Guide to Snowboarding in Mount Zao Onsen Japan [getting there, tickets, lodging, snow monsters, etc]

Guide to Snowboarding in Mount Zao Onsen Japan [getting there, tickets, lodging, snow monsters, etc]

[Music] hello everyone will here so today we’re going to take you on a mount Z snowboard tutorial getting there there are a few different options to get to Mount Z onon if you’re flying into Japan the nearest airport to the resort town is Yamagata or rjsc from the airport it’s about a 40-minute drive shuttle buses also depart about once per hour from 6:50 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. with a duration of 40 minutes an adult ticket costs 1,000 yen for a one-way trip Yamagata airport is relatively small So to avoid a connection in the much higher airline ticket prices we decided to fly into Tokyo and reserve a rental car from the Narita Airport if you choose to travel from hanita or the Narita Airport the drive is about 4 and 1/2 hours to the north one additional option to travel from Tokyo to mount Z anen is to take the monil to hamamat sucho station then the local train to Tokyo station from Tokyo Station you can purchase tickets for the shinhan center fast train to Yamagata and then get on the bus from Yamagata to mount Zao the total duration will be about the same as driving but a bit more challenging if you’re lugging ski and snowboarding gear around I recommend comparing the price difference of checking your ski gear with the Yamato or black cat shipping Service rates can be very comparable when shipping inside Japan we flew into Tokyo on a Thursday night and landed around 10 p.m. so public transport and rental car agencies were closed for this reason we booked a one night stay at the Art Hotel just a 6-minute drive from the airport many of the hotels have free shuttle buses that run on a regular timetable so just make sure to check their websites the timetable doesn’t line up well with your arrival time taxis are available but just keep in mind that most taxis are sedans in Japan we even had to stack our snowboarding bags in the front passenger seat and lean the seat back I do recommend the art hotel for a brief stay rooms are small but they offer a large continental breakfast for an additional charge and a free shuttle bus in the morning I taxi to the Nissan rental car agency and picked up our van for the journey to mountaina since we traveled with a couple friends on this trip we needed a van to fit us all and our ski gear the cost was about $450 for 4 days total or about $115 per day although a bit long most of the drive to mount Z onen is quick and flat when you get a bit closer to Zhao and start climbing an elevation will become apparent why the snow tires are required trust me you need them and the 1500 Yen per day charge is well worth the safety for the traction climbing and descending the snowy Hills and curves where to stay we chose to stay at lodge scol and absolutely loved it while it’s not the most lavish BNB the staff food and location and overall warm environment here far exceeded my expectations there are multiple room types that accommodate one to four people in each room check their website in the description for specifics lodging was affordable for ski town and we could easily walk to the lift in Gondola breakfast is included in the price and they also serve lunch and dinner for an additional cost the lodge staff were extremely friendly helping us navigate the town and made this stay that much better they even have a bar hot tub very friendly Lodge dog named Yuki and games available by the Fireside to relax after a long day on the mountain a dry room is also available to store your gear for for the evening if you’re looking for other accommodations you can check booking.com with our Link in the description Hello everyone it’s will and Alex and today we are in Z onen Resort uh staying at the lodge skull so it’s a pretty neat little place um kind of dorm style private rooms but the shared bathrooms there’s a ton of snow up here we’re super excited um drove up here from Narita this morning in rental car and uh really cool to drive out the mountain and see the snow coming down down especially since it was about 60° or you know so in okanawa and then only like 4550 in Tokyo so excited to start snowboarding obviously got the snowboard here ready to go and uh excited for this 3-day weekend in Z on Cent lift tickets I booked my tickets ahead of time through the website amazing a one-day adult lift ticket for the 2023 to 2024 season cost 6,500 Yen or about 42 USD 3-day ticket will run 19,200 Yen or approximately 125 USD if you purchase the tickets online you can pick them up at the base Lodge with a QR code in your email just scan the code at the little black boxes inside and your ticket will be printed you can also purchase tickets at the base Lodge in person but buying online ahead of time from w amazings website will save you a little bit of money and you can return the tickets up until the day of their active period rentals while I didn’t rent here while at Mount XO two of the best places that come up on Google Maps when you look are best rental Pro Shop and shivba ski if you’re watching this video you probably already know what snow monsters are these features of the reason I chose ziao and they were really unique in order to access them at Mountain Z you need to get to the number number two Gondola this is located about halfway up the mountain if you’re skiing or snowboarding I recommend taking the chair lifts up and traversing over to the number two Gondola because lines at the base Gondola or the number one can be well over an hour wait since this is the only way for people who are not skiing to access the snow monsters lines are typically shorter at Gondola 2 so just get some runs in on your way to the gondola and don’t make the mistake we made of walking all the way through the town with your gear to get on a gondola 1 once you’re at the top it’s quite a bit colder and windier than the bottom make sure you dress appropriately if you’re just traveling up the mountain on foot definitely bring a face warmer hat gloves and a warm coat it was 8 C when we arrived to the top here’s a quick look at what the snow monsters appear like and the trail down through the monsters you can also opt to hike up and ski down the East Side of the Mountain but we got unlucky on our last day and the gondola shut down for maintenance issues so unfortunately I don’t have any footage of that onon as you probably already guessed Mount Z onen is built on natural hot springs and when I say it’s built on the hot springs I mean it literally was built on top of the Springs there is even a road that runs through the middle of the town that stays so warm the heavy snow cannot stick to it and steam Rises through all the if you’re not accustomed to it the hot springs can be pretty smelly because of the sulfur content in the water is extremely high but don’t worry it’s good for your skin there are several Onsen within the town with some of the most popular being those that are unmanned simply drop 200 yen in the Box on the way into the Onsen and enter in we opted to reserve a private bath at the takam Mia juren anen as recommended by our hotel it did not disappoint restaurants disclaimer we ate about half our meals at lodge Scola the chef was excellent and meals Change Daily based on whatever the chef decides to cook night one was a hot pot with beef and vegetables traditional sides of beans Korean kimchi seaweed soup and rice they also offer desserts made in house don’t skip the cheesecake another restaurant we ate at was Zoo Noodle House Ron they primarily serve Ramen and soba noodles the Tori chicken soba was delicious and will warm you up nicely in the winter definitely recommend Cafe chotto offers craft beer from Yamagata as well as some light bites including duck french fries Bon Me sandwiches and desserts and although we didn’t eat at these next two restaurants we saved them on our map and they received great reviews Sushi kuraku serves fresh tasimi and sushi rolls akamura SOA focus on Ramen dishes both restaurants are small so it’s best to get a reservation or you might have to wait a bit there’s very little nightlife in Mount Z so if you’re looking for a more lively APPA ski town this area may not be for you however if you’re focused on skiing or snowboarding the majority of the day and relaxing in the evening this traditional Japanese ski town is right up your alley we really enjoyed our time here the snow was great food was delicious the people were friendly and the outdoor onsens with falling snow we’re relaxing highly recommend a visit to mount Z onen for those looking for a unique and traditional experience you definitely won’t find too many places like this and I’m certainly considering another visit next key season thank you so much for watching I hope you found this information helpful and if you did please like this video And subscribe for more Ski and Snowboard guides or just general travel itineraries until the next [Music] video

** Correction: The private onsen we went to was Mogami Takayu Zenshichi no Yu (or Mogamitakayu Zenshichinoyu Ohira on Booking.com)

Will shares what he learned after 3 days snowboarding at Mount Zao Onsen in Yamagata, Japan. He’ll go over how to get there, tickets, snow monsters, lodging, food, rentals, and his take on the resort overall.

Our other snowboarding videos and guides:
– Niseko (Hirafu), Japan: https://youtu.be/8A9DVUFPjK8
– Nagano (Hakuba), Japan: https://youtu.be/CZaiC-RAJTs
– Super Ski Dolomite, Sella Ronda, Italy: https://youtu.be/S_O1ihBexHc
– Vogel Ski Resort, Slovenia: https://youtu.be/DET0CYQSnbc
– Liechtenstein: https://youtu.be/Gu6UKorokuA
– Chamonix, Le Brevent, France: https://youtu.be/o0SLWkglcUI

Affiliate Links:
– Hotels in Mount Zao Onsen: https://www.booking.com/searchresults.en.html?city=900052279&aid=2163227&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2
– Where We Stayed: https://www.booking.com/hotel/jp/lodge-scole-aaa-a1a3a1-4a.en.html?aid=2163227&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2
– Get 30 Days Free of Epidemic Sound: https://www.epidemicsound.com/referral/vfdgx7/
– Our Patreon Page: https://patreon.com/WillandAlexTravel?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator

Get Your Guide Experiences:
– (From Sendai) Zao Fox village 1Day Bus Tour with Strawberry picking: https://gyg.me/HJ655awR
– (From Sendai) Trip to Ginzan Onsen: https://gyg.me/gH0ebHCq

Resources:
– How To Get There: https://mountainwatch.travel/japan/zao-onsen/getting-here/#:~:text=Zao%20Onsen%20is%20located%20in,then%20a%20bus%20from%20there
– Mount Zoo Onsen Tourism Website: https://www.zao-spa.or.jp/english/access/
– Yamagata Tourism Website: https://www.visityamagata.jp/en/spot-zao-liftcharge-2022-en/
– WAmazing Ticket Website: https://www.wamazing.com/snow/resorts/zao-onsen/items?type_lift=true
– The private onsen we went to: Mogami Takayu Zenshichi no Yu