# Things to see in Tsuruoka (Japan): 28 places and when to go

> Tsuruoka is a town in Japan with around 100,000 inhabitants, and this site lists 28 places in and around it, mainly Nature (10), Mountains (10), Temples (5). The best known are Mount Gassan, Mount Haguro and Mount Yudono. The best time to come is February to May and October to November; also possible: December to January and June to September. In June there are 14 h 42 of daylight, and in December, 9 h 18. Here is what there is, when to go, how to get there and what else is nearby.

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

## In a nutshell

- **Where:** Japan · 38.7004, 139.8302
- **Population:** About 100,000
- **Places:** 28 places on this site, in the town and around it.
- **What people come for:** [Nature](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/naturaleza/) (10) · [Mountains](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/montana/) (10) · [Temples](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/espiritual/) (5) · [Hot springs](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/termal/) (4) · [Museums and art](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/museos/) (3) · [Snow](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/nieve/) (3)
- **Best time:** February to May and October to November.
- **Also possible:** December to January and June to September.
- **Nearest airport:** NRT Narita, 330 km as the crow flies
- **Highest point:** Mount Gassan, at 1,984 m.

## What to see in Tsuruoka

The places in and around Tsuruoka, best known first, each with its own page: what it is, when to go and what is next to it. Distances are from the centre, as the crow flies.

- [Mount Gassan](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mt-gassan/): Mountain in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan · 24 km
- [Mount Haguro](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mt-haguro/): Mountain in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan · 13 km
- [Mount Yudono](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mount-yudono/): Mountain in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan · 23 km
- [Nihonkoku](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mt-nihonkoku/): Mountain located in the border of Niigata and Yamagata prefecture, Japan · 28 km
- [Chidō Museum](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/chido-museum/): Open-air museum, Folk museum in Kachushin-machi Tsuruoka Yamagata Japan · 3.2 km
- [Kinbō Shrine](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/kinpo-shrine/): Shinto shrine in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan · 3.4 km
- [Maya San](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mt-maya/): Mountain in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan · 22 km
- [Arakura Shrine](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/arakura-shrine/): Shinto shrine in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan · 11 km
- [Mount Atsumi](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/atsumi-dake/): Mountain in Tsuruoka, Yamagata prefecture, Japan · 20 km
- [Dainichibō Temple](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/dainichibo-temple/): Building in Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan · 13 km
- [Dewa Sanzan History Museum](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/dewa-sanzan-history-museum/): Museum · 13 km
- [Five-storied Pagoda, Haguro-san](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/five-storied-pagoda/): Shinto shrine in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan · 12 km
- [Ideha Cultural Museum](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/ideha-cultural-museum/): Museum · 12 km
- [Mount Fujikura](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mount-fujikura/): Mountain in Tsuruoka, Yamagata prefecture, Japan · 13 km
- [Mount Gassan Ski Resort](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mount-gassan-ski-resort/): Ski field in Japan · 25 km
- [Mount Takadate](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mt-takadate/): Mountain in Tsuruoka, Yamagata prefecture, Japan · 10 km
- [Mount Yunosawa](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mt-yunosawa/): Mountain in Tsuruoka, Yamagata prefecture, Japan · 11 km
- [Yuzusame Shrine](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/yoshimamesauri-temple/): Shinto shrine in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan · 5.4 km
- [Zenpō-ji Temple](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/zenpoji/): Buddhist temple in Tsuruoka, Japan · 9.7 km
- [Arasaki Lighthouse](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/arasaki-lighthouse/): Lighthouse in Japan · 12 km
- [Hachimoriyama Ski Area](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/hachimoriyama-ski-area/): Ski resort · 15 km
- [Hagurosan Ski Area](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/hagurosan-ski-area/): Ski resort · 14 km
- [Kamo Rainbow Beach](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/kamo-rainbow-beach/): Beaches · 11 km
- [Mount Arakura](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mount-arakura/): Mountain in Tsuruoka, Yamagata prefecture, Japan · 11 km

And the other 4, by what you come to do:

- **Hot springs**: [Naganuma Hot Spring Poppo no Yu](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/naganuma-hot-spring-poppo-no-yu/), [Nanohana Hot Spring - Denden](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/nanohana-hot-spring-denden/), [Natural Hot Spring "Komagi no Yu"](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/natural-hot-spring-komagi-no-yu/), [Yamabushi Hot Spring Yupoka](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/yamabushi-hot-spring-yupoka/)

## When to go to Tsuruoka

The best time to visit Tsuruoka is **February to May and October to November**; also possible: December to January and June to September. This comes from its own places: a month counts as the town's best time when it is the best time for half of what there is to see.

| Mes | Época | Hours of daylight |
| --- | --- | --- |
| January | Possible | 9 h 35 |
| February | Best time | 10 h 33 |
| March | Best time | 11 h 42 |
| April | Best time | 13 h 01 |
| May | Best time | 14 h 06 |
| June | Possible | 14 h 42 |
| July | Possible | 14 h 27 |
| August | Possible | 13 h 31 |
| September | Possible | 12 h 14 |
| October | Best time | 10 h 58 |
| November | Best time | 9 h 51 |
| December | Possible | 9 h 18 |

In June there are 14 h 42 of daylight, and in December, 9 h 18. In April, 23 of the 28 places are at their best.

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).

## Getting to Tsuruoka

The nearest main airport is Narita International Airport (NRT, Narita), 330 km as the crow flies. How to get around Japan (train, car, bus) is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/#moverse), and what to sort out before you leave is in [its checklist](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/#antes-de-salir).

- [Where it is](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=38.7004%2C139.8302)
- [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=38.7004%2C139.8302)

## Other towns nearby

- [Sakata, Yamagata](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/sakata/): 10 places · 25 km
- [Yamagata](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/yamagata/): 41 places · 64 km
- [Niigata](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/niigata/): 27 places · 111 km
- [Sendai](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/sendai/): 63 places · 113 km
- [Akita](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/akita/): 15 places · 115 km
- [Fukushima](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/fukushima/): 32 places · 121 km

And all of Japan, in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is there to see in Tsuruoka?

The best known: [Mount Gassan](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mt-gassan/), [Mount Haguro](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mt-haguro/), [Mount Yudono](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mount-yudono/), [Nihonkoku](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/mt-nihonkoku/), [Chidō Museum](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/japon/chido-museum/). In all, 28 places in the town and around it, all on your trip map from day one.

### When is the best time to visit Tsuruoka?

February to May and October to November; also possible: December to January and June to September. In June there are 14 h 42 of daylight, and in December, 9 h 18.

### How do you get to Tsuruoka?

The nearest main airport is Narita International Airport (NRT), 330 km away. From there, [directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=38.7004%2C139.8302) opens the route on the map.

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

Create a trip with Tsuruoka as the destination and these 28 places are on your map, each with its category. The ones you like go into a day's plan with one tap, and Kokai reminds you when you pass nearby.

Data from [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright), licensed under the ODbL, from [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/), CC0, cities from [Natural Earth](https://www.naturalearthdata.com/) and airports from [OurAirports](https://ourairports.com/data/). Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in [credits](https://kokai.app/en/aviso/#creditos).