Located in Yamagata prefecture in the northern Honshu of Japan, Shonai is a beautiful town that holds a wide variety of attractions that was stated to be best in Japan. Regarded as hidden Japan, its rich culture and history are comparable with Kyoto city. Shonai is home to vast nature, freshest food harvest, and some of the best food in Japan. This town also has the only place UNESCO-certified food in Japan, Shojin Ryori Ascetic Cuisine of Tsuruoka.

Airports in Shonai

Shonai Airport

Shonai Airport is one of the main gateways to reach Yamagata prefecture. Passengers will be awed by the fascinating scenery of Shonai Plain rice fields and the Sea of Japan while taking off or touching down. At the moment, only two airlines are operating at the Shonai Airport, which is All Nippon Airways and Jetstar Japan for destinations Tokyo-Haneda and Tokyo Narita. As there is no direct flight available from Kuala Lumpur to Shonai, passengers can take a transit flight to Tokyo before reaching Shonai, which is one hour away by flight. While passengers are at the airport, you can visit souvenir shops within the airport terminal for Shonai specialties and gifts. From the airport, passengers can reach the town center by taking any of the available transportations such as taxis and buses.

How to Get Cheap Flights to Shonai?

Traveloka is a travel search engine that makes it easy for travelers to find the cheapest flights to Shonai.All you need to do is key in the information in the search box, and the application will recommend the best trip according to your budget. It compares flight prices across some trusted airlines to help you to get the best possible deal. Use Traveloka’s price alert feature to be notified of flights in your desired price range to get the best flight price to Shonai.

When is the Best Time to Fly to Shonai?

Summer in Shonai is hot and humid, with the temperature usually the warmest in July and August between 28 to 30 degrees centigrade. Winter is cold and often below zero degrees, especially in January and February. Snowfall is also the highest in these two months. Heavy rainfall is frequent throughout the year, except for spring season which appears to have slightly drier weather. To enjoy your tour around Shonai, visitors can consider spring season as the best time to visit in terms of weather.

The people of Shonai still uphold their traditional cultures by celebrating multiple traditional festivals held throughout the year. The festivals are generally opened to the public for free. For instance, one of Japan's oldest fire festival, Shoreisai Festival, is held every New Year Eve at the peak of Mount Haguro of Dewa Shanzan. Also held in the winter is the Yaya Festival, a ritual of blessings for boys aged between five to fourteen. During summer, the Shonai people conduct Hassaku Shinto Rituals every 31^st August and 1^st September at Mount Haguro for the Hassaku festival. Visitors can also enjoy watching traditional dances in early August at the Sakata Jinku Nagashi Dance Festival. There are also many other interesting festivals in Shonai, including the Akagawa Firework Festival and Sakata Firework Festival in August, Yamagata Snow Festival and the Ikatsuri Festival.

What are the Top 3 Things to Do in Shonai?

Shonai is one of the most visited cities in Japan. Many attractions can be found in Shonai.

Hiyoriyama Park - You can experience one of Japan's most beautiful sunset overlooking the Sea of Japan in Hiyoriyama Park. The park is located on the higher ground and gives an excellent view of the harbor at the mouth of Mogami River. Also, there are Japan's oldest six-sided wooden lighthouse and half-scale of the actual kitamae-bune, a merchant trade ship in this park. Admission is free to access this designated Japan heritage site.

Honma Residence - Honma Clan was once a famous merchant family in Shonai who built their residence in the year 1768. The residence also has an attached samurai mansion from the main building. The well-preserved building displays a beautiful traditional Japanese house. From its one of a kind mix architectural style, it is not a wonder that Honma Residence has earned two stars from Daimyo Michelin Green Guide: Japan. Admission to the residence is only 700 JPY (MYR 27.60).

Maiko Teahouse Soma-ro - Visitors can also experience Japanese culture by visiting Maiko Teahouse Soma-ro, or Soma-ro for short. Soma-ro is a restored traditional restaurant building which now offers local cuisine while performing traditional dances to the visitors. The teahouse also has Hina doll displays, historical arts and crafts that will intrigue you.