Yonezawa, Japan Adventures

I had a 9 month consulting assignment in Yonezawa, Japan. Yonezawa is in Yamagata prefecture, and has a population of about 90,000. Yonesawa is about 200 miles north of Tokyo, a 2 hour ride on the shinkansen (bullet train).

I skied at Zao Mountain, a few miles north of Yonezawa. These are Zao Snow Monsters.
Winter in Yonezawa: In Japan, vending machines are often outside. At one time, it was possible to get beer in vending machines.
A real snowblower.
Spring time in Yonezawa: The architecture and landscaping are interesting throughout Japan.
A carved wood turtle at one of my favorite dining places. The carving is about 2 ft by 3 ft.
Yonezawa is in an agricultural area. This tile pattern was repeated in the sidewalks.
Yonezawa has some noted festivals, including the Festival of Lanterns in February.