Streets of Shinjo City in Yamagata

Shinjo is functioned as the core city of the northern Yamagata area which is called the Mogami area. But its population is quite low. There are only about 38,000 living in the city. Even in the whole Mogami area, the population counts about 84,000. Although the city has the long history, the economic downhill doesn’t stop. That’s the severe nature of a small rural town in Japan.

The Mogami area is also famous for its heavy heavy snowfall. Snow accumulation goes up more than 2m-3m every winter. By leveraging its negative climate aspect, there is a unique snow shoveling event called Jimen Dashi Race (rough translation is “reach the ground surface race”). The competitors just shovel the snow and get the dirt surface out.  
Anyway look at this movie; 
Jimen Dashi World Cup (Japanese): http://ohkurasport.jp/jimendashi/

FYI:

• Shinjo City: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinj%C5%8D,_Yamagata
• Travel Info of Shinjo: http://www.city.shinjo.yamagata.jp/kanko.html
• Shinjo Tourist Board Facebook (Japanese): https://www.facebook.com/shinjocity

Downtown Shinjo

Main St.
Nobody on a Sunday afternoon

The largest building in downtown

  

  

Back Street in Shinjo

Retro-look bars @ Back Street

Funny sign gate.
No clue whey it's in front of a bar.

Shinjo Station

Street from the station

Street from the station

Displaying a float inside the station.
The city holds their popular summer event, called Shinjo Festival.
Beautiful floats are the main feature of the festival.
FYI:  Shinjo Festival http://www.city.shinjo.yamagata.jp/9440.html
Shinjo Festival Facebook (Japanese) https://www.facebook.com/shinjomatsuri