Yamagata

😎 The best part of having a JR Pass? Heading off for side trips on the spur of the moment, and never feeling guilty for stopping in a town just for a couple of hours. 𝗬𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 was not on my itinerary, but my visit to Yamadera was shorter than I had expected, it was only a 30 min train ride away, and that Castle Stamp was quite attractive (I mentioned before there is a stamp rally for Japan's 100 famous castles). Well, I usually post about the best of my travels, but if I had paid 2'000¥ for that round train trip from Sendai, I would be feeling quite bitter right now 😣. I had if not high, at least mediocre expectations about 𝗬𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲, since it's on the Castle List. But of the actual castle nothing remains except for the moats and a couple of gates. I walked until my feet hurt exploring every corner of the compound to see if there was anything to see, but inside the Honmaru all there was was an overgrown, fenced off grassy hill. At least I got my stamp (the castle has no visitor office, so you have to visit some of the nearby museums to ask for the stamp). 🍙 Pear and cherry anything

From Hokkaido To Kyushu Autumn Itinerary

See · Architectural Admirations · Cultural · Heavy Walking · Quick Getaways · Rest & Rejuvenate

Yamagata, Japan