Zao Onsen in Yamagata Prefecture
Zao Onsen is a perfect example of what makes Japan so extra—there are plenty of places in the world you can ski through a forest of snowy trees…
but where else can you do it chased by snow monsters…
and stay at an inn that’s been in business for four hundred years…
and soak away your aches and pains in a steamy natural hot spring that’s open to the fresh air and snowy outdoors…
then dine on an exquisite ten course Japanese meal with a flight of local sake?
Legend has it that Zao Onsen was discovered in the year 110 (yes, that would be the second century CE) by a wounded warrior who soaked away his injuries in one of the natural hot springs, and it’s easy to imagine yourself time traveling back to the year 1716 when the spring at the Miyamasu Onsen first began to garner fame…
because this inn is still traditionally luxurious in every way, and they really go out of their way not to remind you that you live in an era of mundane fire regulations and such.
In a place that’s known for the freezing winter fogs that turn ordinary evergreens into fantastical ice-covered monsters, we have to be prepared for the possibility that access to the top of the mountain will be denied until the gondola can safely operate again. Fortunately, we can easily pivot to sipping a cup of hot local plum wine and using it as a comforting handwarmer while watching the snow fall outside, waiting for the weather to clear.
And there’s nothing to stop us exploring the town while we wait, so let’s stop at the local shrine first and ask the local kami-sama to give us a wee break in the weather so we can see the snow monsters…
then let’s walk around and enjoy the stone-lined gutters running with steaming hot water (and not a little sulphur!)
encounter pumping stations of yore…
that supply hot spring water to the free public bath house…
and enjoy the idea of the public foot bath, even if warming our frozen toesies doesn’t quite outweigh getting our nether parts soaked on that snow-covered bench.
The town wends its way along a river fed by hot springs and criss-crossed by bridges…
leading to the bottom of the mountain, which is disappointingly still shrouded in fog.
But wait! Are those gondolas starting up the mountain again? Let’s get in line!
Once aloft, the view is spectacular. The mixed forest of conifers and deciduous trees instantly underscores that the conditions on this mountain are special, because every twig and branch isn’t outlined in fallen snow, it’s enrobed in frozen fog.
With each freezing fog, the hoarfrost becomes a little thicker…
And as we ascend, the branches droop a little more under the weight…
and look less and less like trees…
and more and more like monsters!
At the top, we get a new appreciation for the hardiness of these trees, because the wind is blowing at 18mph (30kph) and it’s -26°C (-14°F) so hiking around to take the perfect snow monster photo isn’t really in the cards. Exposed fingertips are so numb within five minutes it’s impossible to click the camera shutter anymore, so in the interest of avoiding hospital-worthy frostbite, we’re just going to have to wave our hands and tell you to use your imagination when we say whoa, that was an otherworldly experience!
Heading down into the fog again, smiling all the way and looking forward to that hot spring bath!
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Here’s where Zao Onsen is:
How to get to Zao Onsen from Tokyo:
I used the Japan Navigation phone app to figure out this route, and you can easily use it too, with your actual date and preferred arrival/departure time. It’s also good for finding the easiest way to get to Tokyo Station from where you’re staying. Here’s where to get the app and how to use it.
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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly Japanagram newsletter, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
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