Zao Kokusai Hotel
蔵王国際ホテル38°10′ N 140°24′ EHotel¥¥¥15,180, about CAD 136 or USD 96 (October 2026 rates)
Zao Kokusai Hotel suits skiers who want a full-service onsen hotel beside the Yokokura slope and the Zao Ropeway, and the trade-off is a strict house line: guests with tattoos cannot bathe, and children must be of primary-school age.
From
¥15,180a night
Jalan lists room-only stays from ¥15,180 a person when two share and dinner with breakfast from ¥25,300 a person. The hotel says booking on its own site is worth up to ¥6,600 a person in extras.
Guests
2 guests
You book and pay on the booking site's own secure checkout, and we never see your card.
- Meals
- Yamagata kaiseki dinner with Yamagata beef and breakfast in the restaurant
- Check-in
- In from 14:00, out by 10:00
- Onsen
- Shared and private baths
- Tattoos
- Not allowed
- Rooms
- 51
- Best for
- Skiers, couples
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Zao Kokusai Hotel
¥15,180 a night
The hotel sits at 933 Zao Onsen beside the Yokokura slope. Its own FAQ says you cross a bridge from the car park and the slope is right in front of you, with the Zao Ropeway's base on the same slope. The 51 rooms run from 14-tatami Japanese rooms to twins of 38 to 74 square metres, and two suites opened in December 2023. The bathrooms in the rooms use ordinary water.
Hachiemon no Yu is the main bathhouse, a tall all-timber hall with milky sulphur water running through indoor and outdoor tubs, open around the clock outside cleaning. Three private baths cost ¥2,200 to ¥4,400 for 45 minutes, and booking on the hotel's site takes ¥1,100 off. A foot bath stays open 24 hours.
Dinner is a Yamagata kaiseki with Yamagata beef as the main course, served in the restaurant with a start between 17:30 and 19:00. A free bus runs from the west exit of Yamagata Station if you book three days ahead, and staff also collect guests from the Zao Onsen bus terminal. From 12 December to 15 March the station run passes to Nozomi Kanko and the meeting point moves, so confirm it when you book.
Highlights
- The Yokokura slope starts across a bridge from the car park
- Hachiemon no Yu is a tall timber bathhouse on the Zao spring
- A free bus runs from Yamagata Station with three days' notice
The essentials
- Kind
- Hotel
- From
- ¥15,180 per person (2026), about CAD 136 or USD 96 (October 2026 rates)
- Price
- ¥¥
- Prices
- Jalan lists room-only stays from ¥15,180 a person when two share and dinner with breakfast from ¥25,300 a person. The hotel says booking on its own site is worth up to ¥6,600 a person in extras.
- Meals
- Yamagata kaiseki dinner with Yamagata beef and breakfast in the restaurant; room-only plans also sell
- Check-in
- 14:00, out by 10:00
- Rooms
- 51
- Amenities
- Onsen, Open air bath, Private baths, Foot bath, Ski locker room, Drying room, Ski rental, Coin laundry, Free parking, Wi Fi
- Best for
- skiers, couples, onsen lovers
- Website
- Official site
- To the lifts
- The hotel's FAQ says the Yokokura slope, served by the Zao Ropeway, lies right across a bridge from its car park.
- Boot room
- Yes
- Ski storage
- Yes
- Shuttle
- Free bus from Yamagata Station west exit, booked three days ahead (Nozomi Kanko runs it from 12 December to 15 March from a different meeting point), plus pick-up from the Zao Onsen bus terminal on call.
- Baths
- Shared and private baths, fed by a hot spring
- Tattoos
- Not allowed
- Tattoo rule
- The hotel's FAQ says guests with tattoos cannot bathe, and its Jalan listing names the main bath and the outdoor bath.
Worth knowing
- Last check-in is 19:00 on dinner plans and 21:00 without dinner.
- Day bathers can use the baths from 12:00 to 15:00 for ¥1,320.
- Guests can bathe free at the sister inns, Oomiya Ryokan and Zao Shiki no Hotel.
Quick answers about Zao Kokusai Hotelよくある質問
How much does Zao Kokusai Hotel cost?
Prices at Zao Kokusai Hotel start at ¥15,180 per person (2026), about CAD 136 or USD 96 (October 2026 rates).
Are meals included at Zao Kokusai Hotel?
Zao Kokusai Hotel: Yamagata kaiseki dinner with Yamagata beef and breakfast in the restaurant; room-only plans also sell.
What does Zao Kokusai Hotel have?
Zao Kokusai Hotel lists onsen, open air bath, private baths, foot bath, ski locker room, drying room, ski rental, coin laundry, free parking, wi fi.
Who is Zao Kokusai Hotel good for?
Zao Kokusai Hotel suits skiers, couples, onsen lovers.
Does Zao Kokusai Hotel have an onsen?
Yes. Zao Kokusai Hotel has shared and private baths fed by a hot spring.
Can you use the baths at Zao Kokusai Hotel with tattoos?
No. The baths at Zao Kokusai Hotel turn away bathers with visible tattoos.
Within 12 km
Places to eat and drink nearby食
Within 12 km
Sights nearby見どころ
In the journal
Read more about Zao Kokusai Hotel特集

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When should you ride Zao and Hakkoda for the snow monsters?
February is the month. Zao Ropeway puts its snow monsters at full size then, on a big ticketed mountain above a sulphur onsen village. Hakkoda gives one ropeway and two ungroomed courses through its own fir groves, with tour routes opening from early March.

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Which ski-hill onsen towns are best for a soak after the last lift?
Nozawa puts thirteen free public baths a short walk from the lifts. Kusatsu is the clearest answer for tattooed riders, and Shibu and Ginzan give their best baths to the people who stay the night.



