5 Best Luxury Hotels & Ryokans in Nature in Zao Onsen, Yamagata

The Zao Yamagata and Miyagi, is a mountain resort where you can enjoy rich nature. From spring to autumn, you can enjoy driving and trekking around the lakes, and in winter, you can enjoy winter sports at onsen Ski Resort, which has a variety of slopes, making it a relaxing trip surrounded by beautiful nature all year round. In particular, the ``frozen trees'' that can only be seen in winter are unique to Zao! You will be overwhelmed by the beauty of nature.

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The area around the onsen Ski Resort on Yamagata side is onsen area where you can enjoy famous historical hot springs that are said to have been open for over 1,900 years. The hot water is a strongly acidic sulfur spring. The white cloudy water, which is rich in efficacy, will soothe your tired body from trekking and skiing. Stop by to enjoy hot springs such as onsen Large Open-air Bath, or sample local gourmet foods such as tama konjac in a retro onsen town. You can enjoy the atmosphere of an old-fashioned onsen resort.

In this article, we will pick up luxury ryokan and hotels in onsen. Here are some inns where adults can enjoy a luxurious experience. Recommended for a reward trip for yourself or a commemorative trip with your loved ones! Please use this as a reference when choosing an inn.

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"Mizanso Takamiya" is a long-established luxury ryokan with a history of about 300 years. It is a pure Japanese-style building, and you can see traditional architectural beauty everywhere in the building. The lobby lounge also has an irori hearth, so you can spend a relaxing time listening to the sound of an iron kettle boiling in the winter. ryokan is recommended when you want to forget the hustle and bustle of everyday life and relax.

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There are a total of 19 guest rooms. Although it is a long-established ryokan, it has been well renovated and everything is clean. ``Hinakura'' is a two-story detached building that was renovated from a warehouse, and is a luxurious room with a living room, Japanese-style room, and even an open onsen spring bath. If you stay as a couple, you can have a private stay as if you were in your own villa.

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There are various types of guest rooms, such as suites designed by world-famous industrial designer Kiyoyuki Okuyama, who was born in Yamagata and designed Ferrari, and Japanese-style rooms. There is also a plan where you can stay alone. All of them have spacious floor plans, so you can relax and enjoy your stay. The inn with its beautiful Japanese architecture will make you feel at ease.

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There is a private hot spring that gushes out constantly, so you can enjoy the luxury of fresh hot water. There are nine bathtubs with different styles, including an open-air bath where you can feel the sound of the river and a tub bath made by traditional craftsmen from Yamagata, so be sure to enjoy touring the baths. For those who want to enjoy it alone, there is also a private bath called ``Kibitagayu.''

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Dinner is a multi-course dinner made with Yamagata ingredients. It is a menu full of flavor centered on mountain delicacies. The famous "Sukishabu Nabe" that can be enjoyed in a special plan limited to groups of one day is a feast made with the rare brand meat "Zao beef" of the Yamagata. You can enjoy beautifully marbled meat in both sukiyaki and shabu-shabu, and you will feel happy.

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"Waka no Yado Wakamatsuya" is a long-established ryokan located about 5 minutes walk from onsen bus terminal. The Zao Central Ropeway is also within walking distance, making it a great location for sightseeing and winter sports. The hotel has a bright and modern atmosphere, offering a relaxing view of the beautifully landscaped garden. Since it is related to the poet Mokichi Saito from Yamagata, you can enjoy an elegant experience unique to this inn.

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There are a total of 23 guest rooms. Many of the rooms have great views of the Zao Mountain Range, so you can stay in a relaxed atmosphere with beautiful scenery in front of you. There are two types of rooms: Japanese-Western style rooms with a Japanese-style bed, and Japanese-style rooms. The beds are soft and made by Simmons, so you'll have a good night's sleep.

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What makes it unique is that every room has a strip of paper and a brush pen! It's the kind of hospitality you would expect from an inn with a connection to a poet. How about writing a 5-7-5-7-7 poem to commemorate your trip? You can also listen to tanka poems by people who have visited the inn at the Yukoji Gallery in the hotel.

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At the bathhouse, you can enjoy free-flowing hot spring water, which Mokichi Saito praised as a "spiritual spring". The open-air bath, which is made by hollowing out the stones of Zao, has a unique atmosphere, and you can feel the power of Zao, which is said to be a sacred mountain. There are indoor baths and private baths that can be used without a reservation, so you can enjoy a onsen bath in your favorite bath. By the way, there is a powder room for women, so you can slowly take care of your skin after taking a bath.

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There are four types of meal places, and depending on the plan, you can enjoy a private dining room "Hana Mizuki" or meal in your room. It's nice to be able to spend time without worrying about your surroundings. The cuisine is a multi-course meal using the fruits of the mountains and seas of Yamagata Prefecture, and there are various plans such as voluminous plans using Yamagata beef and plans for small meals. For those who like alcohol, we recommend the "Sake Tasting Set" where you can enjoy three types of local sake. Why don't you enjoy the best luxury of local things and local sake in a private space?

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"Zao Kokusai Hotel" is a luxury onsen hotel adjacent to the "Yokokura Slope" of onsen Ski Resort. The location allows you to enjoy skiing and sightseeing. It features a large public bath that uses plenty of wood, and you can enjoy Zao's high-quality sulfur springs in an elegant space.

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Guest rooms range from traditional Japanese-style rooms to modern Western-style rooms. There are 8 types in total, so from solo travelers to couples and families, you should be able to find a room that suits your travel style. If you like stylish rooms, we recommend the "Premium Twin". Renovated in 2018, this stylish space has a spacious sofa area where you can relax. There is a special massage chair, so how about relaxing your body after taking a bath?

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The large public bath "Hachiemon no Yu", which is the pride of the hotel, has an elegant design with exposed wood. The soft lighting is comfortable, and you can relax surrounded by the warmth of the wood and the scent of the sulfur springs. There is also a spacious rock open-air bath outside, and in winter you can enjoy a wonderful “Yukimi open-air bath”! There are also 3 types of private baths, so if you want to enjoy onsen in a private space, that is also recommended.

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There are various on-site facilities such as a meal and a massage room, so you can enjoy your stay as well as staying overnight. The stylish and open lounge has a terrace and an indoor footbath, where you can relax and enjoy the view.

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The dishes served at the restaurant are full of local Yamagata. Dinner is a Japanese dish with Yamagata beef as the main dish, and you can enjoy meat that melts with your favorite dishes such as porcelain yaki, shabu-shabu, and sukiyaki. Breakfast is basically buffet-style, and in addition to standard dishes such as porridge and fried eggs, wild vegetables and pickles unique to Yamagata are also lined up. The taste of the local area will be a good memory of your trip.

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Zao Shiki no Hotel, with its stylish fan-shaped exterior, is a onsen hotel located very close to Shigenoya Chinuma. There is a walking path along the lakeside, so you can enjoy a leisurely stroll early in the morning. Another attraction is that you can enjoy a tour of the two baths! Let's be healed by the superb view and onsen.

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The Junior Suite, which was renovated in 2022, is a luxurious guest room of approximately 62 square meters, consisting of a living room with Ryukyu tatami and a bedroom with wooden flooring. The stone-lined view bath has a luxurious feel, so you can enjoy a slightly more elegant bath time than usual. A massage chair is also available, which is a nice touch for busy couples. Let's fully relax your stiff body♪

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At Zao Shiki no Hotel, you can fully enjoy onsen at two baths. Women can rent a colored yukata for free, so how about changing into it and enjoying the hot springs? About 108 steps from the hotel, you can find Hanare no Yu Hyakuhappo in the forest, where you can enjoy the footbath and the milky-white sulfur springs. The view from the open-air bath is especially spectacular! Tiredness will be blown away.

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There is also a large public bath called "Shirakaba no Yu" in the hotel. The hot springs and atmosphere are different from Hanare no Yu Hyakuhappo, so be sure to enjoy both! The hot water is a weakly alkaline mineral spring that is gentle on the skin. In addition to the indoor and open-air baths, there is also a sauna where you can wash away your sweat.

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Meals are served at the restaurant "Mountain Poetry" where you can enjoy the scenery, or at the modern dining "Sakura". The main course of dinner is Yamagata beef, which is full of umami. You can enjoy sukiyaki, shabu-shabu, pottery grilling, and various other dishes depending on the plan. Rice from Yamagata Prefecture is also attractive, and you can taste the sweetness of "Tsuyahime".

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``Iwashimizu Cuisine Inn Kinosato'' is a small ryokan with 22 rooms. We are proud of our hot spring baths, which are fed by natural onsen, and our time-consuming and time-consuming dishes made with ingredients from Yamagata. Recommended for those who want a private trip. You will be able to relax quietly in a calm atmosphere.

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When you arrive at the inn, you will be greeted with a welcome drink of "homemade oshiruko" in the lobby overlooking Zao. You will be healed by our unique service. In addition, the inside of the building is decorated with seasonal Japanese accessories, creating a warm atmosphere.

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There are Japanese-style rooms and Japanese-Western rooms, and you can choose your favorite room from 6 types. Each room is named after a wildflower, and the alcoves are decorated with impressive botanical art. This is a classy hospitality where you can feel the nature of Zao. We recommend the superior Japanese-style room with a great view, where you can enjoy an open feeling while overlooking the mountain range of Zao.

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In the semi-open-air bath in the detached room, you can enjoy onsen while feeling the refreshing mountain breeze. The white cloudy water is full of onsen atmosphere. It will soothe your tired body. The indoor bath is not onsen, but it uses natural underground water from Zao that is gentle on the skin. How about changing your mood and enjoying two baths?

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The inn's specialty is Kaiseki cuisine using local ingredients from Yamagata. Depending on the season and plan, you can also enjoy branded meats such as Zao beef and Shonai pork.

This time, we have introduced luxury hotels and ryokan where you can enjoy a luxurious stay in onsen. Soak yourself in the white cloudy water with the scent of sulfur, enjoy delicious Yamagata meat and rice, and spend a relaxing time relaxing your body and mind.