Trees buried under snow and ice until they look like white giants. There are very few places in the world where this happens.
Zao, in Yamagata in northern Japan, is one of them. Deep snow, relentless wind, and bitter cold: only when all three come together do the "Snow Monsters" appear.
No one could build them. They are shaped by nature alone, growing a little at a time over many days in a harsh environment, and seeing them up close is something photographs cannot convey.
About 2 hours 30 minutes from Tokyo by Yamagata Shinkansen. This is not simply a walk in a snowy forest: come and feel the real DEEP ZAO in winter, the Zao you only see once you know this land and take it in with your own senses.
■ Season
Thursday, January 7 to Monday, March 15, 2027
* We are closed every Wednesday (we do operate on February 10 and February 24).
■ How the day goes
Two chairlifts bring you to the top of the ski area, where the snow hike begins.
On snowshoes you wander between the Snow Monsters, sink into fresh powder, and duck through tunnels of frozen branches. Now and then you can slide down a slope on your backside. Make the most of a world turned white.
Your guide will be waiting for you inside the building where the restaurant is located.
Your guide will be waiting for you inside the building where the restaurant is located.
