Yamagata Vibes: Drumming Through the Snow and Sake
yamagata。 never thought i'd end up here, but here i am-touring drummer life, right? got a gig at this tiny venue called *Cafe-Doro, tucked away near Yamagata Station. locals said it's the spot for live music, and honestly? they weren't wrong. the crowd was small but fierce, like they'd been waiting all week for some outsider to shake up their tuesday night.
i just checked and it's 7.62°C there right now, feels like 3.81°C-hope you like that kind of thing. i'm used to sweating under stage lights, not shivering between songs. brought my woolly hat and fingerless gloves (pro tip: essential for drummers in winter), but still nearly dropped a stick when the wind hit.
between sets, i wandered. yamagata's not huge, but it's got character. stumbled into Sake no Hosomichi, a little bar where the owner-let's call him Mr. Sato (i didn't catch his real name, but he had that vibe)-poured me something called Dewasansan. smooth, floral, dangerous at 2am when you've got a 9am soundcheck. someone told me that the Yamagata Castle grounds are worth a stroll if you're into history, but i was too busy chasing the next drink.
heard rumors about Zao Onsen too-apparently the snow monsters (those frozen trees) are unreal in winter. didn't make it this trip, but i'm already plotting a return. if you get bored, Sendai and Fukushima are just a short drive away, and locals swear the onigiri at Maruya is the best hangover cure.
"don't trust the vending machines after midnight," a drunk salaryman warned me. "they'll sell you hot corn soup and ruin your life."
gear-wise, my Yamaha Stage Custom survived the train ride, but i nearly lost my snare stand at the station. pro tip: label everything. also, download Japan Transit Planner before you go-trust me.
closing thought? yamagata's not on every tourist's radar, but that's the point. it's raw, it's real, and if you're lucky, you'll catch a gig that makes you forget the cold. or maybe that's just the sake talking.
check out Yamagata City's official site for more, or hit up TripAdvisor for the latest on Cafe-Doro* and other hidden gems.
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