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Historical Backgrounds
Historical Backgrounds
Zao Onsen is located in Yamagata prefecture and boasts a history of 1900 years. It is said that around the year 110 of the Christian era, this hot spring was discovered by a wounded warrior named "Kibino Takayu". He completely recovered from a serious injury after he bathed a couple of times. As a result, this hot spring area was formerly known as "Takayu Onsen."
In 1950, Mount Zao was chosen as a winner of the Mountains category of "Best 100 Tourist sites in Japan", and "Takayu Onsen" was renamed as "Zao Onsen".
There are more than 50 hotels in this onsen town, refreshing not only local people but also those from other prefectures. Ski areas, known as "Yamagata Zao Onsen skiing resort", open in the winter season near this onsen town, attracting lots of tourists.
Characteristics
Zao Onsen is one of the strongest, highly acidic hot springs in Japan (pH 1.3~1.6). It is not only said to be good for cuts, skin, and diseases, but also known as "Springs of the beauty" and "Springs for raising healthy children."
The hot spring consists of five groups and 47 sources, producing roughly 5,700 liters per minute, totaling about 8,700 tons daily.
Thanks to these beneficial effects, many people come together to bathe in the hot spring for long ago.
To know more...
A Trip to Zao Onsen
A Trip to Zao Onsen
(In English and Japanese )
Top Zao Onsen Hotels
Top Zao Onsen Hotels
(English only)
A Date at Zao Onsen
A Date at Zao Onsen
(In Japanese, English subtitles are available)
Direct Voices
Direct Voices
"I was really tired due to the long drive and lack of sleep, but once I got in the Onsen, all my fatigue was healed. I could enjoy the scenery too because the bath outside was surrounded by nature. There were lots of people in the bath, and we interacted with visitors from other prefectures. That was also a good experience."
-Shuma Hidaka
"I ran up the hill, then went back down. I was winded. I knew I needed to get into the onsen immediately, so I ripped off my clothes, rinsed off in the shower, and stepped in. My first impression was that it was hot, and my second was that it smelled of eggs. At first, I was concerned by what was causing the smell, but my worries were settled when I found out the water was VERY sulfurous. Plus, I met some Japanese university students in the bath, it was awesome."
-David Velarde
Photo by Shuma Hidaka
Access
From Tokyo:
1) Take the JR Yamagata Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Yamagata Station (about 2.5 hours)
2) From Yamagata Station, take a bus bound for Zao Onsen (about 40 minutes).
From Sendai
1) Take the JR Tohoku Shinkansen from Tokyo to Sendai Station (about 100 minutes).
2) In winter, a special direct bus runs from Sendai Station to Zao Onsen (about 100 minutes).
This route is convenient during the ski season.
References
About Zao onsen | ZAO ONSEN SKI RESORT. (n.d.). https://zao-spa.or.jp/english/about/
Kenji & Akari. (2021, December 26). [Yamagata/Zao Onsen] Large open-air bath deep in the mountains: Fresh hot spring tour [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4LDCQx0zWQ
Nippon Onsen Tourism Encyclopedia. (2023, April 20). Zao Onsen (Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture): Origin and history. Nippon Onsen Tourism Encyclopedia. https://onsen.kankoujp.com/zao-onsen/
Sharmeleon. (2021, January 30). Staying overnight in a Japanese hot spring town ♨️ Zao Onsen in Yamagata [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvP7U5iJHpE
Tourist Sense. (2024, May 19). Top Zao Onsen Hotels and Ryokans in 2024 [FOR LUXURY & BUDGET TRAVELERS] [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRuAUf1g510
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