Roadside Station “Shirataka Yana Park” – Ayu Chaya is a popular riverside destination located along the Mogami River in Shirataka Town, Yamagata Prefecture. Its main attraction is a tourist yana fishing site on the Mogami River, said to be the largest permanent facility of its kind in Japan.
A yana is a traditional fish-catching structure that uses the natural flow of a river to guide fish such as ayu, or sweetfish, toward a designated catching area. At Shirataka Yana Park, visitors can experience this traditional fishing culture while enjoying ayu dishes, local specialties, fresh agricultural products, and seasonal events.
The signature food is ayu grilled over charcoal with salt. The restaurant offers a variety of dishes featuring ayu, while the riverside shop serves freshly grilled fish that can be enjoyed casually. Sitting beside the Mogami River, feeling the breeze from the water, and savoring freshly cooked ayu is one of the highlights of a visit.
The yana is a traditional fishing method in which a structure is placed across or beside a river so that the current guides fish toward a collection area. The yana at Shirataka Yana Park is regarded as Japan’s largest permanent tourist yana, allowing visitors to experience the powerful flow of the Mogami River at close range.
The period from around late August through September is particularly exciting, as large numbers of ayu migrate upstream. Under favorable conditions, as many as 5,000 ayu may be caught in a single night.
A day after substantial rainfall, when the weather clears, is considered an especially good time to see the yana in action. The increased flow of the river can create ideal conditions for fish to gather around the fishing structure.
Visitors can walk down toward the river to see the splashing water and powerful current from close by. It is an opportunity not only to see ayu but also to experience the river environment in which these fish live.
At the Yana Shop, visitors can enjoy ayu grilled over charcoal with salt, as well as tofu dengaku, a traditional dish in which tofu is coated with a savory miso sauce and grilled.
The shop also sells soft-serve ice cream, juices, beer, and other refreshments. Tables and benches provide a convenient place to relax while enjoying the riverside scenery.
Freshly grilled ayu tastes particularly satisfying when enjoyed beside the yana, with the river flowing directly in front of you and the cool breeze coming off the water. It is also a convenient stop for a light meal or break during a drive.
The Ayu Chaya restaurant specializes in dishes featuring ayu. Popular choices include ayu set meals and ayu sashimi, while local specialties such as deep-fried akebi with miso introduce visitors to the distinctive flavors of Shirataka.
Akebi, or chocolate vine, is a traditional edible plant associated with the region. The restaurant also serves dishes featuring plenty of mountain vegetables and handmade soba noodles, offering rustic local flavors with a nostalgic character.
In winter, the restaurant also features “kanpu-boshi ayu,” ayu preserved by drying it in the cold winter wind. The seasonal preparation provides another way to appreciate the flavor of ayu throughout the year.
The shops at the roadside station offer a selection of locally grown agricultural products and regional specialties from Shirataka Town.
Fresh vegetables and fruit are available alongside processed ayu products, local foods, and souvenirs. It is a convenient place to shop for regional flavors to take home as a memento of your journey.
Yana Chaya Mogami offers distinctive dishes featuring soba and ayu from the wider Mogami region. Highlights include 100% Mogami Hayawase soba and ayu tempura ramen, which features a whole ayu served as tempura with ramen.
Visitors can also purchase freshly grilled ayu, seasonal mountain vegetables, and fresh produce from the on-site Shiki no Kaori farm shop. Another popular choice is spicy miso ramen generously prepared with vegetables from the Mogami area.
The restaurant also provides views of the Mogami River and its changing scenery throughout the seasons, making the meal part of the overall riverside experience.
From spring through November, Shirataka Yana Park offers an ayu hand-catching experience. Visitors can enter the river and try to catch the lively fish with their own hands.
This hands-on river activity can be enjoyed by both children and adults. Rather than simply observing the river and its fish, visitors can directly experience the natural environment of the Mogami River.
Combining the hand-catching experience with a meal of freshly prepared ayu is an enjoyable way to make the most of a visit during the warmer months.
Shirataka Yana Park offers different scenery and events throughout the year, making it a destination that can be enjoyed in every season.
The Yana Opening Festival, held from around late April to early May, is an annual event celebrating a safe and successful fishing season.
Approximately 150 carp-shaped streamers, known as koinobori, are displayed above the Mogami River. Blowing in the spring breeze, the colorful streamers create an impressive seasonal scene and have become one of the park’s recognizable spring attractions.
From around early February through March, the park hosts the “Classical Hina Dolls” exhibition as part of the Okhitama Hina Doll Corridor event.
The exhibition includes traditional hina dolls that were transported into the region by boats traveling along the Mogami River during the Edo period. Visitors can also see Japanese paper dolls made from Miyama washi, a traditional handmade paper from Shirataka.
The event offers an opportunity to discover aspects of the region’s traditional culture that have been passed down through generations.
In summer, safflowers, one of the flowers associated with Shirataka Town, come into season.
Even during the warmer months, visitors can enjoy the refreshing breeze flowing from the Mogami River while taking in the yana and the open riverside landscape.
In autumn, the Shirataka Ayu Festival celebrates ayu and other local foods from the area.
Held during one of the best seasons for enjoying ayu, the festival provides an opportunity to experience a variety of Shirataka’s regional dishes and food culture in one place.
The Mogami River once served as an important transportation route for goods and cultural influences traveling between the regions of Japan. During the period when river transportation flourished, Shirataka served as a kawaminato, or “river port,” where boatmen and crews could stop and rest before continuing through more difficult sections of the river.
Today, Roadside Station Shirataka Yana Park serves a similar role for people traveling by car. It has been described as a “michiminato,” or “road port,” where travelers can stop for a meal, take a break, and discover the local culture and specialties.
The facility can be seen from the connecting National Route 287, with its spacious parking area and distinctive red tower providing useful landmarks. The open riverside setting along the Mogami River makes it a relaxing place to pause during a road trip.
Roadside Station “Shirataka Yana Park” – Ayu Chaya is a distinctive destination centered around one of Japan’s largest permanent tourist yana fishing sites. Visitors can enjoy freshly grilled ayu, regional cuisine, local agricultural products, and seasonal events while experiencing the powerful natural environment of the Mogami River.
A visit offers much more than a chance to eat ayu. Visitors can observe the yana up close, try catching ayu by hand, explore local products, and experience the river landscape that has supported the region’s culture and livelihoods for generations.
Carp streamers in spring, safflowers in summer, ayu in autumn, and cold-wind-dried ayu in winter. With its changing seasonal attractions, Shirataka Yana Park offers a memorable way to experience both the magnificent Mogami River and the distinctive food culture of Shirataka.