Yonezawa
Discover Yonezawa
Yonezawa (米沢) is a city in Yamagata, Japan. The walls and moats of its castle remain, and the grounds are a popular place for cherry blossom viewing in the spring. Yonezawa may be an unassuming rural town today, but it was once a grand castle town home to the Uesugi Clan (上杉氏 Uesugi-shi), one of the most powerful families during Japan's Muromachi and Sengoku periods (14-17th century). Legendary warlord Date Masamune, the "One-Eyed Dragon", was born here in 1567. The Uesugi had an epic, centuries-running feud with the Takeda clan of Kai (Yamanashi), but they made the mistake of choosing the wrong side in the Battle of Sekigahara (1600) and as a punishment were reduced to irrelevance by the following Tokugawa shogunate, retaining only a scrap of land around Yonezawa. The castle was flattened in 1873 by order of the Meiji government, but the moat remains the focal point of the city, with Uesugi Shrine built on the castle ruins to commemorate the clan.
Taste of Yonezawa...
Yonezawa is known throughout Japan for its beef (米沢牛 yonezawa-gyū), an expensive delicacy, and there are three beef speciality restaurants right outside the station competing for your attention plus countless more in the city itself. Just don't fall into the trap of eating the cheapest bento boxes, made from gristly leftovers: instead, sample a course at a ryokan or speciality restaurant. With diminutive steaks easily costing ¥8,000 per head, most visitors will find stews like sukiyaki the tastiest and most cost-effective option, but locals also prize their meat raw! Yonezawa is sake country and the best-known local tipple is Tōkō (東光). Appointed to supply the Uesugis, the "East Light" has been brewed in Yonezawa since 1597 and is run by the 23rd generation of the same family, so they must be doing something right. Their sake comes in a vast constellation of grades, from the proletarian fūtsūshu (¥1600/1.8L) to the top-of-the-line daiginjō (¥12,000/1.8L), and is available everywhere in town. See "See" section for details on the Toko Sake Museum. Yonezawa is famous for its onsen, such as Onogawa Onsen and Shirabu Onsen. While none are near the town center, they can be reached by public transport or car.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsThere are also two minor stations served only by JR Yonesaka line from Yonezawa stn to Sakamachi, Niigata on the Sea of Japan coast. As of 2026, due to heavy flood damage in 2022, the services operate only up to Imaizumi and it's unclear when if ever they will fully resume. Yonezawa is surprisingly spread out, and the train station is on the wrong side of the river 2 km away from the city core. If you're not in the mood to walk, grab one of the infrequent buses, almost all of which head to the city (ask for Uesugi Jinja). While central Yonezawa has no hot springs, there are seven within easy striking distance, the best known being Onogawa Onsen (20 min by bus) and Shirabu Onsen (50 min by bus). Official Yonezawa Festival website (only in Japanese) A traditional craft is the Otakapoppo (お鷹ぽっぽ, lit "hawk toy"), a small wooden hawk statue made with a special technique called "Sasano Single Blade Carving"....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Yonezawa is surprisingly spread out, and the train station is on the wrong side of the river 2 km away from the city core. If you're not in the mood to walk, grab one of the infrequent buses, almost all of which head to the city (ask for Uesugi Jinja). While central Yonezawa has no hot springs, there are seven within easy striking distance, the best known being Onogawa Onsen (20 min by bus) and Shirabu Onsen (50 min by bus). Official Yonezawa Festival website (only in Japanese) A traditional craft is the Otakapoppo (お鷹ぽっぽ, lit "hawk toy"), a small wooden hawk statue made with a special technique called "Sasano Single Blade Carving". It has intricate wooden feathers made by slicing wood upwards using a large knife, and it is said to bring good luck. Yonezawa is known throughout Japan for its beef (米沢牛 yonezawa-gyū), an expensive delicacy, and there are three beef speciality restaurants right outside the station competing for your attention plus countless more in the city itself.
Where to Stay
Yonezawa is famous for its onsen, such as Onogawa Onsen and Shirabu Onsen. While none are near the town center, they can be reached by public transport or car.
Money & Budget
A traditional craft is the Otakapoppo (お鷹ぽっぽ, lit "hawk toy"), a small wooden hawk statue made with a special technique called "Sasano Single Blade Carving". It has intricate wooden feathers made by slicing wood upwards using a large knife, and it is said to bring good luck. Yonezawa is known throughout Japan for its beef (米沢牛 yonezawa-gyū), an expensive delicacy, and there are three beef speciality restaurants right outside the station competing for your attention plus countless more in the city itself. Just don't fall into the trap of eating the cheapest bento boxes, made from gristly leftovers: instead, sample a course at a ryokan or speciality restaurant.