Snow Monsters Snowshoe Hiking – Discover the Winter Magic of Zao’s Untamed Nature! Join a guided hike through a breathtaking white wonderland, complete with complimentary tour photos.

Zao Snow Monsters Snowshoe Hiking | January to March only 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. People travel from across Japan and from all over the world for this landscape. 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 * Please check the calendar on this page for available dates. * We are closed every Wednesday (we do operate on February 10 and February 24). ■ Six reasons travelers choose this tour 1. Straight to the Snow Monster field, with no waiting Two chairlifts are all it takes to reach the Snow Monster field. There is none of the queuing or crowding that comes with a ropeway, so you step into this other world almost as soon as you arrive. 2. First time in winter mountains? You are in good hands A YAMAGATA EXPERIENCE outdoor guide will show you how to walk on snow and point out what is worth seeing that day. First-timers and solo travelers are equally welcome. 3. Mostly downhill, so it asks less of you than a normal hike The route is built around descending, so it is easier on your legs than ordinary mountain hiking. You will be walking for around 3 hours. There is no grinding climb, but you do need the fitness to walk that distance on snow under your own power. 4. Beech forest as well as the Snow Monster field Walk on through the white silence and a beech forest opens up, its snow catching the light. It is a different face of Zao in winter, and quite unlike the Snow Monster field. 5. Hot water, free of charge At the lunch break, your guide provides hot water, so you can warm up from the inside without carrying a heavy thermos. * Please bring cup noodles or similar instant food for your lunch. * Lunch is a break out on the snow. There is no indoor rest area. 6. Free photos of your day Photo data taken by your guide during the tour is sent to you the same day. Pictures of your smiles and the scenery around you become irreplaceable memories, to enjoy long after the tour is over. ■ 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. ■ Please read before booking • You need the fitness to walk for more than 3 hours carrying a backpack. Your guide is there to support you, but this is a tour where you walk on the snow under your own power. • You are welcome even if this is your first time walking in winter mountains. • If you have a medical condition or are unsure about your fitness, please contact us before booking. • Pets cannot join the tour. • Our guides speak English. • If you have experience walking on snow and want a longer, more demanding route, we also run the Zao Icefall Snow Trekking tour. ■ Special equipment rental (rental fees included in the tour price) • Snowshoes | ATLAS Helium — worn over your own winter boots to walk on deep snow (they are not boots themselves). • Poles | Montbell Fall Line Pole — lightweight backcountry poles. • Cushion | An outdoor seat pad to keep the cold off you at breaks. * Clothing and footwear are not rented. Please bring your own — see "What to bring" below. ■ What to bring This tour goes into snow-covered mountains in the coldest part of winter. Without adequate gear, there is a real risk of hypothermia and frostbite. For everyone's safety, your guide checks equipment before departure. If the items under "Essential" are not complete, you may be asked to sit the tour out, so please prepare them in advance. If anything is unclear, please contact us before you book. Essential • Winter outerwear | Waterproof, insulated jacket and pants, such as ski wear. Temperatures can drop below -10°C (14°F), so please bring something genuinely warm. • Winter hiking boots | Insulated, waterproof, and coming up above the ankle. Snow boots are also fine — please wear thick, warm socks with them. * Snowboard boots cannot be used: snowshoes will not fit them securely. • Winter hat | A warm beanie that covers your ears. • Gloves | Warm gloves such as ski gloves. * Work gloves and knitted gloves cannot be used, as they get wet and let the wind through. • Backpack | One per person is required. • Lunch | Bring plenty, such as cup noodles and bread. We provide the hot water. • Drink | A thermos with a hot drink. Plastic bottles can freeze. Good to have • Gaiters | Worn at the ankle to keep snow out of your boots (rental available for a fee). • Down jacket or fleece | For rest breaks. • Lightweight gloves or work gloves | For use during mealtimes. • Hand warmers • Sunglasses ■ Approximate finish time The finish time varies with the weather, the condition of the field, and the pace of the group. We usually finish between 13:30 and 14:30, but we cannot promise an exact time. If you are taking a Shinkansen or a flight on the day of the tour, please allow plenty of time. ■ Getting here 1. By car (recommended) Because the finish time shifts from day to day, coming by car is the most reliable option. Parking is free on weekdays; on weekends and public holidays there is a 1,000 yen parking cooperation fee. 2. Plan with pickup from your accommodation (Tendo Onsen) If you are staying in Tendo Onsen, there is a separate plan with pickup from your accommodation. https://www.tendodays.com/tour/icemonster-hiking/ 3. By public transport You can use the free "White Echo" shuttle bus from Kaminoyama-Onsen Station. On the way back, you are welcome to wait inside the rest house until the evening bus. White Echo timetable (2026 reference): https://www.zaoliza.co.jp/wntr/dd6c3251f80974debd707ba312a860987d0b272a.pdf 4. By taxi • From hotels in Yamagata City: about 50 to 60 minutes / small taxi (1-4 people) 27,500 yen round trip • From the Zao Onsen area: about 30 to 40 minutes / small taxi (1-4 people) 15,000 yen round trip, jumbo taxi (up to 9 people) 21,840 yen round trip. * To book, please call Kanko Taxi at +81-23-672-2323. ■ Insurance We carry accident insurance covering accidental injury during the tour (Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. / event participant accident insurance). • Death or residual disability: 10,000,000 yen • Hospitalization (per day): 5,000 yen • Outpatient treatment (per day): 3,000 yen If you would like broader coverage, please consider taking out additional insurance of your own. ■ Changes and cancellations • You may change your booking date once, free of charge, up to 17:00 (JST) four days before the tour. Changes after that are treated as cancellations. • For cancellation fees, please see the cancellation policy at the bottom of this page. ■ Private charter tours Except on Wednesdays, when we are closed, we accept private charter tours on the same dates as the regular tour. It is a day with the guide to yourselves — well suited to couples and small groups. • Price: 22,000 yen per person (minimum 2 people) • We move at your pace, on a plan that suits you. Having the guide to yourselves makes the day something different. • We can go deeper into whatever interests you: the shapes winter carves into the landscape, the signs of animals, the history of mountain worship. • If you would like pickup, we can collect you from accommodation in Kaminoyama Onsen and Zao Onsen. • We can adjust the start time and accommodate other requests where possible. Once you have a date in mind, please get in touch.

• Days of Week

  Sun,Mon,Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri,Sat

• Duration

  4h

• Adult/Child (ages 6+)

  JPY 16,000

• What's Included

  • Guide Fee
  • Rental of essential gear (snowshoe, poles)
  • Insurance
  • Consumption tax
  • Lift fee
  • Cushion (An outdoor seat pad to keep the cold off you at breaks.)

• What's Not Included

  • Parking fee (1,000 yen on weekends and holidays, free on weekdays)

• Requirements

  • You need the fitness to walk for more than 3 hours carrying a backpack.
  • Participants may be refused entry if proper clothing or equipment is not provided.
  • Target age: 6 years old and above

• What to Bring

  • --- Things you definitely need to prepare ---
  • Cold-weather clothing (cold-proof/waterproof tops and bottoms such as ski wear. Please bring warm enough clothing in case of weather below -10 degrees Celsius)
  • Climbing shoes (high cut, cold and waterproof. You can also participate in winter boots or snow boots, but you will need to wear thick socks or two layers of socks to prevent your feet from moving too much inside the shoes.) * Snowboard boots cannot be used: snowshoes will not fit them securely.
  • Knit cap (covers the ears)
  • Gloves (warm ones, such as ones for skiing. *Cotton gloves and woolen gloves are not good because they get wet and allow wind to pass through)
  • Backpack | One per person is required.
  • Lunch (bread and cup noodles, etc. Hot water will be provided)
  • Drinks (water bottles filled with warm drink. Plastic bottles may freeze)
  • 　
  • --- The following are things that are good to have ---
  • Gator spats (things that are attached to the ankles to prevent snow from getting into the shoes)
  • Down jacket or fleece (for use during breaks)
  • Thin gloves or work gloves (for use when eating)
  • Heat pad
  • Sunglasses

• Cancellation Policies

  • Until 17:00, 8 days prior: 0%
  • Until 17:00, 4 days prior: 10%
  • Until 17:00 the day before: 30%
  • After 17:00 the day before: 100%