Location: Yamagata
Top Things to do in Yamagata
What to do and see in Yamagata, Tohoku: The Best Things to do
Yamagata is the capital city of Yamagata Prefecture located in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan. As of October 2015, the city had an estimated population of 252,632, and a population density of 663 persons per km².
Restaurants in Yamagata
1. Frost Covered Trees of Zao
2. Risshaku-ji Temple
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 891 reviews
Reviewed By JohnD209 - Leavenworth, United States
Yamadera means "mountain temples" and the mountainside has many small and a few large temples built in nooks and crannies along the way up to the mountain top. The hike up to the top and the area of Risshaku-ji is along a stone path with over 1000 steps. It takes about one hour to climb and 25 minutes to descend. The lower steps wind back and forth climbing through a Japanese cypress forest festooned with stone lanterns. About half-way up there is a traditional temple gate with two guardian statues. After you pass through this gate there are more buildings and more maple trees - making the climb sparkling when the maples are changing colours. Most professional pictures of the temple complex are taken in the fall when the reds and yellows are out or in the spring when the maples send forth their green leaves. As the complex opens up you will see several separate buildings. Head to the left to go to the Risshaku-ji Temple and the views of the train station and town through which you passed on the way to the base of the mountain. A must-see experience. After seeing the Risshaku-ji Temple, continue up a few more minutes to the main Senju-in Temple, which is a completely different looking temple that is used more for worship than for the views. It has some magnificant statuary in the foreyard.
3. Yamagata Zao Onsen Ski Resort
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 330 reviews
Reviewed By MontyPuppy - Perth, Australia
If you love Nosawa Onsen but hate the crowds, try something a little further away. Zao Onsen in the Yamagata Prefecture has 12m snow seasons, lovely powder, loads of lifts and fun local foods to try plus the very amazing and unique ‘snow monsters’. (Eerie snow and wind blasted trees near the peak of the mountain). If you enjoy first tracks and make early starts avoiding the Zao ropeway that takes tourists up to the monsters, you’ll have a fabulous time. And then there is the private and public town onsens and apres skiing. Sensational.
4. Bunshokan
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 187 reviews
Reviewed By SofiaTKI - Lima, Peru
you can't miss this spot. It is a lovely museum of english renaissance architecture and it was the previous prefectural government office and assembly hall.
5. Dokkonuma Swamp
6. Zao Ropeway
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 226 reviews
Reviewed By hienbau - Geneva, Switzerland
The landscape is spectacular and worth to queue. The wind is very strong and blew with snow like storm, so sometime we could hardly see the things on top, then stop at the middle station and enjoy the view there. Will come back for skiing, must be wonderful experience.
7. Yamagata Kyodokan
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 84 reviews
Reviewed By DesmondLim - Singapore, Singapore
It’s a little museum, located inside Yamagata Castle Park, north of Yamagata Station, about 13mins walk (1.1km) Honestly, it was in our plan as it look like “just an old building. We decided to pay a visit while in the park, but it turned out to be a surprised. It was originally a local hospital in the 1900s and the compound was beautiful . The museum displayed a lot of medical equipments and medical manual used in the old days. There are some old photos of the medical team and patients as well. It’s free entry and definitely worth a visit if you are nearby. Do drop me a message if need more info, and give me a thumbs up if you find the info useful. Thanks
