Zao Onsen Ski Resort is one of the largest comprehensive mountain resorts in Tohoku. You can enjoy a variety of ways to spend your time, including winter sports, hot springs, sightseeing, shopping, and dining.

The Yamagata Zao Onsen Ski Resort (山形蔵王温泉スキー場, Yamagata Zaō Onsen Skī-jō) is the largest ski resort in Tōhoku region, Japan, operated by Zao Onsen Tourism Association (蔵王温泉観光協会, Zaō Onsen Kankō Kyōkai).

In the Yamagata Prefecture, you can look forward to 103 kilometres of slopes: the ski resorts are served by 72 ski lifts. Have lots of fun skiing in the Yamagata Prefecture! In the list of the best ski resorts in the Yamagata Prefecture, the ski resort Zao Onsen is top with 3.3 out of 5 stars.

Zao Onsen, famous for its “snow monsters”, is one of Japan’s premier ski (and onsen) destinations. A true heavyweight, it ranks as Yamagata’s biggest and most popular resort thanks to its size (50 km of marked trails), elevation (780 – 1661 m) and infrastructure (38 lifts).

It is possible to enjoy almost 4 km of downhill ski from the Chuo Ropeway Torikabuto Station through the Central Slope, the Taihei Course, the Sunrise Slope, and finally the Nakamori Slope.

Zao Onsen is both the name of the traditional onsen hot spring village nestled high above Yamagata city and also the name of the ski area. Many of the base ski lifts and ski runs are within walking distance from the main village.

There are about 25 ski resorts in Yamagata, with the main ones located in the eastern part of the prefecture near Miyagi. You can see the map icon above for the locations of some of the Yamagata ski areas.

Zao Onsen Ski Resort has 32 lifts, ropeways and a gondola that goes up to the 1,661-meter summit station. The resort has a variety of different courses for skiers and snowboarders, with routes running through forests and ski jumps for adrenaline junkies and experienced skiers.

Zao Onsen is a well known hot spring and ski resort in the mountains of Yamagata Prefecture. It is one of only a few places in Japan where juhyo ("ice trees") can be seen. Also known as "snow monsters", the trees take on curious shapes due to the heavy snowfall and freezing winds.

The ski resort Zao Onsen is the best ski resort in the Yamagata Prefecture. With 3.3 out of 5 stars, it has the highest rating in the Yamagata Prefecture. Evaluated by Skiresort.info, the world's largest evaluation and test portal for ski resorts. 1. Zao Onsen. 2. Kurobushi Kogen Snow Park Jangle Jungle. 3. Tengendai. 4. Gassan – Nishikawa. 5.