• Home
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Us
    • About the Club
    • Testimonials
    • Promotions
    • Travel Insurance
    • Travel Agency
    • Payment
  • JAPAN CRUISES
    • Tokyo-Osaka-Airport-Limo
    • Yokohama Port Transfer
    • Best Tokyo Cruise Hotels
    • Tokyo Pre-cruise Package
    • Cherry-Blossom-Cruise
    • 2023 Japan Cherry Blossom
    • 2024 Japan Cherry Blossom
    • 2025 Japan Cherry Blossom
    • 2025 Osaka Expo Cruises
    • Japan Fall Foliage Cruise
    • 2023 Cruises to Japan
    • 2024 Cruises to Japan
    • 2025 Cruises to Japan
  • Shore Excursions
    • Japan-Shore-Excursions
    • Korea Shore Excursions
    • Taiwan Shore Excursions
    • Tokyo Shore Excursion
    • Kyoto Shore Excursion
    • Osaka Shore Excursion
    • Aomori Shore Excursion
    • Beppu Shore Excursion
    • Fukuoka Shore Excursion
    • Hakodate Shore Excursion
    • Hiroshima Shore Excursion
    • Ishigaki Shore Excursion
    • Kanazawa Shore Excursion
    • Kagoshima Shore Excursion
    • Kobe Shore Excursion
    • Kochi Shore Excursion
    • Matsuyama Shore Excursion
    • Miyazaki Shore Excursion
    • Nagasaki Shore Excursion
    • Nagoya Shore Excursion
    • Naha Shore Excursion
    • Sakata Shore Excursion
    • Sakaiminato Excursion
    • Shimizu Shore Excursion
    • Takamatsu Shore Excursion
    • Tsuruga Shore Excursion
  • Japan Wonders
    • Best Japan Tour Packages
    • Cherry Blossom Tours
    • Cherry Blossom Package
    • Osaka-Kyoto-Nara-Tokyo
    • 7-day Sakura Essence
    • 10-day Vibrant Japan
    • 16-day Japan Tour Package
    • The Charming Japan
    • Japan Fall Foliage Tour
    • Japan Heritage Galore
    • Japan from East to West
  • Tokyo, Kyoto & Mt Fuji
    • Tokyo Private Tour
    • Tokyo and Tokyo Bay 1 Day
    • Tokyo Biking Tour
    • Tokyo Snack-cooking Class
    • Tokyo Japan Cuisine Class
    • Mt Fuji Hakone Tour
    • Hakone Mountain Biking
    • Hakone Valley Hiking
    • Kyoto Private Tour
    • Kyoto Biking Tour
    • Kyoto and Nara Cycling
    • Kyoto Sake Brewery Tour
    • Kyoto Ramen-making Class
    • Kyoto Last Samurai Tour
  • Osaka Expo '25
    • Discover Osaka 2025
    • Mt Fuji Tradition Culture
    • Osaka Expo 7-day Package
    • Osaka Expo 10-day Package
    • Osaka Expo 16-day Package
    • 2025 Osaka Expo Cruises
    • Build Your Osaka Package
    • Osaka Walking Tour
    • Osaka Street Go-Kart Ride
    • Osaka Food Night Tour
    • Osaka Kobe Steak Tour
    • Osaka Samurai Experience
    • Osaka Takoyaki Class
    • Osaka Expo Onsen Ryokan
  • Small Groups
    • Japan-Small-Group-Tour
    • Sea of Japan Small Group
  • Heritage Discovery
    • Hiroshima & Miyajima Tour
    • Hagi Castle Town
  • Hiking & Camping
    • Camping Near Tokyo
    • Hakone Valley Hiking
    • Nakasendo Trail Hiking
    • Yamagata Hiking
  • Cycling
    • Japan Alps Cycling
    • Sea of Japan Biking
    • Kyoto Biking Tour
    • Hida Biking Tour
    • Cross-Island Coastal Bike
    • Kyoto and Nara Cycling
  • Farm-Stay
    • Eastern Kochi Farm Stays
    • Tea Farm Tour
  • Rafting & Canyoning
    • Kochi Cycling-rafting
    • Yoshino River Rafting
  • Island & Swimming
    • Yakushima Island Hiking
  • Culinary & Food
    • Osaka Kobe Steak Tour
    • Ibaraki Food Tour
  • Photography Tours
    • Japan Photography Tour
  • Osaka Expo & Japan Guide
  • Japan Travel Services
    • Fly Cheap to Tokyo Osaka
    • AirportTransfer
    • ERFS Certificate Japan
  • More
    • Home
    • Contact Us
      • Contact Us
      • About the Club
      • Testimonials
      • Promotions
      • Travel Insurance
      • Travel Agency
      • Payment
    • JAPAN CRUISES
      • Tokyo-Osaka-Airport-Limo
      • Yokohama Port Transfer
      • Best Tokyo Cruise Hotels
      • Tokyo Pre-cruise Package
      • Cherry-Blossom-Cruise
      • 2023 Japan Cherry Blossom
      • 2024 Japan Cherry Blossom
      • 2025 Japan Cherry Blossom
      • 2025 Osaka Expo Cruises
      • Japan Fall Foliage Cruise
      • 2023 Cruises to Japan
      • 2024 Cruises to Japan
      • 2025 Cruises to Japan
    • Shore Excursions
      • Japan-Shore-Excursions
      • Korea Shore Excursions
      • Taiwan Shore Excursions
      • Tokyo Shore Excursion
      • Kyoto Shore Excursion
      • Osaka Shore Excursion
      • Aomori Shore Excursion
      • Beppu Shore Excursion
      • Fukuoka Shore Excursion
      • Hakodate Shore Excursion
      • Hiroshima Shore Excursion
      • Ishigaki Shore Excursion
      • Kanazawa Shore Excursion
      • Kagoshima Shore Excursion
      • Kobe Shore Excursion
      • Kochi Shore Excursion
      • Matsuyama Shore Excursion
      • Miyazaki Shore Excursion
      • Nagasaki Shore Excursion
      • Nagoya Shore Excursion
      • Naha Shore Excursion
      • Sakata Shore Excursion
      • Sakaiminato Excursion
      • Shimizu Shore Excursion
      • Takamatsu Shore Excursion
      • Tsuruga Shore Excursion
    • Japan Wonders
      • Best Japan Tour Packages
      • Cherry Blossom Tours
      • Cherry Blossom Package
      • Osaka-Kyoto-Nara-Tokyo
      • 7-day Sakura Essence
      • 10-day Vibrant Japan
      • 16-day Japan Tour Package
      • The Charming Japan
      • Japan Fall Foliage Tour
      • Japan Heritage Galore
      • Japan from East to West
    • Tokyo, Kyoto & Mt Fuji
      • Tokyo Private Tour
      • Tokyo and Tokyo Bay 1 Day
      • Tokyo Biking Tour
      • Tokyo Snack-cooking Class
      • Tokyo Japan Cuisine Class
      • Mt Fuji Hakone Tour
      • Hakone Mountain Biking
      • Hakone Valley Hiking
      • Kyoto Private Tour
      • Kyoto Biking Tour
      • Kyoto and Nara Cycling
      • Kyoto Sake Brewery Tour
      • Kyoto Ramen-making Class
      • Kyoto Last Samurai Tour
    • Osaka Expo '25
      • Discover Osaka 2025
      • Mt Fuji Tradition Culture
      • Osaka Expo 7-day Package
      • Osaka Expo 10-day Package
      • Osaka Expo 16-day Package
      • 2025 Osaka Expo Cruises
      • Build Your Osaka Package
      • Osaka Walking Tour
      • Osaka Street Go-Kart Ride
      • Osaka Food Night Tour
      • Osaka Kobe Steak Tour
      • Osaka Samurai Experience
      • Osaka Takoyaki Class
      • Osaka Expo Onsen Ryokan
    • Small Groups
      • Japan-Small-Group-Tour
      • Sea of Japan Small Group
    • Heritage Discovery
      • Hiroshima & Miyajima Tour
      • Hagi Castle Town
    • Hiking & Camping
      • Camping Near Tokyo
      • Hakone Valley Hiking
      • Nakasendo Trail Hiking
      • Yamagata Hiking
    • Cycling
      • Japan Alps Cycling
      • Sea of Japan Biking
      • Kyoto Biking Tour
      • Hida Biking Tour
      • Cross-Island Coastal Bike
      • Kyoto and Nara Cycling
    • Farm-Stay
      • Eastern Kochi Farm Stays
      • Tea Farm Tour
    • Rafting & Canyoning
      • Kochi Cycling-rafting
      • Yoshino River Rafting
    • Island & Swimming
      • Yakushima Island Hiking
    • Culinary & Food
      • Osaka Kobe Steak Tour
      • Ibaraki Food Tour
    • Photography Tours
      • Japan Photography Tour
    • Osaka Expo & Japan Guide
    • Japan Travel Services
      • Fly Cheap to Tokyo Osaka
      • AirportTransfer
      • ERFS Certificate Japan
  • Home
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Us
    • About the Club
    • Testimonials
    • Promotions
    • Travel Insurance
    • Travel Agency
    • Payment
  • JAPAN CRUISES
    • Tokyo-Osaka-Airport-Limo
    • Yokohama Port Transfer
    • Best Tokyo Cruise Hotels
    • Tokyo Pre-cruise Package
    • Cherry-Blossom-Cruise
    • 2023 Japan Cherry Blossom
    • 2024 Japan Cherry Blossom
    • 2025 Japan Cherry Blossom
    • 2025 Osaka Expo Cruises
    • Japan Fall Foliage Cruise
    • 2023 Cruises to Japan
    • 2024 Cruises to Japan
    • 2025 Cruises to Japan
  • Shore Excursions
    • Japan-Shore-Excursions
    • Korea Shore Excursions
    • Taiwan Shore Excursions
    • Tokyo Shore Excursion
    • Kyoto Shore Excursion
    • Osaka Shore Excursion
    • Aomori Shore Excursion
    • Beppu Shore Excursion
    • Fukuoka Shore Excursion
    • Hakodate Shore Excursion
    • Hiroshima Shore Excursion
    • Ishigaki Shore Excursion
    • Kanazawa Shore Excursion
    • Kagoshima Shore Excursion
    • Kobe Shore Excursion
    • Kochi Shore Excursion
    • Matsuyama Shore Excursion
    • Miyazaki Shore Excursion
    • Nagasaki Shore Excursion
    • Nagoya Shore Excursion
    • Naha Shore Excursion
    • Sakata Shore Excursion
    • Sakaiminato Excursion
    • Shimizu Shore Excursion
    • Takamatsu Shore Excursion
    • Tsuruga Shore Excursion
  • Japan Wonders
    • Best Japan Tour Packages
    • Cherry Blossom Tours
    • Cherry Blossom Package
    • Osaka-Kyoto-Nara-Tokyo
    • 7-day Sakura Essence
    • 10-day Vibrant Japan
    • 16-day Japan Tour Package
    • The Charming Japan
    • Japan Fall Foliage Tour
    • Japan Heritage Galore
    • Japan from East to West
  • Tokyo, Kyoto & Mt Fuji
    • Tokyo Private Tour
    • Tokyo and Tokyo Bay 1 Day
    • Tokyo Biking Tour
    • Tokyo Snack-cooking Class
    • Tokyo Japan Cuisine Class
    • Mt Fuji Hakone Tour
    • Hakone Mountain Biking
    • Hakone Valley Hiking
    • Kyoto Private Tour
    • Kyoto Biking Tour
    • Kyoto and Nara Cycling
    • Kyoto Sake Brewery Tour
    • Kyoto Ramen-making Class
    • Kyoto Last Samurai Tour
  • Osaka Expo '25
    • Discover Osaka 2025
    • Mt Fuji Tradition Culture
    • Osaka Expo 7-day Package
    • Osaka Expo 10-day Package
    • Osaka Expo 16-day Package
    • 2025 Osaka Expo Cruises
    • Build Your Osaka Package
    • Osaka Walking Tour
    • Osaka Street Go-Kart Ride
    • Osaka Food Night Tour
    • Osaka Kobe Steak Tour
    • Osaka Samurai Experience
    • Osaka Takoyaki Class
    • Osaka Expo Onsen Ryokan
  • Small Groups
    • Japan-Small-Group-Tour
    • Sea of Japan Small Group
  • Heritage Discovery
    • Hiroshima & Miyajima Tour
    • Hagi Castle Town
  • Hiking & Camping
    • Camping Near Tokyo
    • Hakone Valley Hiking
    • Nakasendo Trail Hiking
    • Yamagata Hiking
  • Cycling
    • Japan Alps Cycling
    • Sea of Japan Biking
    • Kyoto Biking Tour
    • Hida Biking Tour
    • Cross-Island Coastal Bike
    • Kyoto and Nara Cycling
  • Farm-Stay
    • Eastern Kochi Farm Stays
    • Tea Farm Tour
  • Rafting & Canyoning
    • Kochi Cycling-rafting
    • Yoshino River Rafting
  • Island & Swimming
    • Yakushima Island Hiking
  • Culinary & Food
    • Osaka Kobe Steak Tour
    • Ibaraki Food Tour
  • Photography Tours
    • Japan Photography Tour
  • Osaka Expo & Japan Guide
  • Japan Travel Services
    • Fly Cheap to Tokyo Osaka
    • AirportTransfer
    • ERFS Certificate Japan

Yamagata Hiking and Sakata Sightseeing Fall Tour

More photos

What to expect

Highlights

  • Forage for a variety of mushrooms as you hike through the pristine and abundant nature of the Gassan Geopark
  • Spend the night in a mountain lodge on Mt. Gassan, complete with an onsen bath that looks out into the mountains
  • Explore the lovely port city of Sakata and its rich Edo period culture, see a maiko dance, and experience a private traditional tea ceremony

Tour Brief

Enjoy a diverse fall adventure in the abundant nature of the Gassan Geopark and Shonai Region. Hike Mt. Gassan. Join veteran mountain guides and native English speaking translators on a hike through the forests and rivers up Mt. Gassan. Learn how to identify and harvest a variety of delicious mushrooms that are abundant in the early fall. Enjoy a cooking class led by locals from the surrounding villages, prepare and cook the mushrooms you have gathered in a variety of cooking methods including tempura, hotpot, miso soup, pasta, and even pizza! In addition, visit the ancient cedar forests of Mt. Haguro, Gyokusenji Temple, and explore the downtown district of Sakata City. Our Yamagta Hiking and Sakata Sightseeing Fall Tour is organized and led by locals in the Shonai Region including a mix of Japanese and international residents living in Shonai. 

What You'll Get

 Hike on Mt. Gassan and pick wild mushrooms, visit sacred Mt. Haguro and the port city of Sakata

YAMAGATA AND SAKATA on MAP

Itinerary

Day 1: Mt. Gassan

 Pick up at Tsuruoka Station or Shonai Airport in the late morning or early afternoon (flexible). We will then make our way over to the Kita Gassanso Lodge on Mt. Gassan, where we will drop off our luggage and check into our rooms. 


We will meet our mountain guides, who will give us a briefing on the mushroom harvest hike.  They will instruct participants on the types of mushrooms found during our hike, identify them, and other essential logistics. Rest assured, as the guides will be accompanying us to provide full support and the excursion.  


They will also help us lookout for environments that may even have scarce matsutake mushrooms!

After hiking through forests, along rivers, and in open fields, we will then take our harvest back to the Kitta Gassanso Lodge for a cooking class led by locals from the nearby villages.  We will learn how to prepare the various types of mushrooms we gathered and prepare them in multiple ways, including tempura, hotpot, miso soup, pizza, pasta, and more!


It's then to enjoy a night feast together in the lodge with a fantastic view of the surrounding mountains and rivers. 


Following dinner, guests will get to soak in an onsen bath in the lodge and unwind after the eventful day. 

(Optional) A relaxing night hike to a waterfall nearby the lodge!

Day 2: Mt. Haguro

Waking up early in the morning for breakfast, we will make our way over to Mt. Haguro for a hike along its ancient stone trail that winds through a towering cedar forest.  This sacred mountain full of Shinto and Buddhist shrines, statues, and a massive five-story pagoda. It is part of the rich history of mountain worship that dates back over 2,000 years ago. 


Along our hike, we will introduce the rich history of this mountain and an introductory lesson about the Yamabushi monks that still train on this mountain to this day. 


Reaching the peak of Mt. Haguro, we will make offerings at the temple and make our way back down the mountain for lunch. 


After finishing our hike, we will drive to Gyokusenji Temple. We will enjoy a traditional tea ceremony experience next to a beautiful Japanese garden that has been designated as a national treasure of Japan. 

We will then travel to Sakata's neighboring port city for dinner and check into our lodging for the night. 


(Optional) Take a stroll around Sakata City and visit the historic Sankyo Soko Rice Warehouses, which are beautifully illuminated at night! 

Day 3: Sakata

The third day of our tour will be about experiencing the unique and rich culture of the Shonai Region and its deep ties to the sea trade with the rest of Japan.


We will begin our day with a visit to the Sanno Club Museum in downtown Sakata. We will learn how this region’s extensive trade with the rest of Japan shaped this region economically and culturally.  We will also get to see many of the local crafts of Sakata, including kasafuku dolls which we will make with local craftswomen from the city. 


Following this, we will walk over to Somaro Maiko Teahouse, where we will experience a stunning private performance by the beautiful maiko of the Shonai Region, along with a bento lunch in their home. 


After exploring the rest of the home at Somaro, we will drive over to Sakata Station to catch the train or fly out of Shonai Airport.

PRICE from $1,159

Included

Not Included

Not Included

  •  All transportation within Shonai
  • All costs associated with the mushroom harvesting experience
  • All lodging costs
  • All entrance fees
  • All meals except for lunch and dinner on the second day
  • The private maiko dance and bento lunch at Somaro

Not Included

Not Included

Not Included

  •  Transportation to/from starting/ending points of the tour
  • Personal Travel insurance
  • Personal costs incurred during the tour (souvenirs, etc.)
  • Any unscheduled travel
  • Lunch or dinner on the second day

Group Size

Not Included

Starting Point

 The minimum number of participants required for the tour to run is 4.  

Starting Point

Cancellation policy

Starting Point

The meeting points are Tsuruoka Station and Shonai Airport.  

Cancellation policy

Cancellation policy

Cancellation policy

  •  7 days prior to the day of your trip – 40 %,
    1 day prior – 50 %,
    On the day – 100 %,
    No-show – 100 %
  • This experience is limited to September and October
  • This tour can take place regardless of the weather

Show More

Contact Us

Drop us a line!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Chat with Us

We'll be glad to chat with you to discuss your Japan adventure with all the chatting tools available in the world. 

Message us on WhatsApp

Copyright © 2022 Japan Adventure Club, a Great Wall Adventure Club company - All Rights Reserved.

  • Contact Us
  • 2023 Japan Cherry Blossom
  • 2024 Japan Cherry Blossom
  • 2025 Japan Cherry Blossom

Happy New Year! Free Airport-Cruise Port Transfer!


We offer free Tokyo airport to Yokohama port transfer for all 2023, 2024, and 2025 cruise passengers!

VIP Concierge Service Included

This website uses cookies.

We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.

Accept