Visit the Yamagata Prefectural Museum ''Bunshokan'', a famous architecture full of Taisho romance

The Yamagata Hanagasa Festival, held from August 5th to 7th, makes Yamagata City's hot summer even hotter. It is a summer tradition in which dancers holding safflower-decorated hanagasa dancers parade 800 meters through the city center while dancing the hanagasa dance to the chants of ''Yassho, makasho'' and the rhythm of the hanagasa drum.

The Hanagasa Festival is held at night, but what should you do during the day? If you are unsure, why not visit Bunshokan, a local museum of Yamagata Prefecture, which is also the finishing point of the parade? Bunshokan is a brick building based on the British Renaissance style built in 1916 (Taisho 5), and was used as the prefectural office and prefectural assembly building until 1975 (Showa 50). It was designated as a national important cultural property in 1984, and restoration work was carried out over a period of 10 years. It is currently open to the public free of charge and is used as an exhibition corner to convey the history and lifestyle of Yamagata Prefecture, a video hall to introduce restoration work, a gallery, a conference room, and a cafe.

The former prefectural government building has an imposing appearance with stone exterior walls and a roof made of Gensho stone slate. The central clock tower is the second oldest still operating tower clock in Japan, after the Sapporo clock tower, and even now, once every five days, a clockmaker manually winds up the weight that moves the pendulum.

As soon as you step into the building, you will be greeted by architectural designs full of Taisho romance. The central staircase has marble columns and arches, and the handrails are beautifully decorated. The stained glass on the landing features a laurel wreath design, and the glass windows that give the undulating view of the outside scenery are also from the time of construction. The ''Seicho'' office, where appointments were issued and instructions were given, is astounding not only with its beautiful chandeliers, but also with the precision of the plaster decorations on the ceiling. Stucco decorations are also used in the guest rooms and the governor's secretariat, so be sure to pay close attention to every corner when you tour. Hidden within the stucco decorations are special products of Yamagata Prefecture, such as safflower and cherries, so be sure to look for them.