Zao Snow Monsters
蔵王の樹氷38°09′ N 140°26′ EViewpoint¥4,400, about CAD 40 or USD 28 (October 2026 rates)Seasonal
Zao's snow monsters suit anyone in Yamagata from January to early March, skier or not, who can ride a ropeway; the summit is often in a blizzard at −10°C or colder, so the view depends on the weather on the day.
Photo Raita Futo from Tokyo, Japan · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Access
The upper line is a funitel with no step or gap between platform and cabin, and the operator says wheelchair users can ride it.
Zao's snow monsters are Maries fir trees buried in rime and snow on the upper slopes above Zao Onsen. Supercooled cloud droplets freeze onto the branches as shrimp-tail ice, snow packs into the gaps and the whole mass hardens. The cycle repeats all winter until the trees turn into hunched white figures. The Zao Ropeway runs from the village to Jizo Sancho Station at 1,661 metres, right among them.
You don't need to ski to see them. Buy a return to Jizo Sancho, ride the lower ropeway for seven minutes and the funitel for ten, and walk out onto the snow beside the station. The stone Zao Jizo statue stands at the top station too.
After dark the ropeway lights the trees in colour from 17:00 to 21:00 during the winter light-up. A heated snowcat called the Night Cruiser carries small groups from Juhyo Kogen Station into the lit forest on a 75-minute tour, about 30 minutes of it on board. Book it through JTB's website from seven days ahead, since the ropeway takes no phone bookings.
Zao is an active volcano and JMA keeps it at alert level 1. The Okama crater lies on the far side of the range from the ropeway.
Worth knowing
- Dress for −10°C or colder at the top even on a sunny day in the village, and bring goggles for the wind.
- Skis and boards aren't allowed on the evening light-up, which is for sightseeing only.
Quick answers about Zao Snow Monstersよくある質問
When is the best time to see the Zao snow monsters?
Zao Ropeway puts the peak in February. The trees build through January and start to thin and collapse in March.
How much is the Zao Ropeway to see the snow monsters?
A return ticket to Jizo Sancho Station costs ¥4,400 for adults and ¥2,200 for children.
Do I need to ski to see the Zao snow monsters?
No. The Zao Ropeway takes sightseers to Jizo Sancho Station at 1,661 metres, where the snow monsters stand around the station.
What are the opening hours of Zao Snow Monsters?
Zao Snow Monsters keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:15–16:45.
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