Practicalities
Yamagata is a stop on a spur of the Tohoku Shinkansen from Tokyo via Fukushima. The main tourist information office (daily 10am-5/6pm; tel 0236/47-2266) is located on the first floor of the Kajo Central Building, right next to the train station. The office has English-speaking staff, plentiful English-language information, including city maps, and can help with accommodation. There's also an information office in Yamagata airport (tel 0237/47-3111), which is located 23km north of the city. Limousine buses (40min; Y650) run between the airport and central Yamagata, stopping outside the station and at the central bus terminal in the Yamako Building, behind Ekimae-dori's Daiei department store. All long-distance buses use this terminal, while most city buses depart from outside the station's east exit. If you'd rather be independent, there are several car rental companies in town; try Eki Rent-a-car (tel 0236/31-6746) or Toyota (tel 0236/25-0100). To change money, both Yamagata Bank (marked by a cherry logo), and 77 Bank are located close to the station on Ekimae-dori. Nanokamachi-dori boasts a mixture of traditional shops , and big stores such as AZ (pronounced "Azu"), while at its north end the Merchandise Exhibition Plaza (daily 9am-5.30pm; Jan-March, Nov & Dec closed Mon & hols) sells a range of local souvenirs. The most famous Yamagata products are Sasano ittobori (single-blade carvings of hawks or roosters with flamboyant, curling tail feathers), cast-iron kettles and chunky, wooden Japanese chesspieces, shogi .
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