The Zao mountain straddling Yamagata and Miyagi runs three seasons of identity. Winter brings the juhyo, the ice-and-snow rime that fully encases the alpine fir forest into the surreal shapes locals call snow monsters; the ropeway from Zao Onsen reaches the viewing terrace at the summit. Summer opens the trail to Okama, the brilliant turquoise crater lake on Mt. Katta. Below the slopes, Zao Onsen's bath culture goes back 1,900 years; Zao Dai-Rotenburo, the largest open-air bath, sits in the river valley and holds 200 bathers at once. Zao Fox Village, an hour east on the Miyagi side, lets visitors hand-feed about 100 free-roaming Hokkaido foxes.
What Zao is known for
Top-rated in Zao
Okama Crater Lake
4.6nature
Color-changing volcanic crater lake at Mount Zao's summit, shifting between emerald and turquoise.
Zao Snow Monsters
4.5nature
Siberian winds sculpt massive ice-encrusted trees into monster shapes, viewable by ropeway and illuminated nightly.
Mt. Zao
4.5nature
Ski resort with small-scale hotels, restaurants, and shops retaining hot-spring village charm amid vast mountain nature.
Zao Onsen Dai-rotenburo
4.3onsen
A massive outdoor hot spring nestled in a mountain ravine with highly acidic blue-tinted water.
Genshichi Roten no yu Zao Onsen
4.2onsen
Unfussy, rustic onsen featuring outdoor thermal pools, an indoor tub & basic amenities.
Zao Echo Line
4.2landmark
Popular road for scenic drives, known for its snow corridor, autumn colors & views of waterfalls.
Zao Fox Village
3.8zoo
Mountain wildlife park where six breeds of foxes roam freely in forested enclosures.