Michi-no-Eki Sagae Cherry Land

Sagae grows a lot of Yamagata's cherries, and Cherry Land makes no secret of it. The station spreads across the Sagae riverbank beside Route 112, the main road from the Yamagata basin over towards Gassan and the Shonai coast. It is among the largest roadside stations in Tohoku, so expect to walk between buildings.

The shop, rebuilt and renamed kokocherry in April 2024, stocks more than 600 cherry-related products. Sakuranbo Kaikan is a free museum about cherry growing that also handles tourist information and fruit-picking bookings. Its handmade gelato counter is the real draw: pick two flavours, perhaps cherry and something from a local farm. The International Cherry Park outside has 107 cherry varieties from 12 countries.

Fresh cherries are only on sale in early summer, roughly June to early July; the rest of the year it is jam, sweets, juice and the gelato. Sagae IC on the Yamagata Expressway is about 10 minutes away via Route 112. Shops and counters keep separate hours and close earlier from November to March.