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Zao Onsen Ski Resort, as its name says, is a ski resort with an onsen. Zao Onsen is located in Yamagata prefecture, well known for, aside from Zao Onsen, Yamagata wagyu beef, Imoni (芋煮) a taro and meat soup, cherries (this is Japan’s top producing region) and very well-respected sake. Yamagata is also the home of Gassan, a ski resort that opens only in the spring due to too much snow though mid winter. While Zao Onsen has a history that goes way back about 1900 years, the ski resort was only opened in the 1950s. If you are a skier or snowboard, you know Zao Onsen for the Snow Monsters. A snow monster is a natural phenomenon in which trees become completely caked in ice and snow making them look like snow monsters. Some call Zao Onsen, Japan’s largest ski resort but while they may have the most ski lifts, if you measure the overall length, it is slightly less then Niseko. Also, the total length of ski trails is slightly less than Niseko. Regardless, this is an impressively large resort for Japan but you won’t find any other large resorts around Zao unfortunately, just Zao.
Ski Season Length & Hours of Operation
This resort is typically running from the beginning of December through to the end of April or the beginning of May. For example, for the 23/24 ski season, it opened on Dec 7th and closed on May 6th.
Is Night Skiing Available?
Yes, there is night skiing at Zao Onsen. There are a few slopes such as Uwanodai Slope, Ryuzan Slope and Yokokura Slope
Is There a Snow Park?
There is relatively low-key snow park located in the Uwanodai area which is near the Zao Chuo Ropeway. There are kickers, rails & boxes, banked turns and rollers but no massive halfpipe like the big resorts. I have heard they put in smaller or mini halfpipes for kids though. So, great fun for the kids but maybe not too much for the intermediates and advanced skiers and snowboarders. Snow parks can change a lot annually, so it is always best to check around before you go.
Accommodation
There is a good amount of accommodation spread over various areas and normally walking distance. There is a good variety, too, from traditional ryokan hotels to western hotels to budget hotels. Most will include onsen. Some have shuttle buses to and from the ski lift.
Ski Schools
Because Zao is large, there are a good number of skiing and snowboard schools as follows
| School Name | TEL | URL |
|---|---|---|
| Zao Ski School | 📞 +81-23-694-9381 | http://www.zao-skischool.com/ |
| Zao Heim Ski School | 📞 +81-23-694-9357 | https://www.skinet.co.jp/school/zaoheim/ |
| Zao Grand Ski School | 📞 +81-23-694-9488 | http://www.zaograndskischool.hs.plala.or.jp/ |
| Zao Utopia Ski School | 📞 +81-23-694-2128 | http://zaouss.sakura.ne.jp/school_english.html |
| Zao Freizeit Schischule | 📞 +81-23-694-9259 | https://zao-freizeit.com/english/ |
| Austria Ski School | 📞 +81-3-3230-2602 | https://austria-ski.jp/ |
| Zao Snowboard School | 📞 +81-23-694-9254 | https://zaosbs.com/english/ |