Nan'yō: Walks, Cherry Blossoms, and Roses
Accommodation in Nan'yō
There are several ways to explore Nan'yō: take walks through Miyauchi and Akayu, and enjoy seasonal highlights during cherry blossom and rose season. You can also take in the nighttime lights of Nan'yō and Yonezawa, or visit Kuguri Waterfall in the Kotaki district. When planning, it is worth matching your interests with the time needed for the walks and your preferred travel dates.
Landschaft bei Akayu in Nan'yō im Okitama-Becken
Photo: Fumihiko Ueno via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Walks in Miyauchi and Akayu
The walk in Miyauchi is about 4 km long and takes around 2 hours and 30 minutes, including sightseeing. It starts at Miyauchi Station on the Flower-Nagai Line and leads to Kumano Taisha, where you can look for the three rabbits. From there, continue through the Sōshō Rose Garden. The walking map description was published in 2019; availability may change, so check in advance whether you can use the map.
The Akayu town walk starts at JR Akayu Station and passes the cherry trees of Eboshiyama and historical sites. A description dated 2019 gives the route as about 5 km and approximately three to four hours long. Compared with Miyauchi, the route is longer and the estimated duration is greater. These estimates can help you decide how much time to set aside for each walk when planning your day.
Akayu Onsen is a hot spring district in the town where you can go for walks. According to its tourism profile, its history as a hot spring resort dates back more than 930 years. This gives you another point of interest in Akayu, alongside the cherry trees and historical sites: you can also factor the hot spring resort's long history into your travel plans.
Cherry Blossoms and Roses Throughout the Year
The Akayu Onsen Cherry Blossom Festival is usually held from early to late April and includes nighttime illumination of the blossoms. The exact dates may vary from year to year; if the festival is the reason for your trip, check the dates before making plans. The Nanyō Rose Festival is held annually from early June to mid-July in the rose garden at Sōshō Park.
The two festivals offer different seasonal highlights: Akayu celebrates cherry blossoms and their evening illumination, while the rose festival takes place over a period in early summer. The Sōshō Rose Garden is also part of the Miyauchi walk. When planning your travel dates, you can therefore decide whether you would rather focus on cherry blossom season or the roses in bloom.
Nighttime Views and a Waterfall
From Nanyō Sky Park, you can see the lights of Nan'yō and Yonezawa at night. Kuguri Waterfall in the Kotaki district of the town offers a different kind of scenery: it is 14 m high and plunges through an opening in the rock that is 5 m high and 4.6 m wide. These dimensions give the spot a distinctive profile, while the view from the Sky Park focuses on the nighttime lights of two cities.
Plan Your Travel Dates and Vacation Rental Together
If you want a festival to shape your stay, the usual event periods offer a starting point: the cherry blossom festival is usually held in April, and the rose festival runs from early June to mid-July. If you want a walk to set the pace of your day, compare the approximate durations of the two routes. This way, you can tailor your search for a vacation rental in Nan'yō to the travel plans that matter to you, rather than deciding based only on a general impression of the place.
Discover more destinations: Sakata, Yamagata, Tendo, Higashine, Shinjō, Nishimurayama District, Yonezawa, Yuza.
For the overview of the wider region: Yamagata Prefecture.
