This mid-size city sits at the northern edge of the Okitama Basin in southern Yamagata Prefecture. Nan'yo City is actually comprised of two city centers, Akayu and Miyauchi, with a long history of rivalry as to which is the real Nan'yo. This has lead to a number of interesting ways to deal with the problem, including of course the city hall which is located halfway between the two areas (although not measured yet, you can bet that it's exactly halfway). Akayu is on National Route 13 in the east, and is most famous for its hot springs which translate into English as "red water." It's said that the hot springs have been colored red ever since a wounded samurai and his horse were cured by bathing in the spring.
On the other hand, Miyauchi also has its own hot spring. Unfortunately, there was never any wounded samurai who claimed that he had been cured by bathing in the waters there (undoubtedly a source of disappointment for the average Miyauchi resident). However, Miyauchi does have the Kumano Taisha (Kumano Shrine), with its magnificent thatched roof and ancient ritual dances.
Nan'yo grows a large amount of apples, pears and other fruits, but is especially known for its grapes, used to make wine. As you can see by the extensive area used for vineyards, this city is a major wine producer. Some of the vineyards are open as pick-yourself fruit orchards in late summer.