{"id":533,"date":"2023-05-16T10:15:44","date_gmt":"2023-05-16T01:15:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cl-outdoor.net\/?p=533"},"modified":"2024-03-29T21:13:14","modified_gmt":"2024-03-29T12:13:14","slug":"skiing-in-zao-onsen-ski-resort","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cl-outdoor.net\/?p=533","title":{"rendered":"Skiing in Zao Onsen Ski Resort \u8535\u738b\u6e29\u6cc9"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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When I first experienced Zao Onsen as a bright bubbly baby skier, it was unlike any other ski resort I\u2019ve been to. I mostly remember a harsh snowy mountain, unpredictable weather, and monstrous silhouettes of the heavily snow-covered trees. If you\u2019re lucky to get in that short sunny weather window during the peak of winter, around January to February, you\u2019ll find that it\u2019s the ultimate winter wonderland. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the largest ski resorts in Tohoku is the Zao Onsen Ski Resort. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The first thing you should do is to take the ropeway all the way to the top, in the Snow Monster Area. If you have energy, you can hike up to the peak of Jizo Yama, which is probably labelled as Mt. Zao with an altitude of 1736m. There you can see amazing views of both Yamagata and Miyagi prefectures. On a clear day, you can even catch a glimpse of Mt. Chokai which is along the borders of Akita Prefecture and also the beautiful Matsushima Bay on the other side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, you can freely ski all over the mountain, and even cautiously enter the tree areas. There are easy tree areas where you can enjoy being surrounded by the snow monsters. Although you have to be careful when entering ungroomed ski areas, never try to ski in places you are not familiar with and always do your research to know the terrain. There is also a wide variety of ski slopes for all levels that makes it enjoyable for all kinds of skiers and snowboarders.  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Because the ski area is so large, you can choose which area or simply explore all slopes in the resort. There is the Kurohime and Omori areas with giant slope courses and several intermediate slopes. If you\u2019re up for the challenge, the most difficult slope in the Ski Resort is the Yokokura wall also in the Kurohime area. It has a maximum of 38\u00b0 slope angle and runs up to 300m. There is a connecting course to travel traverse to the other side of the ski resort. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of my favorite areas in Zao Onsen is the Chuo Slope Area as it is really good to practice and enjoy casual skiing. And if you\u2019re tired and in need of a break, there is an old lodge in that area called Sangoro. You can even stay there for the night or even longer and is very convenient for those who want to ski the first track. They have a restaurant, and the food is delicious. This is my go-to for those who want to stay inside the ski resort. The downside is that the Zao Onsen is pretty hard to access as you need to get down from the mountain and you can\u2019t get back up at night as the lifts will be closed by then. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Speaking of Zao Onsen, there is the large outdoor bath that is open during green season and is closed during winter because of\u2026 well, the snow. You can, however, ski along a bridge to have a peek and it looks amazing all covered in snow. The scent is so strong too! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best part after all that skiing on the mountain is that you can enjoy a wonderful soak in the hot springs after.  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Video of the trip<\/h3><\/div><\/div>

Here are some clips of our trip in Zao Onsen. We also went to the neighboring ski resort, Liza World Zao where we did a quick hike to see the frozen waterfalls (Takiyama Otaki). Read more about backcountry ski tours in this article.<\/mark><\/strong><\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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A post shared by C.L. Outdoor (@c.l.outdoor)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>