Foxes, Onsen and Temples: Winter in Yamagata

 

Yamagata is such a beautiful place, particularly for a mountain nut like me. I have gone through Yamagata and the places in this itinerary, but I plan to go back, all thanks to the JR East Welcome Pass. In doing so, here's my draft itinerary and budget.   

Budget: JPY35,740 (~USD340)

• JPY20,300. Saturday, Zao Fox Village and Yamadera
• JPY14,000. Sunday, Zao Onsen
• JPY1,440. Monday, Ginzan Onsen
• *Food not included

Saturday, Zao Fox Village and Yamadera
Budget: JPY20,300

• JPY12,000. JR East Welcome Rail Pass 2020.
• JPY3,000. Accommodations, Yamagata Grand Hotel (Breakfast Included)
• JPY4,000. Taxi, shared between 2 people. (JPY4,000 one way)
• JPY1,000. Entrance fee, Zao Fox Village.
• JPY300. Entrance fee, Yamadera. 

Itinerary

• 06:12am. Bullet train, Tokyo Station to Shiroishi (Miyagi) Station.
• 08:39am. ETA: Shiroishi Station (no need to get into the earliest train, as the village opens at 9am). Take taxi to the village, around JPY4,000 one way. 
• 09:00am. ETA: Zao Fox Village. 
• Play with the foxes.
• 10:00am. Taxi, Zao Fox Village to Shiroishi Station. Trains to Yamagata are at 10:34, 11:10am, 11:31am, 12:02pm or 12:30pm.
• 10:34am. Train, Shiroishi Station to Yamagata Station.
• 12:44pm. ETA: Yamagata Station. 
• 01:00pm. Check in, etc. 
• 01:55pm. Train, Yamagata Station to Yamadera Station. Next train is at 2:56pm, with ETA of 3:14pm. 
• 02:14pm. ETA: Yamadera Station. During winter, they will only let people in until 3:30pm, so it may be a bit of a tight deadline. Yamadera closes at 4pm. 
  

Sunday, Zao Onsen / Zao Hike
Budget: JPY14,000

• JPY2,000. Bus, Yamagata Station to Zao-onsen Bus Terminal (JPY1,000 one way) 
• JPY3,000. Ropeway, roundtrip (or one way if skiing down)
• JPY5,000. Lift tickets, assuming skiing.
• JPY3,000. Accommodations, Yamagata Grand Hotel (Breakfast Included)
• JPY1,000. Onsen fee. 

Itinerary

• 07:40am. Bus, Yamagata Station to Zao-onsen Bus Terminal. The earliest bus leaves at 6:50am, but no need to board that as the ropeway operates from 8:30am. 
• 08:17am. ETA: Zao-onsen Bus Terminal.
• 08:30am. Ropeway to the top. Summit.
• Ski the rest of the day.
• 04:20pm. Bus, Zao-onsen BusTerminal to Yamagata Station. (Return buses at 1:20pm, 2:20pm, 3:20pm, 4:20pm, 5:20pm, 6:40pm and the last one, 7:50pm)
• 05:05pm. ETA: Yamagata Station. 

Monday, Ginzan Onsen
Budget: JPY1,440

• JPY1,440. Bus, Oishi Station < > Ginzan Onsen (JPY720 one way)

Itinerary

• 08:59am. Bullet train, Yamagata Station to Oishida Station.
• 09:40am. ETA: Oishida Station
• 09:50am. Bus, Oishida Station (大石田駅) to Ginzan Onsen (銀山温泉)
• 10:26am. ETA: Ginzan Onsen.
• Explore Onsen area. 
• 01:25pm. Bus, Ginzan Onsen to Oishida Station.
• 02:10pm. ETA: Oishida Station.
• 02:39pm. Train, Ginzan Onsen to Yamagata Station (or back to Tokyo)