Yamagata City

Yamagata is a city that is rich in nature and history as it has long prospered as a castle town. There are many interesting sites to visit in Yamagata City, including Zao Onsen and Yama-dera (a scenic temple located in the mountains). Zao Onsen is a hot spring village that is said to have a history of over 1,900 years since opening, and the surrounding mountain range is a popular destination for winter sports enthusiasts and for enjoying views of the “snow monsters” (hard rimes that form on the trees lining the mountainside). Yama-dera is famed for having one of the most famous haiku poet`s of the Edo Period, Matsuo Basho, visit and compose a haiku there. A breathtaking view will await you, after making it up the stone steps leading up to the temple perched on the top of the mountain.