With some great day trip options in the surrounding area, renting a car makes good sense. Without one, it’d be much harder to explore everything that Nikaho, 30 miles away, has to offer. See the sights starting with Mototakifukuryusui, Kanmanji Temple and Nikaho Highlands. The locals will also probably point you in the direction of Yamagata, 50 miles away. If you only see one thing here, make sure it’s Lina World. (But we’re also big fans of Yamagata Castle and Kajo Park.)