HIGH LIFE
Zao Onsen
Spread over undulating
mountains on the eastern
cusp of Yamagata
Prefecture, Zao Onsen is
Tohoku’s best-loved ski
resort. Its 25 runs are mostly
fairly gentle, but what
they lack in steepness they
make up for in length — the
longest extends for nearly
six miles, slaloming through
dense forests and alpine
meadows. zao-spa.or.jp
Skiers and snowboarders
can also swoosh past the
local population of ‘juhyo’
— meaning ‘ice monsters’.
Less of a hazard than you
might expect, these are
actually conifers, coated
with snow and ice and
contorted into surreal
shapes by the raging
mountain winds.
Come spring and summer,
Zao Onsen exchanges skiers
for hikers, with a web of
trails winding across the
mountain. Cheat by taking
the ropeways to the summit
of Zao-san (Mount Zao),
then bear south to the
crater lake of Okama, set
amid forbidding volcanic
slopes. It’s an easy walk
downhill through shadowy
woodlands and wildflower-
strewn glades back to the
resort. zaoropeway.co.jp
Whether you’re weary-
limbed from the trails or
the piste, Zao’s hot springs
are a welcome sight at the
day’s end. There are a few
to choose from — Kawarayu
and the luxurious
Shinzaemon no Yu are both
popular. Summer visitors
should, however, make for
Zao Onsen Dai Rotenburo
— an open-air pool set in a
little valley, where bathers
stew in steamy waters,
idly gazing up at the forest
canopy. zaospa.co.jp
PARTNER CONTENT FOR EAST JAPAN RAILWAY COMPANY