Mount Zao
Mount Zao, A Volcano On The Yamagata Miyagi Border Known For The Okama Crater Lake, A Green Blue Pool In A Bare Rim, And In Winter For The Snow Monsters, Trees Coated In Ice And Snow. A Ski And Onsen Mountain, With Fog And Wind At The Top. · Yamagata, Yamagata
Mount Zao is a volcanic range on the border of Yamagata and Miyagi, inside a quasi-national park, rising to about 1,840 m. The famous sight is Okama, a crater lake of green-blue water inside a bare, pale rim, whose colour shifts with the light and the cloud. In winter the fir trees on the ski slopes freeze into the juhyo, the snow monsters, best seen from late January to February. Zao Onsen, an old village of sulphur baths, sits on the lower slope. Most visitors reach it from Yamagata city by bus in about an hour, then take a ropeway or the mountain roads. It suits skiers, hot spring lovers and drivers who want a big volcano view. It is worth the detour on a clear summer day for Okama, or on a cold February evening for the snow monsters. It is not worth it in thick fog, which is common and can hide the lake entirely, and the crater can close for gas. Allow a full day, and carry a warm layer even in August.
Zao Onsen, Yamagata, at the foot of the mountain; the Zao Ropeway and Okama crater are reached by road from Yamagata Station, Yamagata, Yamagata, Japan
Okama and the high road are a seasonal sight. The Zao Echo Line toll road over the range closes in winter, roughly mid November to April, so the crater is out of reach on foot or by car then - confirm the dates each year. In summer the Okama car park and rest house run from morning to late afternoon, with shorter days in autumn. The ropeways run in the ski season and in warm months, and the winter ride to the snow monsters runs late, in the dark with lights - confirm times. Okama can be closed to visitors when volcanic gas rises. From Yamagata, buses to Zao Onsen take roughly an hour; check the last bus back. IC cards are not accepted everywhere, so carry cash.