Sun, Aug 2 Today
20° 14°
Wind 11 km/h
Precipitation 18 mm
Snowfall 0 cm
Slopes
50 km Green
9 km 9 pistas
Blue
13.5 km 15 pistas
Red
15.8 km 13 pistas
Black
11.8 km 5 pistas
Season 2025/2026
17cm April 2, 2026
0cm April 11, 2026
November 20, 2025
April 30, 2026
Community Scores
Not enough reviews to compute scores yet.
Information & Sources
Máxima 1661m
Mínima 780m
Vertical drop
881 m
Desnivel
Ski Map
FORFAIT PASS
Precio/Día
Resort website ¥6,500
≈ 41€
Weather
7-day forecast
Forecast detailed → Week outlook Check the detailed forecast
Storm risk Up to 18 mm of precipitation
Mon, Aug 3
16° 13°
Wind 13 km/h
Precipitation 0 mm
Snowfall 0 cm
Tue, Aug 4
18° 12°
Wind 13 km/h
Precipitation 0 mm
Snowfall 0 cm
Wed, Aug 5
21° 13°
Wind 10 km/h
Precipitation 0 mm
Snowfall 0 cm
Thu, Aug 6
26° 18°
Wind 5 km/h
Precipitation 4 mm
Snowfall 0 cm
Fri, Aug 7
25° 19°
Wind 4 km/h
Precipitation 1 mm
Snowfall 0 cm
Sat, Aug 8
23° 17°
Wind 4 km/h
Precipitation 3 mm
Snowfall 0 cm
Source: Open-Meteo
About the resort
🏔️ History
Zao Onsen (Yamagata Prefecture) is one of Japan's oldest continuous ski and hot spring resorts, operating since the 1920s. It offers a deep immersion into traditional Japanese mountain culture in a village imbued with the strong scent of sulfur, and it is world-renowned for its surreal "Snow Monsters" (Juhyo).
☀️ Best days
February, when the "Snow Monsters" reach their peak size and form. Ferocious, freezing winds blowing across from Siberia crash into the evergreen trees at the summit, coating them layer by layer in rime ice to create bizarre, towering figures.
🚫 Days to avoid
Sunny weekends at the height of winter. The crowds of skiers are joined by massive numbers of international foot-tourists queuing (sometimes for hours) simply to ride the gondola up and photograph the Snow Monsters.
💡 Community tip
Despite the heavy sightseeing traffic at the summit, the ski area itself is vast and offers excellent terrain. Skiing near the illuminated Snow Monsters at dusk is a truly mystical experience. However, the soul of Zao is its après-ski: soaking your weary muscles in a steaming, acidic outdoor public bath ("rotenburo") while snow falls around you is an absolute necessity.
Nearest Airports
Sendai Airport
SDJ 80 min drive 130 min by train
Yamagata Airport
GAJ 45 min drive 90 min by train
Train Stations
JR Yamagata Station (Shinkansen)
No direct transfer 40 min drive transfer
🚗 Driving in Tohoku: Zao Onsen is located in Yamagata Prefecture in northern Japan (the Tohoku region). Driving all the way from Tokyo is a long haul (nearly 5 hours up the Tohoku Expressway to the Yamagata Expressway, exiting at Yamagata-Zao IC). However, if you fly into Sendai Airport or Yamagata Airport, renting a car is a fantastic way to reach the resort and gives you the freedom to explore other Tohoku ski areas. The drive from the Yamagata IC up to Zao Onsen village is a pleasant 30 minutes uphill.
⚠️ Tohoku Snow and Ice: The Tohoku region experiences biting cold and brutal winter storms coming off the Sea of Japan (it's what creates the famous Snow Monsters!). The winding road (Route 21) up from Yamagata City to Zao Onsen is regularly an ice rink with snowbanks on either side. Rental cars equipped with premium studless winter tires and 4WD are 100% mandatory.
Local Tips
💡 Viewing the Juhyo (Snow Monsters): The biggest attraction at Zao Onsen is the "Juhyo" or Snow Monsters—trees encased in rime ice that look like towering monsters near the mountain summit. You must ride the Zao Ropeway (two legs) up to Jizo Sancho Station to walk among them. Be warned: if the weather is poor or winds are high (which is very common), the summit ropeways will shut down, trapping you on the lower slopes which do not have any snow monsters.
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