A Trip to Zao Onsen

Haidee and I decided to go on a short "weekend" get-a-way to a popular tourist spot in Yamagata Prefecture (just to the north of Fukushima).  Zao Onsen （蔵王温泉） is a beautiful little village in the mountains above Yamagata City.  While it's most famous for its winter skiing, there are some beautiful hiking trails that make it a good summer location as well.  Haidee did some research and found a small Japanese inn that serves dinner and breakfast, and we saw some really great pictures and reviews online.  So, a week later, we hopped into the car and made the 2 hour trip up north into the mountains to check it out. 

We arrived in the tiny village and found the hotel that Haidee made reservations at.  It was the perfect location, right in the middle of town, next to a hot springs river (steaming and bubbling).  As it turned out, we were the only guests!  Apparently, during the rainy season (June - early July), there aren't many visitors to Zao Onsen, so the shop owners take a little vacation.  That was fine by us.  We enjoyed a private dinner for two in small dining room, served by our very kind hosts:  a Japanese man and his wife.  They gave us a coupon for a public 温泉, so we enjoyed an after-dinner bath, Japanese style! 

As the name suggests, there are many hot spring (温泉) baths throughout Zao Onsen.  Being a volcanic island, Japan has hundreds of natural hot springs, which are often utilized to create public baths.  Let me tell you:  you've never truly taken a bath unless you've bathed naked outdoors in steaming hot, very acidic (not to mention smelly), natural hot spring pools, along with a half dozen other Japanese people.  It's pretty amazing, actually.  The high mineral content of the water is supposed to be very good for your body.  It leaves your skin feeling very soft and smooth.  Just don't bring metals inside with you (like wedding rings).  The water is very acidic and corrosive (the pH is around 1.5)!

Our tiny inn, with a beautiful tree right out front.  The only two cars were ours and our host's.

Our room was a traditional Japanese-style room, with tatami floors and futon mats to sleep on.

A view from the window of our room:  the babbling brook fed by volcanic hot springs.

Dinner was sukiyaki: meat, vegetables, and mushrooms cooked in a pot on the table, served with pickled vegetables and raw eggs.

A public hot springs bath ( 温泉) in Zao Onsen.  (No, I didn't bring my camera into the bath. . . I found this pic on the internet)

We woke up the next morning to some beautiful sunny weather!  (Japan is in the middle of rainy season - we were very fortunate).  After breakfast we traveled via "Ropeway" (large cable gondolas) to the beginning of the hiking trail, and enjoyed some incredible views!  After about 15 minutes of hiking we realized we weren't going to need the extra layers of clothing we packed (in case the weather had turned out otherwise), so we took turns wearing Eric's long-sleeved green shirt as a turban.  Hiking along the summit of the mountain border between Yamagata and Miyagi Prefectures gave us the impression that we were on the top of the world!  (when, in fact, we were only about one mile above sea level).  Mount Zao is an active volcano, and as we neared the summit we saw a beautiful volcanic crater lake (called Okama 御釜 - because it resembles a traditional cooking pot).  The pictures really don't do it justice.  The colors were amazing.

Taking the "Ropeway" to the trailhead.

Eric sporting the turban.

I think Haidee looks like a shepherdess with the turban.

Looking to the west on Yamagata City (there were actually snow-capped mountains visible ABOVE the cloud line in the far off distance. . . . difficult to see in the pictures, though.

Haidee looking east on Miyagi prefecture.

The crater lake: 御釜

Eric and 御釜

We ate a packed lunch at the top (and enjoyed a steam boiled egg and konyaku on a stick sold by some vendors), and began our descent.  We took a little detour which bypassed a ropeway station and took us further down the mountain, through a forest.  We walked a little longer than we intended (on our now very sore feet), but we came across a little picturesque marsh along the way.  From there we took a little ski lift down to another ropeway station and back to the foot of the mountain. 

Taking our detour down the mountain, through some beautiful foliage.

We came out of the woods and found a little marsh!

Riding a little chair lift down the mountain; feet sore and noses sunburned, but happy with the day's hiking adventure.

After a meal and another HOT (emphasis on hot) springs bath to sooth our aching legs, we packed up the car and headed back to Fukushima.  We would recommend Zao Onsen to anyone interested in good food, hot baths, and beautiful scenery!  (To see pictures of Zao Onsen in the winter, click here.)