Booking choice: The Ginzan Onsen bus tour, from $162 per person. Check dates Tour details
Juhyo, the snow monsters, form when freezing wind off the Sea of Japan plasters ice and snow onto Aomori fir trees until they swell into hunched white figures. They exist on a handful of mountains, and Zao is the most famous. Ginzan Onsen is a former silver-mining town in a narrow valley, its inns lining both banks of a small river; in snow, at dusk, it looks like a film set.
Neither is a casual hop from Sendai. Zao is about two hours each way, Ginzan more, and Ginzan now controls winter entry with a park-and-ride shuttle. Here is how each works for winter 2026-27.
The quick answer
The snow monsters peak from late December to late February, best around mid-February. See them from the Yamagata side on the Zao Ropeway (4,400 yen return to the summit station) or from the Miyagi side on a heated snowcat. Ginzan Onsen restricts cars from 19 December 2026 to 7 March 2027: visitors use a shuttle from the Taisho Roman-kan, 700 to 1,500 yen return by time slot. Doing both in one day by public transport doesn't work; a coach tour or an overnight stay does.
When is snow monster season at Zao?
From late December to late February, with the biggest, best-formed monsters around mid-February.
The trees need weeks of cold wind and snow to build up. In early December they are thin and patchy; by February they are huge. In March they start to sag and fall apart. If you have a choice, go from late January to the end of February, on a clear day after fresh snow.
Weather decides everything. The upper Zao Ropeway stops in strong wind, and a whiteout at the summit means you see white and nothing else. Check the Zao Ropeway site on the morning, and keep a spare day if the trip matters to you.
Zao Ropeway or Miyagi snowcat: which side is better?
The Yamagata side, by ropeway, is cheaper and easier by public transport. The Miyagi side, by snowcat, is closer to Sendai but needs a car or a tour.
| Yamagata side (Zao Onsen) | Miyagi side (Sumikawa) | |
|---|---|---|
| How you go up | Zao Ropeway, two lines to Jizo Sancho station, 1,661 m | Heated snowcat from Sumikawa Snow Park, about 40 min each way |
| Price | 4,400 yen return (child 2,200); Juhyo Kogen only 2,200 | Standard and deluxe classes; book by phone |
| Winter hours | 8:15 to 16:45 (upper line 8:30 to 16:30) | Set departures, about 2 hours per trip |
| From Sendai | Senzan line to Yamagata, then bus, about 2 h 15 min | About 1.5 hours by car; tours from Sendai |
| At night | Ropeway light-up on set nights; snowcat night tours such as the Night Cruiser tour from Sendai | Daytime departures |
Ropeway fares and hours from Zao Ropeway (winter season); snowcat details from the Sumikawa snowcat page. On the ropeway side, the monsters crowd the slopes around the upper line, and the Jizo statue at the summit station wears a hood of snow. The snowcat climbs to an ice field at about 1,600 m and is gentle on anyone who doesn't ski.
The easy way to Ginzan: a coach from Sendai station at 9:30, lunch, fruit picking and the Ginzan shuttle fee included.
Check dates for the Ginzan Onsen bus tourWhen are the Zao snow monster light-up nights in 2026-27?
On 31 set nights between 26 December 2026 and 23 February 2027, from 17:00 to 21:00, on the Yamagata side.
On light-up nights the ropeway runs after dark and coloured floodlights turn the monsters blue, green and violet. The 2026-27 night ticket costs 4,600 yen for adults, a little more than the 4,400 yen day return. The dates cluster on weekends and around the New Year, so check the calendar before you book a hotel.
From Sendai, a night visit means staying over, in Zao Onsen or in Yamagata: the last trains and buses don't line up with a 21:00 finish. The other way to see the monsters after dark is the Zao snowcat night tour from Sendai station, $172, which rides a snowcat (the Night Cruiser) up from Zao Onsen on the Yamagata side; listed departures for 2027 are 9 and 24 January. It is non-refundable: no changes and no money back if you cancel. Season updates are in the 2026-27 snow monster post.
How do you get to Zao Onsen from Sendai?
JR Senzan line to Yamagata (about 1 h 15 min), then a bus to Zao Onsen (about 40 minutes) and a short walk to the ropeway.
Trains on the Senzan line run roughly hourly, through Sakunami and Yamadera to Yamagata. Buses for Zao Onsen leave from the bus pool outside Yamagata station. From the Zao Onsen bus terminal, the Zao Ropeway's Sanroku station is a walk of 10 to 15 minutes uphill on snowy streets.
Start by 8:00 from Sendai and you reach the ropeway before 10:30, which leaves time for the summit, lunch, and an hour in one of Zao Onsen's sulphur baths before the bus down. In winter, buses and ropeway queues both run slower than the timetable. Add an hour.
What are Ginzan Onsen's winter rules for 2026-27?
From 19 December 2026 to 7 March 2027, cars can't enter. Visitors park at the Taisho Roman-kan and ride a paid shuttle, priced by time slot.
The official Ginzan Onsen winter page (updated 27 October 2026) sets out the system:
| Outbound time slot | Shuttle return, booked ahead | Bought on the day |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 to 11:00 | 1,000 yen | 1,300 yen |
| 11:00 to 14:00 | 700 yen | 1,000 yen |
| 14:00 to 18:00 (evening) | 1,200 yen | 1,500 yen |
- Shuttles leave every 20 minutes, first at 9:00, last outbound at 18:00; the last bus back leaves at 19:30.
- Booking ahead saves 300 yen and closes at 17:00 the day before. Daytime slots for the whole season go on sale on 1 November 2026; evening slots open on the first day of the previous month.
- Walking between the car park and the town is not allowed: the road isn't cleared for pedestrians.
- Tour buses without an entry booking drop passengers at the Taisho Roman-kan to transfer to the shuttle, and may wait when the town is full.
The dates may be extended if snow lingers. The evening slots, when the gas lamps are lit, are the ones that sell out. Details for staying guests are in the Ginzan winter post.
Should you see Ginzan Onsen on a tour or on your own?
On a tour, for most visitors from Sendai. Public transport means a train to Oishida, then a few buses a day, and the winter shuttle on top.
| Option | Price | Time | Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ginzan Onsen bus tour | $162 | 10 hours, 9:30 from Sendai station east exit | Coach, lunch, fruit picking, Ginzan shuttle fee; 1 h 45 min in Ginzan |
| Yamadera and Ginzan full day | $356 | 7:50 am to about 8:30 pm | Guide, transport, entries, 8 guests max; Yamadera climb too |
| On your own | Trains and buses | 2.5 hours or more each way | Train to Oishida, Hanagasa Bus route bus, winter shuttle where it applies |
Read the bus tour's small print. It runs only with 15 or more guests (it may be cancelled 10 days before if not), children must be 7 or older, large luggage stays behind, and the return can be late when the Ginzan shuttle queues build up. Shops in Ginzan keep their own hours, and some close in the evening. The JTB day is the one for people who want Yamadera as well and can handle a strong-fitness, 12-hour day.
Ginzan without the shuttle stress: the coach, lunch, fruit picking and the Ginzan shuttle fee in one price, from Sendai station.
Explore the Ginzan Onsen bus tour Tour detailsCan you see the snow monsters and Ginzan Onsen in one day?
Not by public transport from Sendai. They lie in different directions from Yamagata, and Ginzan's evening slots clash with the ropeway hours.
Zao is south-east of Yamagata city, Ginzan an hour and more north. By train and bus, each one fills a day from Sendai. The answer is an overnight stay: the snow monsters on day one, a night in Zao Onsen or Yamagata, Ginzan on day two with an evening shuttle slot, then the train back. With the Yamadera climb on the way out, that is a strong two-day winter loop.
On a single day, pick one. Snow monsters if the forecast is clear. Ginzan if it is snowing, because falling snow is when it looks its best.
What should you wear for Zao and Ginzan in winter?
Layers, a windproof shell, gloves, a hat, and boots with grip. Ginzan's streets and the ropeway stations are packed snow.
At the summit station of the ropeway, 1,661 m, the wind cuts through anything thin. Wear a base layer, fleece, a down or ski jacket, waterproof trousers if you have them, and a hat that covers your ears. Phone batteries die fast in the cold: keep yours in an inner pocket.
In Ginzan Onsen, the danger is underfoot. The bridges and lanes are icy, and the town is a slope. Slip-on chain spikes cost little in Sendai's outdoor shops, and they earn their place in your bag at Yamadera too.
Yamadera in the morning, Ginzan Onsen in the afternoon, with a guide and every ticket sorted. Eight guests at most.
Check dates for the Yamadera and Ginzan Onsen dayFrequently asked questions
When is the best time to see the Zao snow monsters?
Mid-February, when the trees are at their biggest. The season runs from late December to late February; in March they start to melt and fall.
How much is the Zao Ropeway in winter?
4,400 yen return for adults to Jizo Sancho station at 1,661 m, 2,200 for children; 2,200 yen return to Juhyo Kogen on the lower line only.
Can you drive to Ginzan Onsen in winter 2026-27?
Not into the town. From 19 December 2026 to 7 March 2027, private cars park at the Taisho Roman-kan and visitors take a paid shuttle, 700 to 1,500 yen return depending on the time slot and whether you book ahead.
Is there a tour from Sendai to Ginzan Onsen?
Yes. The H.I.S. bus tour ($162) includes lunch, fruit picking and the Ginzan shuttle fee; the JTB tour ($356) adds Yamadera with a guide and runs from 7:50 am to about 8:30 pm.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Ginzan Onsen Bus Tour with Fruit Picking
The budget way to Ginzan: coach, lunch, fruit and the shuttle
Yamadera and Ginzan Onsen Full Day
Both Yamagata icons in one long day, eight guests at most
