Day trips

The 15 Best Day Trips from Tsuruoka

Drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan for every place worth the trip.

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There are 15 good day trips from Tsuruoka, Japan, led by Niigata, Akita, Fukushima. The closest is Sakata, about 35 min by car, and 1 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.

Day trips from Tsuruoka at a glance

DestinationDistanceDrive timeBest as
Niigata112 km SW1 hr 45 minFull-day trip
Akita114 km N1 hr 45 minFull-day trip
Fukushima122 km SE1 hr 55 minFull-day trip
Yamagata72 km SE1 hr 25 minFull-day trip
Ishinomaki133 km E2 hr 5 minFull-day trip
Aizu-Wakamatsu137 km S2 hr 10 minFull-day trip
Ichinoseki116 km E1 hr 50 minFull-day trip
Ōshū125 km E1 hr 55 minFull-day trip
Sakata22 km N35 minHalf-day trip
Shibata96 km SW1 hr 30 minFull-day trip
Hanamaki134 km NE2 hr 5 minFull-day trip
Sanjō145 km SW2 hr 15 minLong day or overnight
Yonezawa94 km S1 hr 30 minFull-day trip
Kitakami128 km NE2 hrFull-day trip
Daisen99 km NE1 hr 35 minFull-day trip

Drive times are estimates from the distance. Check live traffic before you leave.

The best day trips from Tsuruoka

  1. 1

    Niigata, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 45 min by car112 km south-west of Tsuruoka3 hr 30 min round trip

    Known for レインボータワーモニュメント.

  2. 2

    Akita, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 45 min by car114 km north of Tsuruoka3 hr 30 min round trip
  3. 3

    Fukushima, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 55 min by car122 km south-east of Tsuruoka3 hr 50 min round trip
  4. 4

    Yamagata, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 25 min by car72 km south-east of Tsuruoka2 hr 50 min round trip
  5. 5

    Ishinomaki, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr 5 min by car133 km east of Tsuruoka4 hr 10 min round trip
  6. 6

    Aizu-Wakamatsu, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr 10 min by car137 km south of Tsuruoka4 hr 20 min round trip
  7. 7

    Ichinoseki, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 50 min by car116 km east of Tsuruoka3 hr 40 min round trip
  8. 8

    Ōshū, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 55 min by car125 km east of Tsuruoka3 hr 50 min round trip
  9. 9

    Sakata, Japan

    Half-day trip
    About 35 min by car22 km north of Tsuruoka1 hr 10 min round trip
  10. 10

    Shibata, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car96 km south-west of Tsuruoka3 hr round trip
  11. 11

    Hanamaki, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr 5 min by car134 km north-east of Tsuruoka4 hr 10 min round trip
  12. 12

    Sanjō, Japan

    Long day or overnight
    About 2 hr 15 min by car145 km south-west of Tsuruoka4 hr 30 min round trip
  13. 13

    Yonezawa, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car94 km south of Tsuruoka3 hr round trip
  14. 14

    Kitakami, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr by car128 km north-east of Tsuruoka4 hr round trip
  15. 15

    Daisen, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 35 min by car99 km north-east of Tsuruoka3 hr 10 min round trip

A sample day trip: Tsuruoka to Niigata

A realistic pace for Niigata, 112 km from Tsuruoka. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

  1. 07:30Leave Tsuruoka
  2. 09:15Arrive in Niigata (1 hr 45 min drive)
  3. 09:30レインボータワーモニュメント
  4. 11:30Lunch
  5. 12:45Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Niigata
  6. 15:15Head back to Tsuruoka
  7. 17:00Home in Tsuruoka

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Tsuruoka?
The best day trips from Tsuruoka are Niigata, Akita, Fukushima, Yamagata, Ishinomaki. The closest is Sakata, about 35 min away by car.
What is the closest day trip from Tsuruoka?
Sakata is the closest, 22 km north of Tsuruoka, roughly 35 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
Where can I go within an hour of Tsuruoka?
One place is within about an hour's drive of Tsuruoka: Sakata (35 min).
What is the biggest city near Tsuruoka for a day out?
Niigata is the largest city in day-trip range, 112 km south-west of Tsuruoka and about 1 hr 45 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
How far is too far for a day trip from Tsuruoka?
Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Sanjō at 145 km, around 2 hr 15 min by car, which is better as a long day or an overnight stay.

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