Zao Onsen is a top destination for hot springs in Yamagata Prefecture

The high sulfuric water is known for its beautifying effect on the skin

When you come to Zao Onsen town, the unique scent of sulfur welcomes us and stirs up the excitement and travel feeling of coming to a special hot spring resort.

Zao Onsen’s Water qualities are the second largest strong acid sulfur springs in Japan .
Sulfur springs have the function of activating mucopolysaccharide proteins in the body, increasing the amount of water in the body and rejuvenating the skin and blood vessels.
In addition, acidic springs have the effect of peeling off old skin and stimulating new skin to enhance the natural healing power, and its bactericidal power is said to be effective against skin diseases such as atopy, heat rash, eczema, and athlete’s foot.

The hot spring area that ranks first in the hot spring ranking in Yamagata Prefecture!

The spring water flow of Zao Onsen is 5,700 ℓ * per minute !
About 3,800 PET bottles (1.5 liters) of hot spring water are gushing out per minute.

In addition to its overwhelming amount of spring water, Zao Onsen boasts the number one track record in Yamagata Prefecture in the fields of “Number of sources,” “Number of hot spring facilities,” “number of hot spring accommodation facilities,” and “Annual total number of overnight guests.”

[Reference] Yamagata Prefecture Environment and Energy Department Green Nature Division “Yamagata Onsen 2018” (issued in August 2018)
* Refer to Zao Onsen Tourism Association data only for the amount of spring water

Four day-trip bathing facilities and three public baths

The day-trip bathing facilities in Zao Onsen are as follows…

❶ Yunohana Chaya Shinzaemon-no-Yu
➋ Sunoko-no-Yu Kawaraya
➌ Genshichi Roten-no-Yu
➍ Zao Onsen Large Open-air bath
➎ Public baths
★ Kamiyu public bath
★ Kawarayu public bath
★ Shimoyu public bath
* Click the facility’s name above or the “Detailed Information” button in the article (below) to jump to the featured article of each facility.

Please find your favorite bathing facility.

1. Yunohana Chaya Shinzaemon-no-Yu

Yunohana Chaya Shinzaemon-no-Yu is a day trip bathing facility where you will find baths, a restaurant and a souvenir shop all at the same place.
It is located opposite the Chuo Ropeway, which is often used for trekking in the summer and skiing in the winter, in the center of the hoit spring town.

You can enjoy five baths in all, Mogami Takayu, Shi-roku-no-Yu and three Kameyu tubs, called Okama-no-Yu (on the men’s side) or Dokko-no-Yu (on the women’s side).
* Only the indoor bath is not a natural hot spring

If you want to enjoy several types of baths and hot springs, or if you are worried about whether strong acid hot water suits you but want to take a bath in Zao’s hot springs, please come to Yunohana Chaya Shinzaemon-no-Yu.

Bath fee
Adult: 1,000 yen
Child: 400 yen

Hours * Reception is 30 minutes before closing
10:00~18:00 
Closed on irregular days

Facilities
Indoor bath ◯
Open-air bath ◯
Shower ◯
Parking Lot ◯

2. Sunoko-no-Yu Kawaraya

Bath fee
Adult: 600 yen
Child: 300 yen

Hours * Reception is 30 minutes before closing
9:30~19:00
Closed on Thursday

Facilities
Indoor bath ◯
Open-air bath ×
Shower ◯
Parking Lot ◯

3. Genshichi Roten-no-Yu

If you climb up the slope from the center of hot spring town and turn right just before Zao’s Large Open-Air Bath, you can see a building with a triangular roof at the back of a large parking lot.

This Genshichi Roten-no-Yu, a famous hot spring facility that boasts a location surrounded by beautiful nature, and above all, an abundant amount of flowing hot water.

Bath fee
Adult: 550 yen
Child: 300 yen

Hours
9:00~19:00
Closed on irregular days

Facilities
Indoor bath ◯
Open-air bath ◯
Shower ◯
Parking Lot ◯
* Opening hours and days may be different due to COVID-19. Please inquire directly with the facility before visiting.

4. Zao Onsen Large Open-air bath

The flow of the river and the chirping of wild birds, the unique smell of sulfur in Zao Onsen, the cool air unique to the plateau, the nature that jumps into your eyes…

The large open-air bath in the magnificent nature where you can feel the seasons was completed in 1987 to be the highlight of Zao Onsen’s summer.

This large open-air bath uses hot springs that spring from five sources and boasts an overwhelming amount of hot water of 573 liters per minute.
In addition, the spring temperature is 40°C to 53°C , which is the optimum temperature for bathing, and it is a hot spring with a very blessed environment.

Bath fee
Adult: 700 yen
Child: 400 yen

Hours * Reception is 30 minutes before closing
9:30~17:00 (weekdays)
9:30~18:00 (weekends and holidays)
Closed in winter
* Open only from early May to late November

Facilities
Indoor bath x
Open-air bath ◯
Shower x
Parking Lot ◯

5. Three communal baths

The three communal baths Takayu, Kawarayu and Kamiyu are used by tourists and the Zao Onsen town locals too.

The buildings are very small, there is no shower or washroom, and you can just wash your body in the tub and enter the bathtub.
In the bath area and dressing room, which are by no means large, you can naturally talk with the locals and tourists alike.

The oldest one is Kamiyu, the peculiar one Kawarayu, and the onw where you can alos enjoy the foot bath Shimoyu.
Why don’t you try these communal baths which have a taste that blends into the daily lives of the locals

Bath fee
Adult: 200 yen
Child: 100 yen

Hours
6:00~22:00
Open all year

Facilities
Indoor bath ◯
Open-air bath ×
Shower ×
Parking Lot △

Summary

Message from the Executive Secretary of Zao Onsen Tourism Association

Finally, we received a message from Mr. Kurosaki, the secretary general of the Zao Onsen Tourism Association.

Kurosaki-san and Zao Onsen’s popular Mr Kurosaki with Zao’s mascot Jukki

Overview of each day trip bathing facility

* Opening hours and days may be different due to COVID-19. Please inquire directly with each facility before visiting.

Water qualities・Efficacy・Contraindications

* [Reference] Zao Onsen Tourism Association website “About Zao Onsen”