[Zao Onsen, Yamagata Prefecture] In addition to skiing and frost-covered trees, winter in Zao is also recommended for hot springs!

Yamagata Zao, famous for its frost-covered trees in winter, is also famous for its highly effective hot springs.

There are many inns here, but instead of staying overnight, you can easily take a day trip and enjoy the hot springs.

A hot spring that soaks into your cold body. It is a highly acidic hot spring that will make you feel warm and sweaty just by taking a footbath.

Zao is crowded with many skiers and visitors looking at the frost-covered trees, but this time we would like to introduce you to one-day hot springs in Zao.

Are there multiple public hot spring facilities in Zao?

Zao Onsen, which opened in 1900 and is one of the oldest hot springs in Japan, is unique in Japan as there are many inns and day-trip hot spring facilities that each have their own hot springs.

Additionally, there are three public baths and three footbaths scattered throughout the hot spring town. The cost of the public bath is very reasonable, and the footbath is free.

It might be a good idea to just grab a towel and wander around the hot springs all day long!

Upper bath communal bath

The hot springs above are located just below the stone steps of the hot spring shrine, where the source water is concentrated, so the quantity and freshness of the water is perfect. The slightly hot water is enough to make you feel dizzy, but you will gradually get used to it. However, it seems that taking a long bath is prohibited.

・Business hours: 6:00-22:00
・Business period: All year round
・Bathing fee: 200 yen for adults, 100 yen for children

GOOGLE MAP

Shimoyu communal bath

All public baths are unmanned, and you enter by putting money into a red mailbox-like fare box at the entrance.

There will be no change, so don't forget to bring some change!

There is also a hand bath and foot bath (free of charge) on the front right side of the lower bath, so you can enjoy the hot springs without taking a bath.

It is located just a short walk from Kamiyu.

GOOGLE MAP

Kawarayu public bath

The Kawarayu public bathhouse has a bathtub built right above the source, so it's so hot that some people say they couldn't take a bath. There are no restrooms at this facility, so if you need to use the restroom, we recommend using the upper or lower baths.

This facility is very attractive to hot spring connoisseurs, as it has a hot spring that gushes out from your feet, with a grid of slats laid on the bottom of the bathtub.It also has a system that allows hot water to come in not only from your feet, but also from all sides, allowing you to enjoy the freshest water possible. It becomes.

・Business hours: 6:00-22:00
・Business period: All year round
・Bathing fee: 200 yen for adults, 100 yen for children

GOOGLE MAP

Plenty of footbaths too!

There are three
footbaths in Yamagata Zao, to the lower bath, the Midoriya No. 2 hot spring footbath , and the hot spring footbath ``Kakugi -no-Yu Even if only my feet were in the bath, I was sweating, and even after I came out, I was still hot for a while.

Towels are sold for 100 yen at the restaurant ``Robata'' next to ``Kagari-no-Yu''.

This restaurant seems to serve delicious Genghis Khan, which is said to be a Zao specialty, and when you take a footbath, it smells so good that you can't help but want not just a towel, but also a meal...

An open-air bath along the river with a great location

If you go towards Yamate from Zao Onsen Town, you will find a dynamic open-air bath surrounded by mountains with a river flowing beside it.

As you walk down from the parking lot, there is a men's section in the front and a women's section in the back, so you can simply enjoy the hot springs with just a changing room.

The bathtub is a little deep, so you'll have to stand up to take a bath, but there are stones here and there for you to sit on, so you can take your time in the bath.

Anyway, the location is great and the healing effects are perfect, so you can be sure to refresh your mind and body!

*Closed during the winter season, scheduled to open on April 22nd.

Due to the steep slope of the road to reach it, it is closed in winter, but in spring you can enjoy bathing surrounded by fresh greenery.

Other day trip hot springs

Zao's hot spring town has a wide range of day trip bathing facilities, so it can be hard to decide which facility to use.

summary

I believe that each prefecture in Japan has hot springs, but Yamagata Prefecture is also famous for having hot spring facilities in each city, town, and village.

Zao Onsen is one of the top hot spring hot springs in Yamagata Prefecture in terms of quantity and effectiveness, and has six public baths and footbaths, as well as five facilities for day trip baths, making it a must-see for hot spring lovers.

It's great to see the frost-covered trees that are synonymous with winter in Zao, but why not enjoy a hot spring bath to soothe your cold body?

Ah! Please avoid bathing for a long time to avoid contact with the hot water.