Zao Onsen ski resort - Japan

Zao Onsen is located on the prefectural border of Yamagata and Miyagi in the Tohoku region. The village of Zao Onsen is one of the oldest and most respected resorts in Japan because of its history and traditional onsens.

Zao Onsen ski resort offers excellent quality snow, receiving an annual snowfall of 12 metres. Despite this impressive snow fall each season, Zao Onsen is most famous for its Snow Monsters (Juhyo). Zao's fir trees are covered up with ice and then snow, creating what looks like large monsters covered in snow - thus the name 'snow monsters'!

Find out more about Zao Onsen

• Accommodation in Zao Onsen
  
• View an entertaining video about Zao
• Resort stats
• Getting to Zao
• Zao trail map, village map and Google maps of Zao Onsen
• Other useful information, including culture,  snow monsters, onsens,  night life, food, money and weather in Zao
• GET A QUOTE on ski or snowboard holidays in Zao

Zao Snow Monsters	Night skiing	Zao mountain

Video about Zao Onsen

Click play on the video below to see a short but entertaining video about Zao, thanks to The Daily Flake:

Zao Onsen resort statistics

Zao is a huge resort, totalling 305 hectares of skiable terrain with the longest downhill course of 10km. The resorts lift capacity includes 3 Rope ways (Zao Chuo Ropeway takes up to 101 passengers), 1 gondola and 37 lifts which all together can carry up to 50,000 people per hour.

This resort offers something for everybody from a beginner to an expert. There is a snow park and a snowboard park as well as tube riding. Night skiing is also available on the lower elevation from 5pm to 9pm.

Mountain facts:
Season late Nov ~ early May
Snowfall - 16 m
Lift Base Altitude – 780 m
Peak Altitude – 1661 m
Vertical Drop – 881 m
Longest Run – 10 km
Highest Lifted – 1661 m
Ropeways Open – 8.15 a.m.
Lifts Open – 8.30 a.m.
Ropeways & lifts Close – 5.00 p.m.
Beginner 40%
Intermediate 40%
Advanced 20%
3 Ropeways
1 Gondola
37 Chairlifts
Mountain restaurants – 12
Half pipe – No
Park – Yes
Night Skiing – 5~9 p.m.

Village facilities:
Shuttle bus (¥100 per ride)
24H convenience store and other shops
Several bars and restaurants
Public gymnasium Adult: ¥250 / Child: ¥50 (basketball, volleyball, badminton, table tennis)
Ski and snowboard rentals
Ski and snowboard schools 
Backcountry tour (Gassan)
Local onsens
Internet café
Childminding service
Zao clinic (Open 9 a.m. ~ 5 p.m.)
 

Google map of Zao

Check out Zao's location using Google Maps

Culture

If you are after some cultural experience, you can go on a day trip to a local art museum or ancient temples. Warabenosato Gallery is a very unique museum full of arts and crafts in a relocated 200-year-old residence and traditional rice warehouses that are art pieces themselves. (Adult: ¥700, Child: ¥350)

Yamadera is the name for small temples in the steep mountain area, you can see all of them as you climb over 1000 steps made of stones which lead you to the very top. A famous Japanese haiku poet, Basho Matsuo, loved the view from these temples and left great poems inspired by the beauty of north east Japan.

Nearby in Yamagata city, there are many places you can visit where you can have lunch as traditional Maiko dance for you,  and have conversations with them before and after the session, which is almost impossible to experience in Kyoto.

Ice Monsters

Another distinguishing feature of this resort is their famous Ice Monsters (called Juhyo in Japanese), which are Conifer trees thoroughly coated by snow and ice. Juhyo-gen Course is the most well known course at this ski resort as it is the only ski resort in Japan that allows you to ski up close to the Ice Monsters.  The prime Ice Monster season is from January through to the beginning of March. At night you can ride the Ropeway cable car to the top of the mountain and view the Ice Monsters at night, illuminated by coloured lights during the season.

Onsens

Spring water contains acid, sulphur, iron, aluminium, sulphate, chloride and it is said to heal various injuries and ailments including cuts, burns and skin conditions. The Onsen water is strongly acidic and you need to take off rings, watches, necklaces, and any other metal items before bathing.

Nightlife

Everything in the resort is in walking distance and if you would like to go out to Yamagata city, you can easily get there by taxi.

Food

Almost all accommodations serve Japanese style dinner and some serve Western and Chinese. There are several Izakaya, Mongolian Lamb BBQ, Pizza and Pasta Restaurants and more. Yamagata prefecture is known for its great food and wine.

Weather

If you want the best snow in the world you need to be prepared - it can get cold. Take plenty of warm clothing and prepare for minus temperatures, thermals are a must, a warm neck gaiter to protect your face and a good pair of double lens goggles. Zao can get a lot of snow – it is not unusual to get over 20cm snow overnight. That said there's nothing like fresh powder on a crisp, clear day.

Money

Although some hotels, shops and restaurants accept credit cards, it is better if you take some Japanese yen with you. If you need to take some money out, a post office and a convenience store in the village has ATMs.