[2026 Definitive Edition] Zao Onsen "Snow Monsters" / A Travel Guide to Snowy Open-Air Baths and Winter Scenery
Hello! 😊 In the winter of 2026, Zao Onsen is currently in its absolute peak season! The charm of Zao Onsen lies in the ability to enjoy both the world-renowned "Snow Monsters" (Juhyo) and "Snow-viewing open-air baths" that warm both heart and body at the same time. As a travel writer who has visited numerous hot spring resorts, I will introduce some charming hotels in Zao Onsen that I can truly rave about as being "absolutely the best!" 🎵
In 2026, Zao Onsen is attracting intense global attention, having been selected for National Geographic's "Best of the World 2026" ✨ As the oldest hot spring resort in the Tohoku region, Zao Onsen boasts a history of over 1,900 years, and its highly acidic sulfur springs are cherished as "beauty baths" for the skin. 💕
And above all, the highlight of this winter is the "Snow Monster Illumination"! It is being held for a limited period of 36 days from December 27, 2025, to February 22, 2026. The sight of the snow monsters illuminated by magical lights at night is truly like another world. They show a completely different expression than they do during the day. 🌙
Now, I will introduce some recommended hotels in Zao Onsen that will create a memorable winter trip with snow-viewing open-air baths and superb hospitality!
[Zao Kokusai Hotel] The power of being ranked #1 in the country for snow-viewing open-air baths! The all-wood Hachiemon-no-Yu
Zao Kokusai Hotel is a powerhouse that was ranked #1 in the country in the 2018 Snow-viewing Open-air Bath Ranking! Furthermore, in 2016, it was ranked #2 in the country in the popular hot spring inn ranking and was selected as a "5-Star Inn" certified by the Kanko Keizai Shimbun. ✨
Why the all-wood "Hachiemon-no-Yu" is just too amazing
The pride of this hotel is, without a doubt, the 100% free-flowing natural hot spring "Hachiemon-no-Yu." The all-wood observation bath and the skillfully arranged rock open-air bath offer a comfort that makes you feel as if you have become one with nature. 😊
The milky white sulfur spring is cherished as a "skin-beautifying" and "rejuvenating" hot spring, and once you soak in it, your skin will feel smooth. An open-air bath while looking at the snow under the cold winter sky is exceptional! Your body is warm, your heart is relaxed, and there is a silver world in front of you... is there any luxury greater than this? 🎵
Main dishes you can choose from to enjoy Yamagata beef
The food is also the best! Plans that allow you to choose from three cooking methods for Yamagata beef—"ceramic plate grilling," "shabu-shabu," and "sukiyaki"—are very popular. The marbled, tender Yamagata beef that melts in your mouth is exquisite. ✨ Furthermore, for those who prioritize quality over quantity, there is also a course featuring 80g of the highest grade Yamagata beef fillet.
The buffet-style breakfast is also well-regarded, and you can be full and happy from the morning with Yamagata pickles, freshly baked bread, and more. 🍽
Private time with 3 types of private baths
There are also 3 types of private baths with a tasteful mountain hut-style design. Of course, they are 100% free-flowing natural hot springs! You can spend a slow, private time as a couple or with your family. 💑
The suite room that opened in December 2023 is luxurious
The newly created luxury suite is a spacious area with separate bedroom and living room. You can sleep soundly on Simmons double beds, and it is also equipped with a massage chair. It is perfect for special anniversaries. ✨
Recommended points
The power of being ranked #1 in the country in the 2018 Snow-viewing Open-air Bath Ranking
100% free-flowing natural hot spring "Hachiemon-no-Yu"
Choose your Yamagata beef dish (ceramic plate grilling, shabu-shabu, sukiyaki)
3 types of private baths (paid, reservation required)
Free access to hot spring hopping at 2 sister hotels
Bathing allowed before check-in and after check-out
Luxury suite rooms opened in 2023
Access
Free shuttle available from JR Yamagata Station (reservation required 3 days in advance)
Free shuttle available from Zao Onsen Bus Terminal (contact upon arrival)
Approximately 30 minutes by car from Yamagata Zao IC
Equipped with 80 snow-melting parking spaces (free), safe even in winter
[Zao Shiki no Hotel] An exquisite bathing experience at the detached bath just 108 steps away✨
Zao Shiki no Hotel is a popular inn that has earned 1st place in the overall Zao Onsen Ryokan category on Rakuten Travel (as of July 2025). It is a stylish hotel built in a quiet forest by a lakeside, and all guest rooms were just renovated in the winter of 2024✨
'Hanareyu Hyakuhachi-po' (108-Step Detached Bath), just a short walk away
The biggest appeal of this hotel is the 'Hanareyu Hyakuhachi-po,' located 108 steps from the hotel! The moment the scent of sulfur and the milky white water welcome you, you can feel the fatigue of your journey melting away at once😊
You can enjoy the 100% free-flowing milky white hot spring water while taking in the panoramic view of the Zao mountain range and Mt. Ryu. You can indulge in bathing to your heart's content with three types of baths: an open-air bath, an indoor bath, and a foot bath🛁 Everything from the ceiling beams to the bathroom floor is made of wood, which is said to prevent the hot spring components from corroding metal. I am also impressed by the wisdom of utilizing the power of nature.
'Shirakaba no Yu' inside the hotel
In addition to the detached bath, there is also a large public bath called 'Shirakaba no Yu' inside the hotel. It is a weakly alkaline mineral spring, and it is a bright and open bath characterized by large windows. This one also comes with an open-air bath✨
Enjoy Yamagata beef prepared to your liking
The cuisine is a kaiseki meal using plenty of seasonal ingredients from Yamagata. For the main dish of Yamagata beef, each person can choose their preferred cooking method from 'ceramic plate grilled,' 'shabu-shabu,' or 'sukiyaki'🍖 Fine-grained and moderately marbled Yamagata beef is characterized by its tenderness and mellowness. The exquisite sweetness spreads in your mouth!
For those who want to be even more luxurious, there is also a double main course plan featuring Yamagata beef. You can enjoy both miso-grilled steak and ceramic plate grilled😋
Breakfast is a buffet style with a rich lineup centered on local Yamagata cuisine. You can recharge your energy well from the morning🍚
The renovated guest rooms are incredibly comfortable
All guest rooms were fully renovated in the winter of 2024! The rooms feature a calming Japanese atmosphere with Ryukyu tatami mats, and it feels great to walk around barefoot. You can sleep soundly until morning on the Simmons beds💤
The Junior Suite (62㎡), which opened in December 2022, is a spacious area with separate living and bedroom spaces. Equipped with a massage chair and a large TV, you can relax just like you're at home✨
Recommended Points
Ranked #1 in overall guest reviews for Zao Onsen ryokans (as of July 2025)
The "Hyakuhachi-po" (108 Steps) detached bath, located 108 steps from the hotel
100% free-flowing milky white hot spring water
Choice of Yamagata beef dishes
All guest rooms fully renovated in winter 2024
Free hot spring hopping at two sister hotels
Bathing allowed before check-in and after check-out
Access
Free shuttle available from JR Yamagata Station (reservation required 3 days in advance)
Free shuttle available from Zao Onsen Bus Terminal (please call upon arrival)
Approximately 30 minutes by car from Yamagata Zao IC
Free parking for 50 cars available
[Wakanoyado Wakamatsuya] High-quality hospitality at a long-established inn associated with Mokichi Saito
Founded in 1655, Wakamatsuya is one of the most prestigious long-established inns in Zao Onsen. Known as an inn associated with the great poet Mokichi Saito, the interior features a tasteful space themed around waka poetry📖
Large open-air bath carved out of an 18-ton Zao 'Metsuki' stone
The biggest highlight of this hotel is the "Large Stone Carved Open-Air Bath" made from an 18-ton Zao 'Metsuki' stone✨ This is truly a masterpiece! Of course, it is 100% natural hot spring water, and you can soak leisurely while gazing at the scenery of the four seasons.
The granite large public bath is also wonderful, and you can enjoy a superb bathing experience while being enveloped in the scent of sulfur🛁
There are even two free private baths!
What's great is that there are two private family baths, and they are free! They are spacious enough for 4 to 5 people, and you can use them freely if they are available without a reservation. They are very popular with couples and families💑
The recommended usage time is up to 40 minutes, but it's a luxury to be able to enjoy Zao's famous hot springs in a private space, isn't it✨
The handmade Japanese kaiseki featuring seasonal local ingredients is exquisite
The meals are handmade Japanese kaiseki featuring seasonal local ingredients. You can fully enjoy the unique flavors of Yamagata, such as A5-rank Yamagata beef steak and shabu-shabu, and seasonal wild vegetables🍽
The "Yamagata Beef Kaiseki" plan is especially popular, allowing you to compare ceramic plate grilled beef and shabu-shabu, making it an irresistible plan for meat lovers😋 The Yamagata beef, with its exquisite fat content, has a texture that melts on your tongue. It's a deliciousness you absolutely must taste at least once!
Breakfast is a Japanese-style set meal centered on local cuisine, featuring an array of Yamagata pickles and local ingredients. A warm, comforting Japanese breakfast from the morning makes for a great travel memory, doesn't it🍚
Relax in guest rooms overflowing with Japanese atmosphere
We offer various types of rooms, from chic and modern Japanese-Western style rooms to Japanese-style rooms with a calm atmosphere. The "Tsukikage" suite with a semi-open-air bath, located in the corner room on the top 4th floor, boasts the best view in our inn, overlooking Takiyama and Takayu Street✨
There are strips of paper and brush pens provided in the room, so it would be lovely to compose a waka poem about your travel memories📝 There is a "Yuko-ji Gallery" inside the inn where works composed by guests are displayed.
Recommended Points
A long-established inn founded in the first year of Meireki (1655)
A large open-air bath carved out of an 18-ton stone
Two free private family baths
100% free-flowing hot spring water from our own source
Handmade Japanese kaiseki using seasonal local ingredients
A5-rank Yamagata beef steak and shabu-shabu
An inn themed around waka poetry associated with Mokichi Saito
Access
45 minutes by bus from JR Yamagata Station to Zao Onsen, with shuttle service available from the bus stop upon request
Approximately 25 minutes by car from the Yamagata Zao Interchange
60 free parking spaces available (Parking Lot 1 features automatic snow melting)
Shuttle service available from Zao Onsen Bus Terminal upon request
[Omiya Ryokan] A hot spring inn proud of its source spring water flowing from stone walls
Omiya Ryokan is a cozy, homey hot spring inn that takes pride in its source spring water flowing from stone walls. With renovated Japanese-style rooms and non-smoking Japanese-style rooms, the comfort of being able to relax without slippers is very popular😊
100% free-flowing source spring water from stone walls
The charm of this inn is, above all, being able to enjoy 100% free-flowing source spring water that naturally wells up from stone walls! You can enjoy the strongly acidic sulfur spring unique to Zao Onsen just as it is, without any added water or heating✨
The milky white water is known as a 'beauty bath,' leaving your skin smooth after bathing. Soaking in the hot spring while gazing at the winter snow scenery will heal both your mind and body🛁
Handmade cuisine featuring seasonal Yamagata ingredients
The meals are handmade Japanese kaiseki courses using seasonal ingredients from Yamagata. Because it is a small, attentive inn, we can provide delicious, freshly prepared dishes tailored to each individual guest🍽
The monthly tofu specialty is particularly exquisite! We also offer Yamagata beef dishes, so you can fully enjoy the local flavors😋 The breakfast is also a heartwarming Japanese set meal, perfect for starting your day.
A comfortable stay in renovated Japanese-style rooms
The Japanese-style rooms, renovated in 2024, offer the comfort of being able to walk barefoot without slippers. It is a space where you can relax and lounge around on the tatami mats✨
There are also non-smoking Japanese-style rooms, so those concerned about the smell of cigarettes can rest easy🚭
Delightful, homey hospitality
You will appreciate the attentive care unique to a small inn, which you won't find in large hotels. The staff welcomes you warmly, giving you a sense of security as if you had returned home😊
Recommended Points
100% free-flowing source spring water from stone walls
Natural hot spring with no added water or heating
Handmade cuisine featuring seasonal Yamagata ingredients
Exquisite monthly tofu dishes
Renovated Japanese-style rooms and non-smoking Japanese-style rooms
Heartfelt, home-style hospitality
Complimentary private baths available
Access
45 minutes by bus from JR Yamagata Station bound for Zao Onsen, then a 4-minute walk from the final stop
Approximately 30 minutes (20km) by car from the Yamagata Zao Interchange
Equipped with 40 free parking spaces
Recommended sightseeing spots around Zao Onsen 🎿
Since you've come all the way to Zao Onsen, I want you to enjoy the surrounding sightseeing spots too! Here, I'll introduce some recommended spots to help you make the most of winter in Zao ✨
Take an aerial walk to see the snow monsters with the Zao Ropeway 🚡
When it comes to Zao, it has to be the **'Juhyo' (snow monsters)**! The Zao Ropeway connects two lines, the Sanroku Line and the Sancho Line, taking you up to Jizo Sancho Station at an altitude of 1,661 meters.
The latest 18-passenger circulating gondola offers a supreme experience as you enjoy an aerial walk, gazing out at the snow monster fields from large windows while sitting comfortably ✨ You can enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view from the 'Summit Terrace' on the roof of Jizo Sancho Station.
Snow Monster Illumination is being held until February 22, 2026! You can see the fantastically illuminated snow monsters between 17:00 and 21:00 (last ascent departs at 19:50) 🌙
Price: Adults 4,400 yen, Children 2,200 yen (round trip)
Snow Monster Fantasy Corridor Tour on the Night Cruiser ❄️
For those who want to experience the snow monsters up close, we recommend the Snow Monster Fantasy Corridor Tour on the new 'Night Cruiser' snow vehicle! You can cruise through the illuminated snow monster fields in a snow vehicle 🚗
The thrill of seeing the snow monsters emerging from the darkness up close will be a memory that lasts a lifetime ✨ Reservations are required, so we recommend booking early.
Dates: Until February 22, 2026 (the same 36 days as the Snow Monster Illumination)
Price: Adults 7,500 yen, Children (1 year old to elementary school age) 6,000 yen
*Advance reservation required
Become one with nature at the Zao Onsen Dai-Rotenburo (Large Open-Air Bath)🛁
Located at the highest point of the hot spring town, the "Zao Onsen Dai-Rotenburo", is a luxurious open-air bath that makes direct use of the hot spring water gushing out along a narrow mountain stream at the headwaters of the river!
There are four levels in total, with enough space to accommodate over 200 people at once. The sunlight filtering through the surrounding trees, the murmuring of the river, the chirping of birds... bathing while feeling the breath of nature up close is truly exceptional😊
*Please check in advance as it may be closed during the winter season.
Hot spring hopping at Zao Onsen public baths♨️
Zao Onsen has three public baths: "Kamiyu," "Shimoyu," and "Kawarayu," all within a 3-minute walk of each other. You can easily enjoy hot spring hopping✨
The prices are reasonable, and they are hidden gems where you can enjoy interacting with the locals. It's also a great idea to stop by while strolling through the hot spring town😊
Zao Juhyo Festival 2026🎆
The "Zao Juhyo Festival", held from December 27, 2025, to February 23, 2026, is packed with various events!
Torchlight Skiing & Winter Fireworks (February 7, 2026) is a spectacular event where 1,000 skiers holding LED lights create a line of light. After the run, there will also be a 5-minute fireworks display🎆
Gathering of Winter Working Vehicles! (January 25 and February 23, 2026) is very popular with families with children, as you can see special vehicles like snow groomers, snowplows, and snowmobiles up close🚜
The "Yuge-akari" (steam lights) in the hot spring town are also lovely, with the three public baths being illuminated to create a magical atmosphere✨ Strolling through the hot spring town at night is also fun🌃
Zao Okama (Summer only)🌿
*It is closed during the winter, but please be sure to visit in the summer!
The "Okama," a volcanic lake located in the center of the Zao mountain range, is a mysterious emerald green lake also known as Goshiki-numa (Five-Color Pond). Its beauty, which changes color with the changing seasons, is one of the most iconic scenic spots in Zao✨
Convenient access to Zao Onsen🚗
Access by train and bus
From Tokyo
Tokyo Station → (Yamagata Shinkansen Tsubasa) → Yamagata Station (approx. 2 hours 40 minutes) Yamagata Station → (Yamako Bus bound for Zao Onsen) → Zao Onsen Bus Terminal (approx. 40 minutes)
From Sendai
Sendai Station → (Senzan Line) → Yamagata Station (approx. 1 hour 10 minutes) Yamagata Station → (Yamako Bus bound for Zao Onsen) → Zao Onsen Bus Terminal (approx. 40 minutes)
Bus fare: Yamagata Station to Zao Onsen, one-way 1,000 yen (adults)
Access by Car
From Tokyo
Tohoku Expressway → Murata JCT → Yamagata Expressway → Yamagata Zao IC → National Route 13 → Zao Onsen (approx. 5 hours)
From Sendai
Tohoku Expressway → Murata JCT → Yamagata Expressway → Yamagata Zao IC → National Route 13 → Zao Onsen (approx. 1 hour 30 minutes)
It takes about 30 minutes by car from Yamagata Zao IC to Zao Onsen 🚗
Access from the Airport
From Yamagata Airport
Yamagata Airport → (Airport Limousine Bus) → Yamagata Station (approx. 35 minutes)
Yamagata Station → (Yamakou Bus bound for Zao Onsen) → Zao Onsen Bus Terminal (approx. 40 minutes)
Alternatively, you can use the "Oishii Yamagata Airport Tourist Liner" (reservation required) for a direct 1-hour trip from Yamagata Airport to Zao Onsen ✨
From Haneda, Itami, or Komaki Airport to Yamagata Airport
Arrive at Yamagata Airport with a flight of about 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes from each airport ✈️
Summary: Have the Best Winter Trip in Zao Onsen 🎿
How was it? Zao Onsen is the perfect spot for a winter scenic trip, where you can enjoy the world-renowned "Juhyo" (Snow Monsters), heartwarming "snow-viewing open-air baths," and Yamagata gourmet food all at once ✨
Every hotel introduced here is a wonderful establishment that I can confidently recommend as a travel writer. Each has its own unique charm, so please choose the one that suits your preferences 😊
If you prioritize snow-viewing open-air baths → Zao Kokusai Hotel (Ranked #1 in Japan!)
If you prioritize a detached bath experience → Zao Shiki no Hotel (Superb hot springs just 108 steps away)
If you prioritize a historic atmosphere → Wakamatsuya (A famous inn with 370 years of history)
If you prioritize a homey inn → Omiya Ryokan (Heartfelt hospitality)
The 2026 Juhyo light-up runs until February 22nd! Be sure to experience this breathtaking scenery that can only be seen this winter at Zao Onsen 🌙 After warming up in the hot springs, fill your heart and stomach with delicious Yamagata beef dishes—it's sure to be an unforgettable memory!