Outdoors Zao Snow Monster Festival 2025-2026 Late Dec - Late Feb Every winter, Mount Zao in Yamagata Prefecture becomes overrun with hordes of “snow monsters.” This natural spectacle is calle..
11 Outdoors Ice Monsters in Zao Onsen Nicole Bauer Every winter, in the well-known ski resort Zao Onsen in Yamagata Prefecture, you can witness the creation of the very rare and truly..
9 Camping & Trekking Zao-san's Okama Crater Lake Brian Wood-Koiwa Zao-san is a volcano with a spectacular view at the summit; including a teal-hued crater lake, surrounding mountains and a simple..
Outdoors A Foot Bath Path In Kaminoyama Tiffany Aguilar If a full body hot spring bath isn't your thing, consider the next best option–baths just for your feet.
Outdoors Shonai, Yamagata Prefecture Marion Aubert All you need to know for a long weekend getaway, have great food and discover another hidden part of Japan.
12 Outdoors Cherry Picking in Tendo Fruit Land Radica Sooknarine You can master the art of cherry-picking in just 30 minutes at one of the many orchards in Yamagata. For a minimal cost, you can..
13 Outdoors Sunflowers in Haguro Hannah Warren These fields in Haguro are bursting with beautiful sunflowers.
15 Outdoors Hiking the Dewa Sanzan Amber Mezbourian The Dewa Sanzan are the three sacred peaks of Yamagata, representing birth, death and rebirth. For centuries, pilgrims have walked..