Zao Onsen
Home of the snow monsters
Zao Onsen, in Yamagata, is one of Japan's most singular ski experiences. Freezing winds coat the mountain's fir trees in thick rime ice, creating the surreal 'juhyo' — snow monsters — that glow eerily under floodlights during Zao's famous night skiing.
Below the slopes lies a 1,900-year-old sulphur onsen town, its milky, mineral-rich waters among the most storied in Japan. The skiing itself is a sprawling network of gentle-to-moderate runs — atmosphere over adrenaline.
At a glance
- Annual snowfall
- ~10 m
- Top elevation
- 1,660 m
- Vertical
- ~880 m
- Lifts
- ~30
- Season
- Dec – early Apr
- Nearest airport
- Yamagata (GAJ) / Sendai (SDJ)
- Transfer time
- ~45 min (GAJ)
Why you'll love it
- The unforgettable snow monsters
- One of Japan's great historic onsen
- Extensive, gentle terrain
Good to know
- Little steep or expert terrain
- Summit weather can be brutal and closes lifts
Read the full guide
Page 2
The Mountain
Terrain, snow, lifts and where to find the goods.
Page 3
Village & Travel
The town, onsen, food and how to get there.
Want to ski here?
We don't run trips to Zao Onsen just yet — but it pairs beautifully with Nozawa Onsen, where we handle guiding, lessons, onsen and transfers end to end.
Explore Nozawa Onsen