Yamagata & Ginzan Onsen

Snowy nights at Taisho-romantic Ginzan Onsen and the thousand stone steps of Yamadera (Risshakuji Temple), with Yamagata beef, cherries and imoni stew as local signatures.

This destination is centered on Yamagata City and covers inland Yamagata Prefecture — the Murayama and Okitama areas and part of Mogami — from Ginzan Onsen in Obanazawa and the Mogami Gorge in Tozawa in the north to Yonezawa and Takahata in the south. Ringed by mountains, Yamagata gets heavy snow in winter and hot summers. It is Japan's leading producer of cherries and European pears and the home of Yonezawa beef, and imoni stew and chilled ramen are local favorites.

Seasons: December–February is when Ginzan Onsen is at its most beautiful on snowy nights; inns must be booked months ahead, and in winter there are access and entry restrictions for non-staying visitors after dusk. Cherry blossoms bloom at Kajo Park and Kaminoyama Castle in mid-to-late April; June–July is cherry-picking season and when the Higashizawa Rose Park is in bloom; the Yamagata Hanagasa Festival is held August 5–7; and Yamadera and the Mogami Gorge turn red and gold in October–November.

Areas: (1) Yamagata City — Kajo Park, Bunshokan and Nanokamachi Gotenzeki; (2) Yamadera and Tendo — the thousand stone steps of Risshakuji Temple, plus Tendo, Japan's shogi town, and its hot springs; (3) the north — Ginzan Onsen, Higashizawa Rose Park and Jionji Temple, and further on, Mogami Gorge river cruises; (4) the south — Kaminoyama Onsen, Uesugi Shrine and museum in Yonezawa, Kumano Taisha in Nanyo and Takahata Winery. Zao's winter snow monsters are covered under the Sendai & Matsushima destination, but they're also about 40 minutes by bus from Yamagata Station.

Getting there: about 2 hours 45 minutes from Tokyo to Yamagata on the Yamagata Shinkansen, or about 1 hour by highway bus from Sendai. Within the prefecture, the JR Ou Line and Senzan Line connect the main areas; for Ginzan Onsen, change to a bus at Oishida Station, and for the Mogami Gorge, go to Furukuchi Station. Allow 2–3 days and spend at least one night at Ginzan Onsen or Tendo.

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