Zao Onsen ski resort: snow, terrain & trip planner

Tohoku, Japan · Base 2,559 ft · Summit 5,450 ft · Vertical 2,891 ft

Updated Nov 15, 2026, 22:00 UTC: usually opens around Nov 22.

Zao Onsen snow report

Nov 15: opens ~Nov 22; 9 in. forecast at the summit over the next 7 days.

Forecast and modeled snow from Veabird's snow model. Updated Nov 15, 22:00 UTC.

Opens ~Nov 22

Opens around Nov 22, with 9 in. on the way and 735% of normal so far.

A fit for beginners, quietest the weeks of Dec 20 and Mar 7 and busiest the week of Dec 27.

Grades from Veabird's snow model; wording by AI (Muse Spark), checked against the forecast. Updated Nov 15, 22:00 UTC.

79% of its mapped runs are beginner terrain, 16% intermediate and 5% advanced or expert. That makes it a good pick for beginners.

■ Beginner 79% · ■ Intermediate 16% · ■ Advanced 5%

117 mapped runs (about 33 miles) and 43 lifts.

Shares of mapped run length from OpenSkiMap (OpenStreetMap contributors); advanced includes expert terrain. Official acreage splits can differ.

Day tickets are usually cheapest bought online, in advance, from the resort's site.

Partner links: Veabird may earn a commission at no cost to you. Partners never affect forecasts or scores.

Drive times are rough estimates; check road and chain-law conditions. Flight search is a partner link.

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