Easily accessible from Tokyo via a two-hour direct Shinkansen bullet train, Yamagata holds natural treasures worth journeying for–year round.
Yamagata, meaning “place with mountains”, honors its peaks with many sacred alps and cliffside shrines. With mountains dominating the landscape, Yamagata is a great destination for active wellness travelers seeking both movement and mindfulness.
Yamadera
Risshaku-ji, more colloquially known as Yamadera, is a beautifully crafted temple built high on a mountainside. Founded more than a thousand years ago. The 1000-step ascent winds through Buddhist statues, grand cedar trees, and outstanding rock formations. It’s open all year, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in summer, or until 3 p.m. in winter.
Yamadera is in close proximity to fruit groves. Yamagata is the main producer of Japanese cherries, Sakuranbo, which are ripe for picking in early summer. Groves also offer opportunities to pick grapes, Claude Blanchet pears, and many other fruits, aligning with the seasonal rotation that is strictly followed in Japan.
Hot Springs
Yamagata is known for its hot springs. Ginzan Onsen is a town that preserving the ambience of the Taisho era. Visitors can relax at Ginzan and enjoy its magical atmosphere, making it an essential stop on any itinerary. In addition to Ginzan Onsen, Yamagata offers many hot springs that evoke a sense of romantic fantasy, including Zao Onsen.
Zao Onsen is most famous for being a ski resort town, its snow monsters—ice-covered trees—and its restful onsens. Winter may be the peak season, but the green season continues to provide deep relaxation with fewer visitors and the opportunity to hike Mount Zao. The waters of Zao Onsen hold the reputation for having the lowest pH in all of Japan. Its highly acidic waters attract visitors for their rejuvenating benefits.
Dewa Sanzan
Renowned as a pilgrimage symbolising rebirth, travellers can take a three mountain pilgrimage hike recommended over two days, starting from Mount Haguro to Mount Gassan, and finishing on Mount Yudono. Each mountain embodies a stage of life, death, and rebirth respectively, and walking this pilgrimage represents the living completing a spiritual rebirth. Along the trail, travellers may encounter white, ceremonially clothed pilgrims. Various tours are offered to guide clients through the route, with overnight temple stays available.
Being in Tune with the Seasons
Living in tune with the seasons is a central aspect of Japanese culture and wellness. Visitors can experience frosted landscapes while deep in a hot spring or can gaze on high from the top of a mountain for a dose of cooler temperatures during the summer. Pilgrimages over three sacred mountains are especially inviting spring or autumn. There are a range of options to pick and savor calendar-specific fruits. For all of those reasons, Yamagata is a natural mountain sanctuary where clients can immerse themselves no matter the season.
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