Akita: The Home of Al-Sayyad Al-Saghir

Nestled in the scenic green mountains of the northern Akita prefecture, the Yokote Manga Museum is the premier spot for all fans of Japanese comic books, amassing a collection of over 70,000 original artworks ranging across many genre and languages. Today, let us explore the city of Yokote in Akita Prefecture, the city that came to be known as the land of manga!

1. The Museum with the Most Preserved Manga Museums

The Yokote Manga Museum stands in the midst of lush plains and running rivers, a gorgeous backdrop that speaks of the inspiration that ignited the hearts of many well beloved authors across generations. Of such authors, the story of “Fishermen Sanpei”, otherwise known as “Al-Sayyad Al-Saghir” in Arabic, draws heavy inspiration from the woodlands of Yokote. Its author, Mr. Takao Yaguchi, hails from the region, and was heavily involved in the establishment of the Yokote Manga Museum as an ode for Japan’s popular art form.

 The museum hosts special seasonal events and offers dynamic exhibits, including a robust library housing countless manga for visitors to sit and enjoy. At the time of my arrival, the museum featured an exhibit for the long-running manga “Super Doctor K”, otherwise known as K2, by author Mr. Kazuo Mafune, which began its serialization in 2004 and continues on to this day. The exhibit features original artworks of the series in addition to real-life recreations of the characters for photo spots.

What makes Yokote Manga Museum unique is its vast collection of original works that feature artists local to Akita and famous mangaka from throughout the country. This collection is constantly updated to meet the changing tides while also maintaining permanent exhibits dedicated to legacy series such as “Black Jack” and “Astro Boy”. The library rotates its main displays to reflect the current trending series, and the walls are constantly updates with quotes from manga series throughout the years. When I went there were some for “Blue Period” and “Jujutsu Kaisen”.

The story behind the inception of Yokote Manga Museum also reflects its importance as a beacon of pop culture. With the proliferation of manga’s popularity throughout the decades, many original works were sold and/or moved to international collections and gallery, resulting in a loss of documentation. Wishing to gather all these materials in one place within Japan, the Yokote Manga Museum was designed to be an archive like no other. This is reflected in the museum’s facilities, as it is not only limited to exhibits, but features special archival halls dedicated to preserving original manuscripts for many series.

Beloved works from the 80s, such as “Georgie” which gained a massive following in the Arab world, are also preserved in the manga museum. While certain manuscripts are rotated throughout the year to ensure preservation, permanent fixtures feature many such works for fans from around the world to enjoy.

At the time I visited, the library also held a special exhibit featuring original artwork of the manga A Bride's Story by Ms. Kaoru Mori, a manga that heavily features themes that resonate with Middle Eastern readers. Seeing original artwork in real life is not a common sight, and that makes Yokote an extremely special spot!

On the first floor you will find an anime-inspired café, where all the dishes are recreations or directly inspired by different anime series across various generations, ensuring that otaku of all ages can find a special dish to enjoy.

After enjoying a hearty meal, you can head over to the gift shop which features special Akita-themed merchandise that can only be found in the region. For fans from the Arab-speaking world, merchandise of “Al-Sayyad Al-Saghir” and “Maruko” will make the perfect present for family back home.

Access Information Yokote Masuda Manga Museum Address: 5-16 Banbacho, Shinjo City, Yamagata 996-0028, Japan Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 11 AM - 4:30 PM, Saturday to Sunday 11 AM - 4 PM Link: https://nokurasi.site/

2. Sampling Akita's local delicacies in Satonoya Maego

Japanese food is considered one of the most beloved cuisines worldwide, with sushi and ramen placed at the forefront of everyone’ s favorite washoku (Japanese food) list. But you can’t travel somewhere without trying the local delicacies, and that is why I headed to Satonoya Maego, a traditional Japanese restaurant a short 4-minute walk from Yokote Station.

With its beautiful sceneries and jaw-dropping beauty, there is no shortage of scenic views in Akita. Such a lush environment results in fresh ingredients that makes the food taste like no other, a testament to Northern Japan’s well-earned reputation in cuisine.

At Satonoya Maego, Kiritanpo Nabe, a type of hotpot, in addition to Yokote’s own special beef shabu-shabu is a must-try for tourists heading to Yokote. For a lot of Muslim travelers, nabe and shabu-shabu can be inaccessible because the broth is usually pork-based, but in Akita such worries are put to rest.

Kiritanpo Nabe uses a base of chicken and rice mashed together into skewers brought to a boiling, delicious warm broth. Satonoya Maego, which has operated for decades and is a main staple in Yokote, offers an array of delectable food for all visitors. In addition to the delicious local specialties, one of the main staples of the restaurant is the amount of vegetables that is used in every dish!

This is no surprise, as Akita is known as the land of greenery. My favorite dish had to be this delicious eggplant. It’s no surprise, as eggplants are abundant in Arabic cuisine…

If you want to try the local Akita cuisine, I recommend Satonoya Maego as the premier stop!

On the way back to the hotel, I passed a Japanese language school that had the UAE flag… it was awesome to see Middle Eastern countries like this out in the Japanese countryside!

Access Information Satonoya Maego 里乃や 前郷店 Address: 7-9 Maego 1bancho, Yokote, Akita 013-0038, Japan Opening Hours: 11:30 AM - 2 PM, 4 PM - 10 PM, Closed on Sundays Link: http://satonoya.co.jp/

3. Staying at the Hotel Plaza Annex Yokote

After enjoying a hearty meal, I headed back to the Hotel Plaza Annex Yokote for a well-deserved rest. The hotel’s motto is your Yokote “home away from home”, and that definitely was the welcome I had! The location was fantastic, being a short five minute walk from the station. The hotel is equipped with an onsen to unwind in, and the first floor provides a shop featuring local delicacies. There were also a lot of souvenirs featuring the Akita dog breed, which is a given considering this lovely breed hails from this prefecture, of course!

The room is very spacious and cozy with a traditional western vibe. The bed was extremely comfortable after a long day of walking, making for the perfect spot to end your trip in Yokote.

Access Information Satonoya Maego 里乃や 前郷店 Address: 7-9 Maego 1bancho, Yokote, Akita 013-0038, Japan Opening Hours: 11:30 AM - 2 PM, 4 PM - 10 PM, Closed on Sundays Link: http://satonoya.co.jp/

4. Closing Thoughts

Yokote is a lovely scenic spot to experience the longstanding heritage of manga. There are many hidden gems here, and you even get to try your hand at fishing like the anime we grew up watching. For fans from the Middle East wishing to experience the authentic feel, Yokote is definitely the place to go!