adventure experience

[Miyagi Prefecture Katta District] The frost-covered field is a rare and spectacular view that can only be found in Tohoku! Let's go see the ice monster!

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  • Last updated: 2022.03.15

A rare and spectacular sight that can only be seen in winter is frost-covered trees. For those living in the Kanto region, this may be a term that is unfamiliar to them. As the name suggests, frost-covered trees are formed when snow and ice accumulate on the trees

Zao in particular is home to many evergreen coniferous trees called Aomori Todomatsu (Maries' Fir). As snow accumulates on these trees and hardens, they grow larger and larger as they move upwind. They grow out like tail fins, which is why they are sometimes called "shrimp tails."

Tohoku is home to many famous frost-covered trees, including Hakkoda, Hachimantai, and Zao. In this article, we will introduce the frost-covered trees of Zao, which is particularly popular for its beautiful scenery and offers tours

If you want to see frost-covered trees, we highly recommend the "Miyagi Zao Ice-covered Trees Tour"!

If you want to see the frost-covered trees in Zao, the Miyagi Zao Frost-covered Trees Tour is highly recommended. This tour departs for the frost-covered trees of the Zao mountain range on the Wild Monster, a heated passenger snowmobile with a built-in cabin. The tour is also popular for the entertaining talks of the dedicated guide

"Juhyo" is an extremely rare phenomenon that only occurs under special circumstances. In Japan, they can only be seen in limited areas, such as Zao, Hakkoda in Aomori, and Hachimantai in Akita. In order for Juhyo to grow, all conditions must be just right, including the weather, amount of snowfall, and type of tree

In particular, the area around the summit of Mt. Katta, which is visited on the "Miyagi Zao Ice Tree Tour" tour, is where you can enjoy a particularly beautiful panoramic field of ice trees

Overview of "Miyagi Zao Juhyo Tour"

The "Miyagi Zao Juhyo Tour" has already begun this year and is proving to be a great success. Each tour lasts two hours and is held three times a day. The schedule is below

Implementation period time
December 16th (Sat) - March 18th (Sun) 11:00～13:00
13:30～15:30
15:30～17:30

The prices are as follows:

adult children
5,300 yen 4,400 yen

The fee includes the rental of rubber boots. Once you reach the frost-covered fields, you will be walking on snowy roads, so rubber boots or snow boots are essential items

Ride the Wild Monster to the frost-covered fields

The start is Sumikawa Snow Park in Zao Town. Registration takes place at the rest house here. A shuttle bus runs from Sendai Station to Sumikawa Snow Park

To get to the frost-covered area, take the Wild Monster bus from Snow Park (45 minutes one way). There are regular cars (4,800 yen) and a special car called Gran Class (regular fare + 2,500 yen)

In regular carriages, passengers sit facing each other, but Gran Class has seats similar to those on the Shinkansen. For those who want to travel comfortably without having to sit facing each other, Gran Class is recommended

There are a lot of ice monsters in the rime fields

The best place to view the frost-covered trees is at an altitude of around 1,600m. Temperatures can drop as low as -10°C, so be sure to pack plenty of cold weather gear. The frost-covered trees are a sight that is perfect for Instagram. You'll be greeted by a grand display of natural ice monsters

There is also a night tour to see the "House of Ice-covered Trees"

The frost-covered trees are amazing during the day, but they are also attractive at night. Sumikawa Snow Park offers a tour called "Tour of the Ice-covered Tree Houses (3,100 yen)" that can be enjoyed not only during the day but also at night

From the rest house, we take a snowmobile to the forest at an altitude of 1,400m (25 minutes one way). The frost-covered Aomori Todomatsu trees are lit by lanterns, creating a fantastical sight. The huge pines covered in ice look just like snow huts. These snow huts are called "frost-covered houses." Of course, you can go inside

If you're satisfied with the daytime tour, why not try touring the frost-covered houses at night? A completely different experience awaits

INFORMATION

name Miyagi Zao Ice Tree Tour (Sumikawa Snow Park)
location Kuraishidake National Forest, Togatta Onsen, Zao Town, Katta District, Miyagi Prefecture
telephone number 0224-87-2610
Official URL http://www.zao-sumikawa.jp/juhyo.html
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