Zao Onsen Ski Resort

First time snowboarding in Japan and Zao Onsen Ski Resort did not disappoint!!! It’s good for beginners as there are many beginner-intermediate routes. The snow monsters were spectacular and one of a kind.

visited Zao Onsen Ski Resort and went all the way up to the top – it was freezing, but absolutely worth it. The wind was cold, snow all around, and everything was covered in a soft white mist that made the whole place feel almost magical. Even though I couldn’t stay outside for too long, the views and atmosphere were beautiful and unforgettable. If you don’t mind the cold, it’s definitely a spot you should experience at least once.

Sprawling, yet well organized ski resort that has legitimately some of the most beautiful views from atop. The variety of courses allows people of all skill levels to enjoy their time, and everything is pretty accessible and fairly priced.

The runs are beautiful with all the snow layering the trees, and somehow the powder remains on the edges with most folks preferring the groomed runs, but wow what a remarkably confusing resort. To avoid spending 1/2 your time traversing, I would recommend one day on the left side and one day on the right. All runs are basically green or blue but we happened onto one run accidentally that was a solid black, and I suspect that if the weather is nice you can ski the trees from the top in the snow monster area and get some tree and powder skiing in. I also noticed some other areas that had some tighter tree skiing, but it looked like they were considered out of bounds as no one was touching them. As others have mentioned the gondola to the top is a bit disappointing as there were hordes of non-skiers stomping around and adding to the wait. We enjoyed the town as it has several different sized indoor and outdoor onsens for about $2USD. Relatively reasonable accommodation slope side can be had for $100-$150 per room.

Tourist on foot ruined this place for me. They buy priority passes for the gondola and snowboarders and skiers have to wait in the regular line after paying over ¥8000 for our lift tickets. It took 1 hour to get on. There’s sooo many flat spots on this mountain where you have to walk. Very inconvenient.

A frustrating experience at this open ski area. It’s easy to get lost, and I somehow managed to lose my cell phone in the process. There are too many flat areas where you’re forced to take off your snowboard and walk—definitely not ideal. The weather didn’t help, and to top it off, there were way too many non-skiers taking the cable car up just for photos, blocking the way for those of us trying to actually ski. Not the best place for serious snow sports enthusiasts!

Quite cold up top and you have to be lucky to have a nice clear day. The weather is quite unpredictable up there and it might be too windy and foggy that it would be difficult to see anything. Also, the top gondola is used for spectators and not just skiers which could make the wait ridiculously long. Othetwise, the view is absolutely spectacular.

Amazing snow monster More beautiful than any other ski resorts in Japan