The curious Japanese history of Marostica’s cherries

In the hills of Vicenza, cherries and chess share the same story. The local tradition even links the planting of cherry trees to Marostica’s legendary chess match of 1454. Much later, an Italian visitor would recognise a similar spectacle in Japan. 

The Japan connection ↓ / The second coincidence ↓ / Where to taste ↓ 

A giant chessboard, 9,000 kilometres away

In 1983, Italian businessman Salvatore Calio del Vescovo was living in Japan when he travelled to Tendō, in Yamagata Prefecture, to watch Ningen Shogi.

Shogi is the Japanese relative of chess, with its own pieces, rules and professional competitive circuit. The city is Japan’s leading centre for the production of shogi pieces, and every spring it stages a match on an enormous outdoor board on Mount Maizuru. Professional players call the moves; men and women in armour and kimono become the pieces. Around them, some 2,000 cherry trees bloom in spring. Del Vescovo immediately thought of somewhere back in Vicenza. Marostica, with its own giant board, its own costumed pieces and its own celebrated game played by people. He proposed bringing the two cities together. Marostica’s mayor travelled to Tendō in 1987 for Ningen Shogi. A Tendō delegation visited Marostica the following year for its living chess match. On 22 April 1989, the two cities signed their sister city agreement.

The second coincidence

Marostica’s fruit has its own European protection: Ciliegia di Marostica IGP, a Protected Geographical Indication. In May and June, restaurants around the area use the cherries in savoury dishes and desserts, with recipes ranging from duck with cherries to traditional cherry cake. Across the world in Yamagata, Tendō begins its summer fruit season with cherries. The regional tourism guide describes them as jewel like, while the city lists the cherry season from early June to mid July, with local orchards opening for fruit picking.

Human chess introduced them. Cherries gave the friendship a much better story.

Taste the Vicenza side ↓ / Taste the Japan side ↓

WHERE TO EAT THE CHERRIES IN VICENZA

May and June are the months to eat fresh Ciliegia di Marostica IGP around Vicenza. Restaurants and agriturismi, farmhouse restaurants, in the production area use the fruit in both sweet and savoury dishes, including duck, beef, fish, cakes and preserves.

MAROSTICA

La Rosina 1917 Via Marchetti 4, Marostica +39 0424 470360

One of the historic restaurants in the hills north of Vicenza. Its seasonal programme regularly works with local produce, and in 2026 its Bianco & Rosso dinner paired Bassano white asparagus DOP with Ciliegia di Marostica IGP. A good address if you want to see the cherry used throughout a full dinner.

PIANEZZE

Agriturismo Dai Sandri Via Oldelle 1/A, Pianezze +39 0424 77967

A farmhouse restaurant a few kilometres from Marostica, with cooking based on its own and local agricultural products. Its listed specialities include Ciliegia di Marostica IGP jam and cherries preserved in grappa. During the cherry season, ask what is being made from the current harvest.

MAROSTICA

Pasticceria Nuova Pianezzola Via Prospero Alpino 12, Marostica +39 0424 77621

For the sweeter version of the story. Its local cherry specialities include cherry cake, cherry gelato and even an aperitivo made with Ciliegia di Marostica IGP.

MAROSTICA

Tomasi 1980 Via IV Novembre 101, Marostica +39 0424 470511

A bakery and pastry shop producing baked goods with Ciliegia di Marostica IGP. Useful if you want something local that can come home with you.

MAROSTICA

Pasticceria Pigato Via Cavallara 2, Marostica +39 0424 73411

Founded in 1918. Look for the naturally leavened sweet focaccia with Ciliegia di Marostica IGP and the Pèca del Salbaneo, which brings together three products from the Vicenza pedemontana, the area below the mountains: Marostica cherries, Breganze Torcolato DOC wine and local extra virgin olive oil.

AND IF YOU FOLLOW THE STORY IN JAPAN

Tendō · Yamagata Prefecture

About 20 minutes by train from Yamagata City, Tendō is known for traditional shogi pieces, its annual Ningen Shogi match and the cherry orchards surrounding the city. There are two particularly good times to go, depending on which part of the story you want to see.

Ningen Shogi · Mount Maizuru · April

Come in April for the spectacle that first connected Tendō with Marostica. On Mount Maizuru, professional shogi players direct a real match on a giant outdoor board while people in armour and kimono move as the pieces. Ningen Shogi takes place during Tendō’s Cherry Blossom Festival, with around 2,000 cherry trees flowering on the mountain in spring. This is the spring version of the trip: shogi, human pieces and sakura in the same place. Check the official festival programme for the dates of each edition.

Cherry season · June to mid July

Come back in early summer for the fruit harvest. Tendō is part of Yamagata’s celebrated cherry growing country, with orchards around the city opening for seasonal cherry picking. Look for Satonishiki, one of Yamagata’s best known cherry varieties. The usual cherry picking season runs from early June into mid July, with dates varying by orchard and variety, making this a completely different reason to visit from Ningen Shogi in April.

Ohsyo Fruits Farm

An address for the Japanese side of the story: a fruit farm in Tendō offering seasonal picking, with a café serving parfaits made with seasonal fruit, including cherries. Check the farm’s current picking calendar before visiting.

Ohsyo Fruits Farm

April for the human shogi and cherry blossom. June for the cherries themselves.