06.10.2025
Sightseeing
Yamagata -Japanese Prefectures Part11
Recommended Location
Rissyakuji
The temple was founded by Jikaku Daishi Ennin in 860, and is famous for its stone steps and halls scattered along the cliff. It is also known that Matsuo Basho (poet in edo era) visited here in his “Oku no Hosomichi” (The Narrow Road to the Deep North), and many tourists visit the temple as the place where he wrote the phrase “quietness and the sound of cicadas penetrating the rocks”.Zao
It is a historic hot spring resort located on a plateau at an altitude of approximately 800 meters. It is characterized by its highly acidic sulfur spring water, which is said to be effective in treating skin ailments and relieving fatigue. In winter, it is also known as the base of the ski resort.Zao is also famous for its breathtaking "snow monsters" — trees covered in thick layers of snow and ice, shaped by strong winds and freezing temperatures. These natural ice sculptures appear from late January to early March and are illuminated at night for a magical view.
Ginzan Onsen
This is a romantic hot spring resort in Obanazawa City. Old-fashioned wooden inns stand side by side along the river, and gas lamps create a fantastic atmosphere at night. The spring water is sodium chloride-sulfate spring water, which is said to be effective in relieving fatigue and skin diseases.Hagurosan Five-Story Pagoda
This five-story wooden pagoda, a national treasure, is located on Mount Haguro in Tsuruoka City. Rebuilt in the Muromachi period (1336-1573), it features beautiful architectural techniques built without the use of nails. Together with the surrounding cedar-lined approach to the temple, the pagoda has become an important place of worship for many people in the Dewa Sanzan faith.Kamo Aquarium
Kamo Aquarium is popular as a jellyfish aquarium. The number of jellyfish on display is the largest in the world.Visitors can relax by watching jellyfish swim slowly in a 5-meter-diameter tank in which about 10,000 water jellyfish float by.
ーYamagata's Triviaー
Yamagata is famous for its cherries. People in Yamagata Prefecture receive cherries from their acquaintances for some reason or another, so they never buy them for themselves.
