Kaiko-ji Temple is a small Shingon temple near Hiyoriyama Park, but it has one of Sakata's strangest and most memorable sights: two sokushinbutsu, ascetic priests who underwent ritual self-mummification.
It is a sombre stop, and not for everyone. For travellers interested in the religious extremes of northern Japan, it gives Sakata a sharper edge than its warehouses and seafood suggest.