Snow Trekking Mt. Zao, Japan
A winter adventure we definitely weren’t prepared for 😂
At the end of March 2019, a friend and I decided to take his parents who were visiting from Fiji, to visit the snow for their first ever time. What ensued ended up being a 2+hr hike to the crater of Mt Zao!
QUICK SUMMARY: Area: Mt Zao, Yamagata Prefecture, Northen Japan | Good For: Adventure, Hiking | Tourist Trap Rating: 1/10
Watch the video:
MY TIPS:
1. Come prepared - we didn’t plan on hiking the mountain (as you can see in the video) - it kind of just happened! Actually, we decided to hike up one quick peak, Mt Zizo, and then glanced across toward where we thought the crater must have been, “It can’t be that far”.... an hour and a bit later...famous last words. haha. But actually, the hike wasn’t as grueling as you might think. My top picks for things to bring would be: - Snow boots / hiking shoes - Backpack with some water & a snack -Hat / Sunscreen - Sunglasses
2. Stay to the marked out path. Along the whole trail there are wooden poles sticking up out of the snow that mark a pre-defined trail. My advice would be to stay as close as you can to those as possible! We took a couple steps off the path a few times & ended up thigh deep in snow! So be careful! And don’t hike this one alone.
3. If you’re accessing the snow resort by car, be aware that some of the regular roads through the mountains are closed during winter because of the snow. Stay on the toll highways & you should be fine!
4. Visit the snow monsters while you are there! (But for optimum viewing, I’d suggest visiting earlier in the year! Prime condition is around Jan-Feb.
Overall, great for a fun adventure day with a few friends! & If you’re less of the adventuring type, stick to the cable car, snow monsters & beautiful views of the mountain.
DETAILS
WHERE Start: Zao Snow Resort, Central Ropeway (蔵王中央ロープウェイ) Google Map Link: https://goo.gl/maps/nfZLeeq776PrgnVh8
Okama Crater: https://goo.gl/maps/mk8ucNbr7dPakDWf9
WHEN We climbed during late March & the weather was gorgeous!! You definitely wouldn’t want to be doing this during a snow storm! For the mountain hike, I suggest a similar time to us. But if you’re looking for optimum snow monsters (and not planning to hike) Jan-Feb would be a good time to visit.
HOW TO GET THERE
We went by car from Sendai City (around 1hr 20min). As mentioned before - if you’re going by car, make sure you stick to the toll road highways as some of the smaller highways in and around the mountain are closed each year during the winter due to snow.
For access via public transport, please take the Senzan Line JR train from Sendai station arriving at Yamagata Station (approx 1hr 20min). From Yamagata Station, then take the Zao Onsen Bus Line (蔵王温泉ＢＴ行) to Zao Onsen Bus Terminal (approx 40min).
From Tokyo: Please take the Yamagata Shinkansen to Yamagata Station. (around 2hr 44min) and then change to the Zao Onsen Bus Line (approx 40min).
COST Gondola (Cable Car) Ticket: ¥2800 (my best advice, if you’re a skiier or snowboarder, bundle your adventure with a day lift ticket, you won’t spend that much more & You’ll get much better value for your day of adventuring & skiing! - There is a place at the top of the Gondola (Cable Car) at the snow monsters station where you can leave your skiis or boards!
Train & Bus (from Sendai Station): ¥2140
By Car: Please be aware the main road has tolls - these can be paid in cash, & will vary based on the size of your vehicle (but are usually around ¥1500-2000 one way). If you’re traveling by car, at the toll gates, look for the green signs that say 一般 and enter via those & take a ticket. (Please don’t use the blue ETC ones unless you have an ETC card reader & toll car installed in your car!)
Happy adventuring!