The Tsunokawa district in a mountainous region of Tozawa Village, Yamagata Prefecture has five farmers’ guesthouses. One of them is Fukinoto, which offers recreational and cultural experiences unique to Japan’s countryside. For example, this region has a tradition of sticking mochi balls into tree branches. The mochi balls are cooked shiratama dango (glutinous rice balls made with rice flour known as shiratamako), which no New Year’s can do without here. At Fukinoto, you can decorate a dango tree with mochi, balloons, and other ornaments (this region has a traditional practice of decorating branches of a wedding cake tree with ornaments, such as red and white glutinous rice balls made with rice flour, to pray for abundant harvest and good health). It is like a Japanese version of a Christmas tree! In addition, you can have nostalgic fun folding origami and playing with paper balloons. You can also taste seasonal sweets eaten in the Tsunokawa district. This lodging is recommended for people interested in Japan’s nostalgic recreations.