Sakata Yamagata Prefeccture

 

酒田のラーメン 月 Ramen Tsuki in Sakata http://www.sakata-mangetsu.com/tsuki/

 

Sakata is coast port town in Yamagata Prefecture along the Sea of Japan. Sakata was developed by merchants in the 17th to 19th century to trade rice and local products from Hokkaido to Kyoto and Tokyo. Currently the city produces some of finest sake and rice in all of Japan. It is also located near Mount Chokai and it’s network of spring water and waterfalls. The area also consumes the highest consumption of ramen in Japan.

http://www.city.sakata.lg.jp/homepage/Multilingual.html

Earthy Glow

 

Salt pond at Alviso Slough Trail at Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Alviso

 

Unusual winter

 

creates

 

surprise of nature