This page describes a city in Yamagata. For the village in Okayama, see Shinjo (Okayama).

Shinjo Castle

Shinjo (新庄市; shinjō-shi) is a city in Yamagata prefecture.

Understand

Shinjo is a small city in the north of Yamagata prefecture that is at the end of the Shinkansen line. It is also the shopping hub for the region.

Climate

Shinjo
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D       181     2 −4       145     3 −4       112     7 −2       98     15 3       107     21 10       131     25 15       186     27 19       175     29 20       153     25 16       152     18 9       195     11 3       211     5 −1 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation+Snow totals in mm
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D       7.1     36 25       5.7     37 25       4.4     45 28       3.9     59 37       4.2     70 50       5.2     77 59       7.3     81 66       6.9     84 68       6     77 61       6     64 48       7.7     52 37       8.3     41 30 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation+Snow totals in inches

Winters in Shinjo can be rather cold, with a lot of snow and good skiing. Summers are very nice for outdoor activities, though the rainy season (around July) is very wet. The spring and fall can be quite nice, though planning visits well in advance can be difficult, because the time of change from winter to spring and fall to winter varies from year to year. As in much of Japan, spring cherry blossom viewing is quite enjoyable.

Get in

Shinjo is the northern terminus of the Yamagata Shinkansen from Tokyo. Coming by air would be inconvenient compared with train. The nearest airports are in Sakata and Yamagata. For those traveling by car, Shinjo is on Highway 13, going to Yamagata in the south and Akita in the north. An expressway between Yamagata and Shinjo is under construction; only the northern portion is finished. Night buses go to and from Tokyo.

• 1 Shinjo Station (新庄駅), 多門町1-1, ☏ +81 233 22-5580. This station has a large free parking lot where travelers can leave their cars for several weeks with no problems. (updated Aug 2018)

Get around

There is limited bus service. Traveling by car is the easiest way to go.

Do

• Shinjō Festival (新庄祭り). Aug 24-26. This annual 3-day festival, held since 1755, has a parade and traditional dancing.  

Buy

• 1 Takahashi Nittō Shoten (高橋日東商店), 若葉町７−３３ (Next door to Green Hotel Shinjo.), ☏ +81 233-22-0711. This liquor store is one of the only places in the region that has a decent selection of Belgian beer. It also has a lot of Japanese liquor and sake. 

Eat

• 1 Kurumaya Ramen (くるまやラーメン), 五日町１３１７−１ (At the intersection of Highway 13 and Highway 312, roughly 2km north of Shinjo Station.), ☏ +81 233-23-4755. M-F 11AM-3AM, Su 11AM-midnight. This shop has tasty miso ramen. Main dishes ¥500-1000. 

Go next

• Okura
• Mogami
• Osaki
• Obanazawa
• Oishida
• Tozawa
• Sakata
• Yuzawa
• Yokote

Routes through Shinjo

END ←	N  S	→ Yamagata → Tokyo
Akita ← Yuzawa ←	N  S	→ Tendo → Yamagata
Sakata ← Tozawa ←	W  E	→ Mogami → Sendai