Yamagata

Yamagata is a mountainous prefecture in the Tohoku region of northern Japan, facing the Sea of Japan behind ranges that catch enormous snow. It is a land of sacred peaks and hot spring villages, where mountain worship never quite faded and cherries own the summer markets.

The cliff temple of Yamadera rises up a thousand-plus stone steps to a lookout that inspired one of Basho's most famous haiku. In winter, frost builds the snow monsters of the Zao range above Zao Onsen's sulfur baths, and Ginzan Onsen's lane of gaslit wooden inns looks lifted from a Taisho-era postcard.

Summer brings cherry season, when the prefecture grows most of Japan's crop, and boatmen sing on Mogami River cruises. The Yamagata Shinkansen threads the valleys from Tokyo. Pilgrims still climb the three sacred Dewa mountains; travelers can sample that world with a shrine lodging stay.