Day trips

The 15 Best Day Trips from Yamagata

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 Yamagata, Japan, led by Niigata, Iwaki, Kōriyama. The closest is Yonezawa, about 50 min by car, and 2 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.

Day trips from Yamagata at a glance

DestinationDistanceDrive timeBest as
Niigata121 km W1 hr 55 minFull-day trip
Iwaki139 km S2 hr 10 minFull-day trip
Kōriyama93 km S1 hr 25 minFull-day trip
Fukushima54 km S1 hrHalf-day trip
Ishinomaki84 km E1 hr 20 minFull-day trip
Tsuruoka72 km NW1 hr 25 minFull-day trip
Aizu-Wakamatsu90 km SW1 hr 25 minFull-day trip
Nasushiobara142 km S2 hr 15 minLong day or overnight
Ichinoseki101 km NE1 hr 35 minFull-day trip
Ōshū122 km NE1 hr 55 minFull-day trip
Sakata88 km NW1 hr 25 minFull-day trip
Shibata96 km W1 hr 30 minFull-day trip
Hanamaki143 km NE2 hr 15 minLong day or overnight
Sanjō142 km SW2 hr 15 minLong day or overnight
Yonezawa42 km SW50 minHalf-day trip

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

The best day trips from Yamagata

  1. 1

    Niigata, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 55 min by car121 km west of Yamagata3 hr 50 min round trip

    Known for レインボータワーモニュメント.

  2. 2

    Iwaki, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr 10 min by car139 km south of Yamagata4 hr 20 min round trip
  3. 3

    Kōriyama, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 25 min by car93 km south of Yamagata2 hr 50 min round trip
  4. 4

    Fukushima, Japan

    Half-day trip
    About 1 hr by car54 km south of Yamagata2 hr round trip
  5. 5

    Ishinomaki, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 20 min by car84 km east of Yamagata2 hr 40 min round trip
  6. 6

    Tsuruoka, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 25 min by car72 km north-west of Yamagata2 hr 50 min round trip
  7. 7

    Aizu-Wakamatsu, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 25 min by car90 km south-west of Yamagata2 hr 50 min round trip
  8. 8

    Nasushiobara, Japan

    Long day or overnight
    About 2 hr 15 min by car142 km south of Yamagata4 hr 30 min round trip
  9. 9

    Ichinoseki, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 35 min by car101 km north-east of Yamagata3 hr 10 min round trip
  10. 10

    Ōshū, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 55 min by car122 km north-east of Yamagata3 hr 50 min round trip
  11. 11

    Sakata, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 25 min by car88 km north-west of Yamagata2 hr 50 min round trip
  12. 12

    Shibata, Japan

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car96 km west of Yamagata3 hr round trip
  13. 13

    Hanamaki, Japan

    Long day or overnight
    About 2 hr 15 min by car143 km north-east of Yamagata4 hr 30 min round trip
  14. 14

    Sanjō, Japan

    Long day or overnight
    About 2 hr 15 min by car142 km south-west of Yamagata4 hr 30 min round trip
  15. 15

    Yonezawa, Japan

    Half-day trip
    About 50 min by car42 km south-west of Yamagata1 hr 40 min round trip

A sample day trip: Yamagata to Niigata

A realistic pace for Niigata, 121 km from Yamagata. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

  1. 07:30Leave Yamagata
  2. 09:25Arrive in Niigata (1 hr 55 min drive)
  3. 09:40レインボータワーモニュメント
  4. 11:40Lunch
  5. 12:55Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Niigata
  6. 15:25Head back to Yamagata
  7. 17:20Home in Yamagata

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Yamagata?
The best day trips from Yamagata are Niigata, Iwaki, Kōriyama, Fukushima, Ishinomaki. The closest is Yonezawa, about 50 min away by car.
What is the closest day trip from Yamagata?
Yonezawa is the closest, 42 km south-west of Yamagata, roughly 50 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
Where can I go within an hour of Yamagata?
2 places are within about an hour's drive of Yamagata: Yonezawa (50 min), Fukushima (1 hr).
What is the biggest city near Yamagata for a day out?
Niigata is the largest city in day-trip range, 121 km west of Yamagata and about 1 hr 55 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
How far is too far for a day trip from Yamagata?
Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Hanamaki at 143 km, around 2 hr 15 min by car, which is better as a long day or an overnight stay.

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