Yamagata Prefecture Tours

This value-packed trip with a government-licensed and experienced multilingual tour guide is a fantastic and efficient way to explore Yamagata! Well-known for its hot springs and scenic views, Yamagata is a wonderful place to immerse yourself in Japanese culture. Yamagata City is a cosmopolitan hub allowing visitors to delve into a fascinating corner of Japan boasting a rich culture, soothing hot springs, soaring mountains and ski fields. Let us know what you would like to experience and we will customize a four-hour tour that's best for you! Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary. Note*2: The National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.

Explore Tsuruoka’s cultural and natural treasures without the risk of getting lost when you take a private day tour of the city and surrounding area. Customize the tour to suit your interests, choosing 3–4 attractions that appeal to you most. Popular attractions include Mt. Haguro, the Hagurosan Five-Story Pagoda, the Dewa-Sanzan Shrine, and other temples and shrines. This tour will appeal most to travelers interested in Japanese culture.

You can experience Zen and authentic Buddhist lunch ceremony. By learning the basics of Zen Buddhism from a real monk and experiencing Zen, you can have a calming practices can be applied to everyday life.

Yamadera Temple is known as a power spot for not only the Yamabushi mountain monks but also among the local population. So having a local guide to show you the hidden, and often overlooked, areas of the complex is the perfect way to experience this sacred location. After that, you can experience firsthand the calming and meditative practices of meditation and experience sutra calligraphy. Lastly you can nourish your body and soul like a local with a delicious soba lunch.

Join a pilgrimage following the traditional route starting at a Shukubo Pilgrim Lodge and finishing at Dewa Sanzan Shrine. Experience a metaphoric journey from death to rebirth connecting you to nature and the Kami Gods and Buddha guided by a Yamabushi. Witness the spiritual sanctuary of Dewa Sanzan Shrine with the Michelin-starred row of cedar trees and thickest thatch roof in Japan on Dewa Sanzan Shrine at the top of Mt. Haguro at Dewa Sanzan.