Zaoman

There's stuff going on in Zao over New Years but people pretty much keep to their own groups and stuff. Down in Yamagata city there is more excitement and things to do.

Nutter. Best kepy well away from.

When I use the Skyliner, it is never busy going into Tokyo - always I get one of the 4 seat areas to myself. I can't think of one time when it has been busy enough for other people to sit nearby.

I head up high as much as possible when it's hot here. Can't be doing with the humidity. Cool here in Yamagata this weekend though.

Basically as above. There's no concentration of resorts like you find in places in Nagano and Niigata. Zao just stands out on it's own.

Has been known to be done in a fair bit less than two. Lots of people fly into to Sendai to get to Zao.

There are certainly lots of those people SKI, though still a fair few skiers getting up there and finding the snow.

Definitely, Mamabear. (When will that likely be, when it is thawed down enough?)

Pretty grim conditions of late. Spring, got to forgive.

Yes it is. Wonderful shot there.

Best ones yet!

Well why they are at ZAO is written here http://www.snowjapan.com/e/spotlight/yamagata-zao-onsen.html Juhyo can be found on a limited number of mountains in the northeastern areas of Japan. There are a few climatic conditions necessary for them to appear - evergreen conifer, fixed strong winds and super cool water droplets and snow depth of between two and three meters. The super cool water gradually adheres to the trees and develops the Juhyo unique shapes. The locals call this shape "Shrimp Tails". Whatever they are called, it makes for spectacular scenes and is one of the rea

Never been or heard of this yakiniku place though sounds good. Is it in between Zao and Yamagata?

At last someone to do it justice on here. (Thanks, I'm pretty poor with a camera!)

Wow there has been an explosion of Zao-ness on the Forums of late. Great to see! And good to meet you guys as well if only for a very short time. Good to read your trip was a success.

Definitely worth experiencing. If the terrain doesn't blow you away, put it down to a good onsen/culture trip. I think the skiing and (usually) good snow conditions will be good for most people though.

I haven't been many times yet but when I have Zao hasn't been busy at all. (3 times all weekdays). I hear weekends as (perhaps expectedly) busy.

Nice pics, ILoveZao I do too!

See you soon! (though you may only read this after the fact!)

That mountain's a looker.

Sorry to hear that. How's the hunt going?

Watching the news every day at the moment is like "what next?" >> Profits at Toyota Motor, the Japanese motor giant, are set to dive into the red for the first time since 1941 as exports screech to a halt and margins are hammered by the soaring yen. Widely considered to be the best-managed automaker on the planet, Toyota's statement is likely to send a shudder throughout the rest of the car industry. In what some investors also described as a “devastating†blow to prospects for the entire Japanese economy, the giant automaker said that it would probably book a los

Can't get enough - and I just love the ones @ Zao.

If anyone is coming to Zao, let me know. I'm not a radical hardcore gnarly type, so keep that in mind.