Photo by Miyagi Prefecture

Photo by Wesley Keppel-Henry

Photo by Tohoku Sightseeing Organization

  • Mount Zao is an active volcano that straddles the border of Miyagi and Yamagata Prefectures. At a towering 1,841 meters, it is one of Tohoku’s tallest mountains. A stunning crater lake lies at its summit. The crater is called Okama due to its resemblance to a large cooking pot. Time your visit on a clear day and enjoy a panoramic view over the crater from the lookout on Kattadake Peak. For sightseers who simply want to view the crater, it’s easily accessible via a short walk from the nearby parking lot.

    The adventurous can also tackle one of the many hiking trails connecting Okama to the Zao Onsen hot springs on the Yamagata side of Mount Zao, and the Gaga Onsen hot spring on the Miyagi side. One such trail is a forty-five-minute hike rich with alpine plants leading to a viewpoint so near the crater’s rim that it gives the sensation of falling in. Cyclists, too, love and curse the mountain for its steep grade but rewarding views.

    The mountain boasts a variety of outdoor activities and landscapes that change dramatically with the seasons. In spring, cheerful yellow narcissus flowers bloom on the hillsides at Eboshi Resort. In autumn, the foliage fills the landscape with fiery reds and yellows. Winter is the season for skiing, snowboarding, and visiting the mysterious snow monsters that dot the frosty mountainside. As the winter gives way to spring, the Zao Echo Line highway reopens with towering walls of snow on either side.

    The roads to Okama Crater, the Zao Echo Line and Zao High Line, are closed during winter due to heavy snowfall. For those with proper equipment and experience though, the crater is accessible year-round on foot. Novices wishing to visit Okama in winter can do so by hiring a guide through M’s Guide Service. Regardless of when you go, it is recommended to check for weather warnings before your visit as access to the area is sometimes restricted due to volcanic activity.

    Local Voice

    A longer trail, one of the best hiking routes on Mount Zao, starts at Gaga Onsen, goes up and over Kumanodake, and ends at Togatta Peak (For an easier hike, start at Togatta Peak and end at Gaga Onsen). It was originally used by Shugendo monks during their ascetic training rituals. The trail climbs through deciduous forest and circumnavigates the jewel-like Okama Crater. The hike takes about four hours one-way. Bus stops are located near both ends of the trail, but it may be simpler to do a round-trip and stay overnight at Gaga Onsen than plan ones’s hike around the infrequent bus service.

  • Last Update
    June 2, 2020

    Area Mt. Zao

Details

ADDRESS

Kuraishidake National Forest , Zao-machi, Togatta-gun, Miyagi Prefecture

ACCESS BY PUBLIC TRANSIT

By bus from Shiroishi-Zao, Shiroishi, & Yamagata Stations.
By free shuttle bus from Kaminoyamaonsen Station.

From Shiroishi-Zao & Shiroishi Stations (runs weekends & holidays late April–early November): About 90 minutes by bus. From Shiroishi-Zao Station (白石蔵王駅) or Shiroishi Station (白石駅), board Zao High Line (蔵王ハイライン) bus bound for Zao Togatta Sancho (蔵王遠刈田山頂). Alight at Zao Togatta Sancho, the final stop. Timetable here (English).

From Yamagata Station: About 100 minutes by bus. From bus platform 1 in front of Yamagata Station (山形駅前1番), board bus bound for Zao Onsen・Togatta Sancho (蔵王温泉・遠刈田山頂). Alight at Zao Togatta Sancho (遠刈田山頂), the final stop. There is only one bus a day in each direction, so please be mindful of the schedule. Timetables here.

From Kaminoyamaonsen Station (runs late April–early November) : About 60 minutes by free shuttle bus. The bus stop is located across the plaza from the station, in front of the Kaminoyama Onsen Sightseeing Information Center (かみのやま温泉観光案内所). From there, board a Green Echo Go bus (グリーンエコー号) bus bound for Togatta Chushajo (遠刈田駐車場). Alight at Togatta Chushajo, the final stop. Timetable here. Timetables in English are available at the Kaminoyama Onsen Sightseeing Information Center.

ADMISSION

Free, but the road leading to Okama, the Zao High Line (蔵王ハイライン), is a toll road. Tolls vary by vehicle (a regular car costs ¥550). For details, see here.

HOURS

Mountain: always open
Road to Okama (Zao High Line): 7:30–17:00 late April–early November

CLOSED DAYS

The road to Okama Crater, the Zao High Line (蔵王ハイライン), is closed early November through mid-April. For details and updates, see here.

PHONE

0224-34-2725

OFFICIAL URL

http://www.zao-machi.com/category/english