Zao Onsen Ski Resort

It was a quick trip 💦

Despite the bad weather, I was able to enjoy skiing on the vast slopes, and even on fresh snow, for the first time in a while ☺️

Date of visit March 2024

Some of the slopes are too gentle

When I went, the fog at the summit was too thick. It was hard to see whether it was safe to try, which made me feel uneasy.

Date of visit January 2025

Translated

With a wide range of ski courses for all levels and stunning views of ice-covered trees, this resort has something for everyone. The food at the summit is also delicious and offers plenty of variety.

The breathtaking snowy landscape of the Zao Ski Resort makes skiing even more enjoyable. After a day on the slopes, relax in the soothing hot springs. With plenty of ski courses to spread out the crowds, you'll have a more peaceful and relaxed experience.

Date of visit February 2025

Translated

The frost-covered trees are spectacular

If you can ski on the red courses, try going all the way to the top of the mountain. The Snow Monster (Frost-Covered Trees) Course is especially beautiful on a clear day. For those skiing the green courses, I recommend taking Lift #4 up to the Diamond Valley Slope. The snow quality is great, and with fewer crowds, it's the perfect spot to practice.

Date of visit March 2025

Translated

Although it wasn't the best powder snow, the snow conditions didn't limit my enjoyment!

The accommodation and food were excellent. Zao Ski Resort is quite large, and the cable car system is somewhat complex, so it's best to familiarize yourself with the area beforehand. Once you're familiar with the map, it's not a problem at all. It's often described as snowboard hell, and that was certainly true on the first day, but afterwards, I rarely fell off my skis and had to walk. You can complete the entire trip from the summit to Omori in one take. The prices at the ski resort are quite reasonable. Thumbs up!

Date of visit March 2026

Translated

A must-visit ski resort on my bucket list

The variety of runs is incredibly diverse. I was lucky enough to hit fresh powder on a clear sunny day. Whether it was seeing the perfect "Snow Monsters," skiing powder, or practicing the transition from beginner to intermediate, I found the perfect slopes for everything. It was such a blast—I’ll definitely be back! Pre-booking the early bird offer to skip the insanely long sightseeing gondola lines and skiing up to see the frost-covered trees was an experience that was totally worth it.

Date of visit February 2026

Translated

The Beauty of Zao

Blessed with a clear sunny day, the scenery was beautiful and the "Snow Monsters" (Juhyo) were unique. Unfortunately, the resort's connecting trails were a bit challenging for beginner skiers.

Date of visit February 2026

Translated

The powder snow is super slippery!

The snow quality is excellent! There are many different and spacious ski runs, making it easy to ski without worrying about bumping into others. Even if you don't ski, there are gentle, flat areas for playing in the snow. The surrounding area has convenient transportation, plenty of restaurants and accommodations, and the cable car route to the summit is well-defined.

Date of visit February 2026

Translated

The powder snow is super slippery!

The powder snow is incredibly smooth! There are many different and spacious ski runs, so you can ski easily without worrying about bumping into others. If you get tired or don't want to ski anymore, there are also gentler areas where you can play in the snow. The cable car to the top of the mountain has a clear guide route. There are also many restaurants and accommodations near the ski resort, making it a great place to go shopping, eat, and soak in the hot springs after skiing. It's also very close to the bus terminal, making it convenient to go up and down the mountain.

Date of visit February 2026

Translated

Snow quality on the ski slopes

From February 13th to 17th, we encountered consecutive days of extremely hot weather with zero snow. Only the artificial snow at Jupeer was of decent quality; all the other slopes were icy, and the green lines on the trails had a reddish tinge.

Date of visit February 2026

Translated

It's hard to explain in a few words.

I'd give the ski resort three stars, but the fourth star is for Sangoro's Lodge. If you didn't stay there and didn't get to see the ice trees on a sunny day, you'd be furious. The ski resort is large, but the connecting runs are flat. The good runs are all off-piste areas. The southern runs are nice, but they're often icy, so the experience wasn't great.

Date of visit January 2026

Translated

Ski resorts where you don't have to rush out

The ski slopes are suitable for beginners.

Date of visit February 2026

Translated

Amazing snow, great lil town

Zao was a great place to experience japowder :) the town is nice and people are great. Amazing experience.

Date of visit January 2026

Featured Ski Runs

The weather was so-so, so I opted for hard-slope skiing for the first day or two. However, there aren't many restaurants near Duoping Road, so most accommodations include dinner.

Date of visit March 2026

Translated

Snow Monsters (Juhyo)

The snow conditions were pretty good, but the weather was very changeable, with frequent fog. On good days, you can enjoy the beautiful ice trees while skiing! Transportation is mainly by car or bus, or you can stay in Zao Onsen Village and soak in the hot springs after skiing.

Date of visit February 2026

Translated

The most beautiful scenery, a must-see in this lifetime.

Beautiful scenery, suitable for beginners

Date of visit February 2026

Translated

The scenery is beautiful, but some routes are not snowboard friendly.

The snow scenery along the way was beautiful. You don't necessarily have to go up the mountain to see the tree ice (the tree ice is actually not that bad). However, some ski runs or cable cars have flat or even uphill sections between them. If you're skiing, you'll have to take off your skis to get across, unless there's absolutely no one on the trail and you're incredibly skilled enough to ski down the mountain and ski all the way across. Maybe there wasn't enough snow this year. If there had been more snow, the flat sections might have turned into gentle slopes.

Date of visit January 2026

Translated

Very big ski resort

Love the snow monsters trails..lots of trails we tried , and food choice is amazing especially halal food was available .. Will definitely come again for sure ;)

Date of visit January 2026

Good and Ok

I went in January and the snow was awesome but again the first weekend of March it was very icy.

Date of visit March 2026

The perfect skiing experience

The ski resort is large and easily accessible, and the overall skiing experience is fantastic!

Date of visit January 2026

Translated

Like skiing before color TV

I skiied here in early February when it was being pounded with clouds. Once the clouds dissipated, everything looked like a black and white photo, the trees were just caked with white. Anyway, I thought that this had the best mix of expansive terrain and fun little off the beaten path courses in the Tohoku region. I liked that the town and ski resort was full of hot springs everywhere.

Date of visit February 2026

Beginner friendly

The snow quality was better than expected, and there were fewer people than anticipated, making it suitable for beginners to practice.

Date of visit March 2026

Translated

Beautiful ski resort

The snow quality was excellent, the slope markings were clear, and the cable car staff were very helpful and responsive! They were extremely responsible.

Date of visit February 2026

Translated

Falling so much I’m questioning my life

It didn't snow and was pure ice out there—I just kept wiping out constantly.

Date of visit March 2026

Translated

Conveniently located, it's within walking distance of Zao Onsen Station; there are also great restaurants on the ski slopes.

Date of visit February 2026

Translated

There are no more tree ice.

Unfortunately, there were no more ice trees when I went.

Date of visit March 2026

Translated

Bliss at every moment

A quaint town with beautiful mountains surrounding every corner the eye can see. The mountain's facilities, lifts, runs were all highly satisfactory. We loved our time on Zao and then Onsen's the town provided.

Date of visit January 2026

A unique ski resort

If you're unfamiliar with the high-paced nature of skiing, then Zao Onsen Ski Resort might be the perfect winter getaway. Here, it's not just about the speed of the slopes, but also a profound sense of tranquil awe. As you ascend slowly in the cable car, you'll see icy trees outside the window, silent and majestic. You can search for the statue of Zao, the guardian of the mountains, and feel the power of faith amidst the swirling snowflakes; or enjoy a heartwarming meal at the mountaintop restaurant and gaze quietly at the distant, rolling mountains. As night falls, the ancient hot springs within the resort steam. Amidst the aroma of sulfur and the swirling mist, your fatigue will dissipate. Zao tells us: in winter, those who don't ski can see the purest beauty of the ski resort.

Date of visit March 2026

Translated

Ski resorts with many tourists

Don't go to take the cable car to the top of the mountain too early in the morning; you'll have to wait in line for 2 hours.

Date of visit March 2026

Translated

The Encounter at the Perfect Ski Resort

It was my first time skiing, so I can't comment on the quality of the slopes, but I was very satisfied with my first skiing experience—it was perfect!

Date of visit March 2026

Translated

Best powder snow

Quite crowded with the central gondola

Date of visit March 2026

A must-visit destination in one's lifetime, especially skiing to the top of the mountain.

I booked a package tour, which included shuttle bus service to Yamagata and Zao. Otherwise, taking the bus would be difficult due to long queues. The snow quality is excellent, the map is large, and there are many ski resorts; you can't experience them all in one trip.

Date of visit March 2026

Translated

Food Paradise

Zao Ski Resort is very large, so you can always find a less crowded ski slope. The slopes also offer varying levels of difficulty, catering to different skill levels.

Date of visit March 2026

Translated

Not bad

Pretty good snow - can get a little crowded at peak periods. Pretty large ski area (for Japan) - getting to the top (for snow monsters) may be a little difficult depending where you start at the bottom. Will return.

Date of visit January 2026

Weather conditions really depend on luck.

There are ski equipment shops run by Taiwanese people in the Uwanodai area, which is very convenient. The ski resort is large, and I had a great time exploring it. There are relatively flat connecting trails in the middle, and the distances are not far, so walking is quite pleasant. However, the weather is really unpredictable; it can snow heavily one minute, be sunny the next, and then be accompanied by strong winds and torrential rain the next. It depends a lot on luck. As for clothing, the thickness of your usual ski resort clothing is fine. Although it's cold, it's not that cold.

Date of visit March 2026

Translated

What a magnificent tree ice!

The ski resort is large, with excellent chairlifts, ski equipment, and service. It offers a variety of routes to meet different needs, and the scenery is beautiful. From the top of the mountain down, the tree ice and mountain scenery are particularly charming, making it well worth a visit.

Date of visit March 2026

Translated

like

The transportation is a bit inconvenient, but the ski resort is fantastic.

Date of visit January 2026

Translated

What a magnificent tree ice!

A relaxing and enjoyable experience.

Date of visit March 2026

Translated

Zao is so much fun!

The weather was very cold, and there wasn't much snow, so it was easy to encounter icy terrain. The ice tree slopes were beautiful but crowded. If you're skilled enough, you can go to the Kurohime area, where there are fewer people, the scenery is beautiful, and the food is good, especially at Sangoro's Hut where the portions are very large. If you can't ski but still want to see the ice trees, be prepared to wait in line for several hours. It's best to consider going to see the ice trees only if you're capable of skiing the easier green line.

Date of visit February 2026

Translated

My favorite ski resort

Soft, uncrowded ski slopes

Date of visit March 2026

Translated

Taking the bus to Zao is more convenient; the snow trees are truly spectacular.

Date of visit March 2026

Translated