Japan · up to 1666 m
蔵王温泉スキー場, Zao Onsen Ski Resort
Ski among the snow monsters, then soak in thousand-year-old sulfur springs.
Bonvo Score
The story of Zao Onsen
Zao Onsen offers something no other ski resort on Earth quite matches: in deep winter, the fir trees along its upper mountain vanish beneath layer after layer of rime ice and wind-driven snow until they become juhyō — 'snow monsters' — a summit forest of hulking white figures that you ski between, and that glow under coloured floodlights at night. The phenomenon peaks in February and draws visitors from around the world.
The village below is one of Japan's oldest hot-spring settlements, its discovery dated by tradition to the second century AD. Steam rises between ryokan roofs, the streets smell faintly of sulfur, and the milky, strongly acidic waters of its public baths have been easing muscles for centuries — the perfect counterpart to a cold Tōhoku ski day.
The skiing itself is old-school Japan: a sprawling web of ropeways and courses down the flank of the Zao range, long meandering descents (the top-to-bottom stretches close to 9 km), and a pace that favours atmosphere over adrenaline. You come to Zao for the monsters, the baths and the feeling of skiing inside a woodblock print.
Signature runs
Juhyōgen Course
The 'snow monster field' — a gentle course threading directly through the rime-ice figures at the summit.
Zangezaka to the village
The long top-to-bottom journey, nearly 9 km winding from the monsters back to steaming onsen rooftops.
Omori course
Quiet, rolling cruising on the resort's flank — the locals' choice for uncrowded laps.
Local tips
- ◆Visit in February for peak snow monsters; ride the ropeway at dusk for the illuminations even if you're done skiing.
- ◆The public sulfur baths are strong stuff — remove silver jewellery unless you want it blackened.
- ◆Zao's lifts are a patchwork of generations; study the map or you'll spend the day on connector tracks.
- ◆Try the local konnyaku balls and Yamagata beef after skiing — Tōhoku's food quietly outclasses its fame.
Did you know?
Mountain records
The 10 best runs at 蔵王温泉スキー場, Zao Onsen Ski Resort, scored
Every run is scored 0–100 from its real shape — vertical drop, length, how well its steepness fits its difficulty class, and flow (flats and uphill sections cost points). How the Bonvo Score works →
- 158*Black
1.0 km · 249 m drop · avg 24.3% · Excellent
- 253太平コースGreen
1.8 km · 258 m drop · avg 14% · Very good
- 353ザンゲ坂・樹氷原コースGreen
987 m · 106 m drop · avg 10.6% · Very good
- 453黒姫スーパージャイアントコースGreen
1.2 km · 250 m drop · avg 20.8% · Very good
- 553セーラーコース, Sailor CourseBlack
470 m · 167 m drop · avg 35.2% · Very good
- 652高鳥コースRed
698 m · 104 m drop · avg 14.8% · Very good
- 752ザンゲ坂・樹氷原コースRed
550 m · 130 m drop · avg 22.6% · Very good
- 852黒姫コネクションコースGreen
764 m · 144 m drop · avg 18.6% · Very good
- 951大森ジャイアントコースGreen
776 m · 158 m drop · avg 19.7% · Very good
- 1050連絡コースGreen
975 m · 112 m drop · avg 11.5% · Very good
All 19 named slopes
| Slope | Difficulty | Length | Vertical | Avg gradient | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| * | Black | 1.0 km | 249 m | 24.3% | 58 |
| 太平コース | Green | 1.8 km | 258 m | 14% | 53 |
| ザンゲ坂・樹氷原コース | Green | 987 m | 106 m | 10.6% | 53 |
| 黒姫スーパージャイアントコース | Green | 1.2 km | 250 m | 20.8% | 53 |
| セーラーコース, Sailor Course | Black | 470 m | 167 m | 35.2% | 53 |
| 高鳥コース | Red | 698 m | 104 m | 14.8% | 52 |
| ザンゲ坂・樹氷原コース | Red | 550 m | 130 m | 22.6% | 52 |
| 黒姫コネクションコース | Green | 764 m | 144 m | 18.6% | 52 |
| 大森ジャイアントコース | Green | 776 m | 158 m | 19.7% | 51 |
| 連絡コース | Green | 975 m | 112 m | 11.5% | 50 |
| 横倉の壁38° | Black | 232 m | 109 m | 43.7% | 50 |
| チューブスライダー | Green | 349 m | 56 m | 16% | 49 |
| 黒姫スーパージャイアントコース | Red | 434 m | 147 m | 32.6% | 47 |
| パラダイス迂回コース | Green | 818 m | 169 m | 20.5% | 46 |
| * | Green | 127 m | 14 m | 9.1% | 46 |
| * | Green | 732 m | 93 m | 12.3% | 44 |
| ハーネンカムCコース | Blue | 257 m | 68 m | 24.6% | 43 |
| 見返りコース | Green | 253 m | 27 m | 8.8% | 39 |
| 太平コース | Green | 110 m | 36 m | 28.6% | 25 |
Lifts at 蔵王温泉スキー場, Zao Onsen Ski Resort
| Lift | Type | Length | Rise | Seats | Ride time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 蔵王ロープウェイ山頂線, 2 Zao Ropeway Sanchosen | Gondola | 1.8 km | 334 m | — | — |
| 蔵王中央ケーブル | Cable car | 1.7 km | 521 m | — | — |
| 1 蔵王ロープウェイ山麓線, 1 Zao Ropeway Sanchosen | Cable car | 1.7 km | 469 m | — | — |
| 4 蔵王スカイケーブル (Zao Sky Cable) | Gondola | 1.6 km | 344 m | 4 | — |
| 黒姫第２クワトロ | Chairlift | 1.3 km | 259 m | 4 | — |
| 大森クワトロ | Chairlift | 1.3 km | 345 m | 4 | — |
| 37 温泉第４クワッド, 37 Onsen No. 4 Quad | Chairlift | 938 m | 267 m | 4 | — |
| 6 温泉第２クワッド | Chairlift | 921 m | 225 m | 4 | — |
| アストリア第１ペア | Chairlift | 680 m | 144 m | 2 | — |
| 32 国体ペア, 32 Onsen Zao Kokutai Pair | Chairlift | 633 m | 201 m | 2 | — |
| ダイヤモンド第１ペア | Chairlift | 608 m | 95 m | 2 | — |
| 横倉第１ペア | Chairlift | 604 m | 137 m | — | — |
| 横倉第１ペア | Chairlift | 604 m | 137 m | — | — |
| 横倉第２ペア | Chairlift | 594 m | 123 m | 2 | — |
| 中森第１トリプル | Chairlift | 581 m | 125 m | — | — |
| 中森第２ペア | Chairlift | 552 m | 144 m | 2 | — |
| 17 パラダイスペアA,B, 17 Paradise Pair | Chairlift | 542 m | 173 m | — | — |
| 竜山ペアリフト | Chairlift | 516 m | 130 m | — | — |
| 竜山ペアリフト | Chairlift | 516 m | 133 m | — | — |
| アストリア第２ペア | Chairlift | 492 m | 150 m | 2 | — |
| アストリア第３ペア | Chairlift | 489 m | 138 m | 2 | — |
| ユートピア第２ペア | Chairlift | 478 m | 92 m | 2 | — |
| 温泉第３ | Chairlift | 461 m | 93 m | — | — |
| サンライズペア | Chairlift | 458 m | 137 m | — | — |
| パラダイス第３ペア | Chairlift | 452 m | 89 m | 2 | — |
| 5 温泉第１ペア, 5 Onsen 1st Pair | Chairlift | 447 m | 79 m | — | — |
| 33 見返りペア, 33 Mikaeri Pair | Chairlift | 415 m | 95 m | 2 | — |
| 12 中央第２ペアA,B, 12 Chuo No.2 Pair | Chairlift | 411 m | 98 m | — | — |
| 35 ダイヤモンド第２ペア | Chairlift | 411 m | 103 m | 2 | — |
| 菖蒲沼第１第２ | Chairlift | 340 m | 56 m | — | — |
| 14 中央第１ペア, 14 Chou No.1 Pair | Chairlift | 333 m | 84 m | — | — |
| ユートピア第１ペア | Chairlift | 304 m | 66 m | 2 | — |
Beyond the pistes
Take 蔵王温泉スキー場, Zao Onsen Ski Resort offline — every run and lift on this page, in your pocket.
Download the resort once in Bonvo Ski Maps and every run, lift and your friends' live positions keep working in airplane mode. Free this season.
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Official resort website: www.zao-ski.or.jp/
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