# Mount Gassan, Japan: what it is and when to go

> Mount Gassan is a mountain in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan (月山) (Tsuruoka), at 1,984 m above sea level. Interests: Nature and Mountains. The best time to visit is June to October, a short season because of the altitude. In June there are 14 h 41 of daylight, and in December, 9 h 19. It has articles in 14 Wikipedias, so it is not one of the busiest places in Japan: one to enjoy at a calmer pace. Here is what it is, where it lies, when to come, how to get there and what else is nearby to turn it into a trip.

- Address: https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mt-gassan/
- Reviewed on: 2026-10-02
- Language: en

## In a nutshell

- **What it is:** Mountain in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan · Nature, Mountains
- **Local name:** 月山
- **Where:** Japan
- **Elevation:** 1,984 m
- **You can go:** June to October.
- **Nearest airport:** NRT Narita, 311 km as the crow flies
- **Coordinates:** 38.54869, 140.02684

## What it is and where

Mount Gassan is a mountain in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan (月山) (Tsuruoka), at 1,984 m above sea level. It has articles in 14 Wikipedias, so it is not one of the busiest places in Japan: one to enjoy at a calmer pace.

It is in [Tsuruoka](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/tsuruoka/), where this site lists 28 more places to see, 24 km from the centre.

Its coordinates are 38.54869, 140.02684; the nearest main airport is Narita International Airport (NRT, Narita), 311 km as the crow flies. How to get around Japan (train, car, bus) is covered in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/#moverse).

- [Where it is](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.548693%2C140.026836)
- [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=38.548693%2C140.026836)

It is one of the [Nature](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/naturaleza/) and [Mountains](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/montana/) places in Japan. In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) it is already on your trip map next to the places you save yourself, and it goes into a day's plan with one tap.

## When to go

Months when you can visit Mount Gassan: **June to October**, and the season is short because it sits at 1,984 m: above 1,800 m there is snow until June and it returns in October.

| Mes | Época | Hours of daylight |
| --- | --- | --- |
| January | Better not | 9 h 36 |
| February | Better not | 10 h 33 |
| March | Better not | 11 h 42 |
| April | Better not | 13 h 01 |
| May | Better not | 14 h 06 |
| June | Possible | 14 h 41 |
| July | Possible | 14 h 26 |
| August | Possible | 13 h 30 |
| September | Possible | 12 h 14 |
| October | Possible | 10 h 58 |
| November | Better not | 9 h 52 |
| December | Better not | 9 h 19 |

In June there are 14 h 41 of daylight, and in December, 9 h 19. Daylight hours are calculated from the site's latitude for the 15th of each month; when planning a full day on foot they matter as much as the weather.

| What you come for | Best time | Possible |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Nature | — | June to October |
| Mountains | — | June to October |

It is not the same trip whatever you come for: Mount Gassan has a different season depending on what you want to do here, and [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) puts it in the right month for you.

When to go to Japan in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/#cuando-ir).

## Before you go to Japan

To enter Japan there are 10 things to sort out before you leave, starting with “A valid passport covering your whole stay”: they are all, with their deadlines, in [the Japan checklist](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/#antes-de-salir). Currency: Japanese yen (JPY); plugs: Type A and B · 100 V · 50/60 Hz (you need an adapter); emergencies: 110 police · 119 ambulance and fire.

In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) you tick off the checklist inside your trip, and each item reminds you when it is time to do it.

## What is nearby

- [Mount Gassan Ski Resort](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mount-gassan-ski-resort/): Ski field in Japan · 2.8 km
- [Mount Yudono](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mount-yudono/): Mountain in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan · 4.1 km
- [Dainichibō Temple](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/dainichibo-temple/): Building in Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan · 12 km
- [Kami-no-Yu](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/kami-no-yu/): Onsen · 14 km
- [Ha Yama](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mt-hayama/): Mountain in Murayama and Sagae, Yamagata prefecture, Japan · 16 km

Distances are as the crow flies. Everything else is in [the Japan guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/).

## More in Japan: Nature

- [Mount Fuji](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/monte-fuji/): volcano in Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures, Japan
- [Itsukushima Shrine](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/santuario-itsukushima/): Shinto shrine in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan
- [Tokyo Bay](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/bahia-de-tokio/): bay in Japan
- [Mount Asama](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/asama/): volcano on the border of Gunma and Nagano prefectures in Japan
- [Sakurajima](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/sakurajima/): volcano and island located in Kagoshima prefecture, Japan
- [Mount Aso](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/monte-aso/): volcano in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

Every Japan place under Nature, each with its season, is on [its page](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/naturaleza/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is Mount Gassan?

It is a mountain in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan (月山 in the local language). It has articles in 14 Wikipedias, so it is not one of the busiest places in Japan: one to enjoy at a calmer pace.

### When is the best time to visit Mount Gassan?

June to October, and it is worth checking carefully: at 1,984 m the season is shorter than lower down. In June there are 14 h 41 of daylight, and in December, 9 h 19.

### How do you get to Mount Gassan?

The nearest main airport is Narita International Airport (NRT), 311 km as the crow flies. From there, [directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=38.548693%2C140.026836) opens the route on the map, and how to get around Japan is explained in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/#moverse).

### How do I add it to my trip?

With one tap. In Kokai it is already on the Japan map, next to the places you save yourself: add it to a day's plan, give it a time and, if you like, get a reminder when you pass nearby.

### What else is around here?

Nearby you have [Mount Gassan Ski Resort](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mount-gassan-ski-resort/), [Mount Yudono](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mount-yudono/), [Dainichibō Temple](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/dainichibo-temple/). The rest is in [the Japan guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/).

Data from [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/3259293973), licensed under the ODbL, and from [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3174863), CC0. More about Mount Gassan on [Wikipedia](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9C%88%E5%B1%B1). Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in [credits](https://kokai.app/en/aviso/#creditos).