Introduction

A seasonal feature of autumn: Imonikai

Imonikai, or imoni party, is a beloved autumn event among locals, especially in the Tohoku region. Imoni is a local stew dish made of taro and meat, either beef or pork depending on the region.

In Yamagata and Miyagi especially, you can see families, friends, locals, schools, workplaces and other groups enjoying imoni parties every autumn on riverbanks and other places.

While imoni parties are held all over the country, Japan’s largest and most dynamic one is the Yamagata Imoni Festival held in Yamagata City every year.

This is the festival that holds the largest imoni party in Japan.

The number one in Japan for both quantity and cooking utensils! (The best in the world?)

Approximately 30,000 servings of imoni will be served at the Yamagata Imoni Festival!

At the 30th edition of the festival held on September 16, 2018, a Guinness World Record was set for the “Most soup served in 8 hours” with 12,695 people served.

And the cooking utensils are also dynamic!

The pot currently in use is the Third Generation Onabe Nabetaro, which is 6.5 meters in diameter .

The ladle used to pour the potato stew is a mobile crane-type backhoe used at construction sites and other such sites.

*Each piece of heavy machinery is disassembled and cleaned, and is carefully maintained for hygiene using cooking oil, etc.

The sight of over 30,000 meals being cooked in one go using large pots and heavy machinery is truly “the best in Japan”!

For those who have not yet been to Japan’s largest imoni party, we encourage you to come and see this dynamic spectacle.

Now, let’s introduce the two plans!

1. Bus departing from Sendai Station ★ Yamagata Imoni Festival (including Imoni Teahouse) A convenient and easy tour to enjoy Yamagata!!

Japan’s largest imoni festival attracts so many people every year that it can be quite a struggle to get to the venue…

Depending on the timing, it can be difficult to get to the venue smoothly, such as having to wait in a long line to catch a shuttle bus to the venue, having trouble finding a place to park when you drive, or having to walk a long distance from the parking lot to the venue.

Therefore, we have created a plan that allows you to go directly from Sendai Station to the venue by chartered bus !

On the way back, you can stop by the Yamagata Prefecture Tourism and Products Center Gutto Yamagata and Roadside Station Yamagata Zao to purchase souvenirs such as Yamagata sweets, local sake, and vegetables delivered directly from the source.

Schedule

[Course A]
08:00 Depart from Sendai Station East Exit
10:00 Participate in the Yamagata Imoni Festival (*Imoni teahouse is open from 10:00 to 11:30)
12:50 Free time at the Tourist and Products Center Gutto Yamagata and Roadside Station Yamagata Zao
15:00 Arrive at Sendai Station East Exit

[Course B]
11:00 Depart from Sendai Station East Exit
13:00 Participate in the Yamagata Imoni Festival (*Imoni teahouse is open from 13:00 to 14:30)
15:50 Free time at the Tourist and Products Center Gutto Yamagata and Roadside Station Yamagata Zao
18:00 Arrive at Sendai Station East Exit

◆Travel fee

Adult (junior high school students and above): 10,000 yen (tax included)
Children (elementary school students and under): 7,500 yen (tax included)

What is included in the tour price?

・Charter bus fare
・Toll road fee
・Bus guide fee
・Parking fee
・Imoni teahouse (paid seating) usage fee
・Yamagata specialty imoni (taro, beef and soy sauce stew), one special menu item, rice ball, water
・Coupon (worth 500 yen) for use at the special sales corner inside the Imoni teahouse

*Free refills of Yamagata specialty imoni (taro, beef and soy sauce stew) only
*Anything not listed above must be paid for at your own expense
*500 yen coupons are only available to adults

Plan Details

① Transportation by chartered bus : Sendai Station to the Yamagata Imoni Festival venue
②  Use of Imoni teahouse : Special venue (tents, tables, and chairs provided)
③  Meal🍴: imoni stew (taro, beef and soy sauce-flavored), one special menu item, rice ball, water, coupon (500 yen)
④ Stop by Yamagata Prefecture Tourism and Products Center Gutto Yamagata & Roadside Station Yamagata Zao

◆ To make the Imoni party even more enjoyable

Once you’ve filled your stomach with imoni, we recommend taking a walk around the venue!

You can enjoy stage events, professional wrestling, and more.

You can also enjoy sweets and other street food items by heading to the food truck and food stall zone.

The venue is large, but please take your time and relax.

◆ Gutto Yamagata・Roadside Station Yamagata Zao

Gutto Yamagata
After leaving the imoni festival venue, we headed to Gutto Yamagata & Yamagata Zao Roadside Station.

Gutto Yamagata is one of the largest tourist and souvenir shops in Yamagata Prefecture.

The spacious store offers a wide range of products, including famous sweets, alcohol, jams and dressings, beef, tsukemono, and crafts!

Among them, the one we particularly recommend is “Yamagata Cherry Kirara.”

This is a cute-looking dish with a whole cherry encased in jelly.

It’s sure to be a welcome souvenir! If you’re interested, be sure to check it out.

Yamagata Zao Roadside Station
Next up is Yamagata Zao Roadside Station.

Gutto Yamagata and Roadside Station Yamagata Zao are connected by a walkway.

There are also four noteworthy shops at the roadside station.

① ESCARGOT ZAO BAUM STUDIO
You can enjoy freshly baked Baumkuchen baked in the roadside station’s workshop.
The lineup includes standard Baumkuchen as well as butter sandwiches made with ingredients typical of Yamagata.

② Yamagata Purin Roadside Station Zao
This is the second store of Yamagata Purin, Yamagata Prefecture’s first pudding specialty store, which uses local ingredients.
We also recommend Zao snow pudding and pudding ice cream, which are only available at roadside stations.

③ TAKAHASHI BEEF FARM
We sell fresh meat delivered directly from our own farm.
In addition, we have a wide range of seasonings to make meat taste even better.

④ SLOWJAM Roadside Station Yamagata Zao Store This is a cafe and sweets shop that embodies the whole of Yamagata.
In addition to popular baked goods, you can also enjoy curry made with Yamagata Prefecture’s cherry chicken.

Bus departing and arriving at Sendai Station ★ Japan’s No. 1 Imoni Festival (including Imoni Teahouse) Convenient and easy Yamagata enjoyment tour!! Reservations here ▼

Make a reservation here
*The above content is an excerpt from [Feature] Gutto Yamagata: If you’re looking for Yamagata souvenirs, this is the place! A tourist souvenir shop recommended by locals and [Feature] Roadside Station Yamagata Zao | ~ Discover something new every time you visit ~ Yamagata City’s first roadside station is born! Please see below for more details.

2. IMONI LOUNGE [Limited to 15 people each]

” Imoni Chaya” is a special corner that is very popular every year, where you can sit down and enjoy your meal at your leisure in a special venue set up in a large tent.

In addition to the regular Imoni Chaya, we also offer a higher-class Imoni Chaya called IMONI LOUNGE .

Why not enjoy Japan’s largest imoni festival in a first-class seat?

*Photos are for illustrative purposes only

・Plan

[AM Lounge] 9:45~11:30 (doors open 9:15)
[PM Lounge] 12:45~14:30 (doors open at 12:15)

·Fee

Adult (20 years old and over) 15,000 yen (tax included)
Junior high school students and under 20 years old: 8,000 yen (tax included)
Elementary school students and younger: 3,000 yen (tax included)

・What is included in the fee

・Use of the special lounge
・Yamagata specialty potato stew (beef with soy sauce) *free refills ・1 special menu item
・Rice balls
・Yamagata meat plate
・Yamagata local sake
・Yamagata local wine
・Yamagata plum wine
・Beer
・Lemon sour
・Whiskey
・Yamagata juice
・Water
・Tsuyahime rice brown rice tea
・Snacks
・Otsukemono
・Coupon for use at Imoni Chaya (500 yen)
*The 500 yen coupon is only available to adults.
*It is subject to change without notice.
*The above image is for illustrative purposes only.

・Contents of this plan

① Use of Imoni Chaya : “IMONI LOUNGE” dedicated special venue (includes tent, Spot cooler, table, sofa chairs)
② Meal🍴: Beef stewed in soy sauce with sweet potatoes (unlimited refills), one special menu item, rice ball, water, coupon (worth 500 yen), Yamagata meat plate, Yamagata local sake, Yamagata local wine, juice, snacks, etc.

◆ Introducing IMONI LOUNGE in detail!

Inside the tent

The IMONI LOUNGE is equipped with luxurious tables and chairs, creating a special atmosphere as if you were on a stylish terrace overseas.

Sturdy tents are set up to ensure a comfortable stay even in rainy weather, and spot coolers are also available, so you can relax without getting wet.

·drink

“Oh, can I drink all of this?”
Amazing! At the IMONI LOUNGE you can drink all you want of Yamagata’s local sake, wine, juice, and more.

The alcoholic beverage lineup is extensive, including sake, wine, beer, whiskey, and lemon sour.

We also have soft drinks and non-alcoholic drinks available, so those who don’t like alcohol or those who are driving can enjoy themselves.

·Food

You can have as many refills of imoni as you like, so you can enjoy it to your heart’s content!

In 2025, we will be serving a delicious Yamagata meat plate .

This is the menu for 2024. (It may be subject to change for 2025.)

You can also eat as much light meals as you like, a feature unique to Yamagata.

This is the menu for 2024. (It may be subject to change for 2025.)

The lineup includes Shine Muscat, Yamagata Prefecture’s soul food “Tamakon,” as well as the addictive “Smoked Egg Sumotchi” and Calpas.

・Events

“Yasho ma kasho!”
Another attraction of IMONI LOUNGE is that you can watch the traditional Yamagata Hanagasa Dance while enjoying your meal.

Only at “IMONI LOUNGE” can you experience a luxurious time.

To make a reservation for “IMONI LOUNGE” click here▼

*The above content is an excerpt from the [Feature] IMONI LOUNGE (Yamagata City) | Upscale Imoni Experience Plan at Japan’s No. 1 Imoni Festival. Please see below for more details.

<<Make a reservation here▼>>