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Before you go
Your trip to Yamagata.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Yamagata – Yamagata Destination Ginzan Onsen and Yamadera Capital
How to get there
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Aeroporto de Yamagata (GAJ) Higashine · 24 km
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Estação de Yamagata 2 km
Approximate distances. Check flights and bus, train or boat schedules before you travel.
Yamagata Station is served by the Tsubasa shinkansen, about 2h30 to 2h45 from Tokyo. The Senzan Line connects Yamagata to Sendai in about 1h15, passing through Yamadera. Yamagata Airport is about 24 km away, with bus connections. Express buses link the city to Sendai.
How many days
One day for Yamadera and downtown Yamagata. With two days, add Zao Onsen, including the ropeway and the baths; in winter, the snow monsters deserve an afternoon and early evening.
When to go
April to November for Yamadera, with foliage at the end of October. June and July bring the cherries; August, the Hanagasa festival; September, the imoni festival, a soup cooked in a giant pot. January and February are the season for Zao’s snow monsters and skiing.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Do you need a car?
No. The Senzan Line reaches Yamadera Station in about 20 minutes, and buses connect Yamagata Station to Zao Onsen in about 40 minutes. The center is walkable. A car only helps for the Zao road in summer and autumn.
Suggested itinerary
An order that works
Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.
One day in Yamagata
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Morning
Yamadera
Take the Senzan Line to Yamadera and climb the stone steps between cedars up to the Okunoin and the Godaido viewpoint.
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Afternoon
Bunshokan and downtown
Return to Yamagata, visit the Bunshokan, the former provincial government building, and walk to the park with the castle ruins.
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Evening
Soba and Yamagata beef
Have cold soba for dinner, typical of the prefecture, or Yamagata beef at a restaurant near the station.
2 days in Yamagata
Day 1
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Morning
The mountain temple
Climb Yamadera early and have lunch near the station, with sesame tofu and skewered konnyaku.
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Afternoon
Yamagata center
Visit the Bunshokan and the park with the castle ruins, with restored walls and gate.
Day 2
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Morning
Zao Onsen
Take a bus to Zao Onsen and bathe in sulfurous water at one of the village’s public baths.
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Afternoon
Zao ropeway
Ride the ropeway to the top of Mount Jizo. In winter, see the snow monsters; in summer, walk among the alpine flowers.
Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.
Before you go
Frequently asked questions
What to do in Yamagata in one day?
Climb Yamadera in the morning on the Senzan Line, and return to town in the afternoon for the Bunshokan and the park with the castle ruins. In winter, swap the center for Zao Onsen and the snow monsters.
How to get to Zao Onsen from Yamagata?
By bus from Yamagata Station in about 40 minutes. Zao’s ropeways depart from the village itself.
What is imoni?
It is a taro-and-beef soup with scallions cooked in a soy-based broth, typical of autumn in Yamagata. In September, a festival cooks imoni in a giant pot by the river.
When is Yamagata cherry season?
Generally June to July. Yamagata is Japan’s largest cherry producer, and nearby farms offer pick-your-own during the season.
Beyond the guide
