E-190 / CC BY-SA 3.0

Zao Onsen's ski area is the largest in Tohoku, fifteen linked zones spread across the flank of Mount Zao above a sulphur hot-spring village that has been in use since the 8th century, with a ropeway climbing to the 1,661m Jizo Sancho station at the top. The runs are long and varied and the base village keeps its own bathhouses and steaming streets, so the mountain and the onsen are the same trip. From roughly late December to early March the upper mountain grows the juhyo — the ice-encased conifers known as snow monsters — which are lit at night. Lifts usually run from early December into early May, with dates set by snowfall each season.

Best season

Winter

Crowd level

Moderate

Rating

4.5· 1,621 reviews

Opening hours

Daily 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Usual hours — confirm with the official site for holidays + seasonal closures.

Admission

A lift pass is required; the ropeway to the snow-monster viewing area is ticketed separately for non-skiers.

Nearest station

Yamagata Station, then bus (about 40 min)

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