Yamagata is one of those places where you get to go on winter and do some downhill skiing or snowboarding at mt.Zao, after your day out in the snow, when you finally feel tired, maybe even a bit cold if you have faceplanted too much in the snow, you can go to zao onsen and enjoy yourself at the hot springs there, feel how all stress and ache is melted away by the hot water. At summer you can also come to relax to one of the many onsens at Ginzan onsen willage or enjoy the Yamagata Hanagasa dance Festival.