"Sharrie's Zao Odyssey" a Zao-san Travel Page by Sharrie

This is a page about ZAO & Okama; located not in Yamagata the city, but in Yamagata the prefecture.

I've always been enchanted & fascinated by volcanoes & crater lakes; fire & tranquility. Naturally, when I stumbled upon such a beautiful volcanic crater lake in one of my favorite countries (i.e. Japan) my first instinctive response was to make a date with it. Nothing new here ;-). What I didn't expect to experience was the challenge it presented upon arrival & the satisfaction I got from confronting my own fears. Yeah, it was frightful to be going down all the way & to be the last one to get back up. I was so charmed that I just sat there right at the edge of the wooden fence & absorbed the panorama; not realising that everyone who has come this way has left! As the climb down & up are not on concrete pathways but patches of bushes & rocks, accidents can happen. Not sure if anyone ever fell, neither was I happy to entertain the idea of me falling into the lake (no matter how beautiful it is)! So, I took my time to climb back up & the sense of achievement was overwhelming when I reached the top! I finally made it! Hmmm, it certainly was a great challenge! & What a feeling!!!

---

Facts about Yamagata Prefecture

---

Capital: Yamagata.
Population: 1,256,000.
Area: 9,323 sq. km.
Prefectural Flower: Safflower.
Prefectural Wood: Cherry.
Prefectural Bird: Mandarin duck.
Main Events: Hanagasa Festival.