About Zao Hot Spring
Zao Onsen is located in northeastern Japan at the foot of Mount Zao Renbei in Yamagata Prefecture, and is said to have been discovered as early as 110 A.D. It has a history of 1,900 years, making it one of the oldest hot spring resorts in Japan. The sulphur springs in the Zao hot spring area are strongly acidic and have a special effect on skin diseases and gastrointestinal problems, making them famous as “Hime no yu” and “Beauty yu”. It is also known as a “child-healthy bath” because the sulfur springs can help children grow up healthily.
There are three public baths and three open-air baths in the Zao Onsen area, and each hotel has its own hot spring bath. In the hot spring town, which smells of sulfur, there is a constant stream of visitors, not only from Japan but also from abroad. Visitors can enjoy the natural hot springs while taking in the beauty of nature in the beautiful scenery of the Zao Onsen area.
If you want Two-day Trip to Northeastern Japan: Ginzan Hot Spr, the first step is to book tickets!
If you have a discount coupon online, you can make a reservation and purchase tickets here.
How to get there
(1)40 minutes by bus from Yamagata Station (get off at “Zao Onsen” stop for Zao Onsen)
(2)35 minutes by car from Yamagata Zao IC on Yamagata Expressway
Tips
I brought only a bath fee of 700 yen, a towel, and a change of clothes, but there was a locker in the changing room for 100 yen.
If you bring your own towel and do not use the locker, you do not need to spend extra money. If you don’t take off your watch or jewelry, they may tarnish them. My hands were chapped after I left.
