hot day so I decided to make ice cream.

A cup where you can feel the sweet taste and refreshing feeling of Muscat at the same time.

When I tried eating the dried fruit with a spoon, I enjoyed its unique chewy texture, and it had a freshness that made me feel like I was eating muscat fruit on its own.

[TeaEAT]
1 bag 10g: 260 yen
Enjoy HOT 360 yen / ICE 400 yen

● Yume-Area Purin

This purin sweets (400 yen) is inspired by Yumerion, and the clear blue color of the caramel part is impressive.

This color is said to be a source derived from a blue flower called “butterfly pea.”

There is also a wide variety of other products on offer, including chocolate and black sesame flavored Yandayan Pudding (390 yen), and Shinjo KURA prin (360 yen), which is becoming popular in the Mogami area.

The Yumerion Set (1,500 yen), which combines three flavors such as chocolate and plain, comes with a Yumerion card!

Near the café, there are books by manga artists connected to Shinjo City that you can freely pick up.

Enjoying relaxing café time while reading manga is a luxury ♡

I hope you will be able to fully immerse your body and mind in the charm of Shinjo♪

◇Business days &Hours

Monday & Tuesday 11:30~16:30

Wednesday to Friday: Closed

Saturday & Sunday: 11:30~16:30

(Open on holidays)

◇ Payment method
Cash only

・Restaurant Cherenko & Pizza Ten.Four

There is also a restaurant called Cherenko and a fast food restaurant Pizza Ten. Four near the flower and green exchange plaza.

Cherenko is a local dishes restaurant that uses ingredients from eight municipalities in the Mogami area, you can enjoy unique local flavors such as Sakegawa mushroom ramen, Shinjo miso ramen, and beef stew ramen (only available in autumn). The name comes from the shout “Cherenkoyassa” used when pulling floats during the Shinjo Festival.

In addition, you can take out freshly baked pizza at Pizza Ten.Four, and if you are nearby, they will also deliver it for your convenience.

・Kamuten Shrine

Kamuten Shrine is located on the 2nd floor of Yume-Area, up the stairs from the ticket gate.

As the name suggests, it is said that “Kamuten” is enshrined here.

“Kamuten” is a tengu that has been passed down in this area, and because there is a legend that it lives on Mt. Kamuro in the northeast of Shinjo City, it is used as the city’s mascot, and the character design was done by Mr. Togashi.

・Montedio Yamagata public viewing

In fact, Yume-Area offers public viewing of all Montedio Yamagata away games.

The event is held in a theater hall that was once used as a movie theater, and not only can you watch the game on a large, impressive screen, but you can also enjoy the excitement of watching the game with your friends!

Even on days when there are no matches, the area is always painted in Montedio colors, and photos introducing the players are also displayed, making it a zone where you can feel Montedio’s enthusiasm.

Yumerion: “Admission is free and anyone can come up to a capacity of 100 people! Would you like to join us in supporting Montedio Yamagata?”

4. Message from Yumerion

Lastly, Yumerion gave a message to everyone reading VISIT YAMAGATA.

Yume-Area is not only a base for disseminating information, but also a great place where you can have fun in a variety of ways, such as relaxing at the café, learning about history, and cheering on soccer fans.

If you come here, you are sure to make new discoveries! I’ll be waiting for you at Yume-Area anytime★

Bringing dreams to the heart and light to the community. A step toward tomorrow creates the future.

Dream on! Yumerion!