1. What is ZAO Sarukura?

Zao Sarukura Rest House is a tourism and leisure facility located along the Zao Echo Line.

The Zao Sarukura area was formerly known for its sulfur mines.

Mr. Kawaguchi, the father of the current president, inherited and has been protecting this land.

It initially operated as an inn and ski resort, but is now loved by many as a tourist spot that can be enjoyed by adults and children alike.

Recently, there has been an increase in visitors who say, “That’s right, let’s go to Zao Sarukura!” and come here as a travel destination.

The facility located inside Zao Sarukura Rest House is divided into four main areas.

➀ Rest house where you can eat, take a break, and hold banquets
➁ Fishing pond where you can immediately enjoy the fish you caught
➂ Miche, a sweets shop perfect for souvenirs and desserts
④ Playground  where children can play to their heart’s content

We will introduce each one in detail.

2. Zao Sarukura Rest House

Zao Sarukura Rest House is a facility that offers meals, rest, and banquets for groups.

The interior is very open, allowing you to relax and enjoy the view outside.

The specialty of Zao Sarukura Rest House is undoubtedly “jingisukan.”

This time we will also introduce the “jingisukan bowl,” which is popular among those who want to enjoy a casual meal.

・Jingisukan

At Zao Sarukura Rest House, the popular dish is “jingisukan,” which is cooked to your liking in a special iron pot.

Thickly sliced lamb with a rich variety of vegetables

Unlike camping, you don’t have to prepare any equipment in advance and it’s nice to be able to eat right away!

Jingisukan is cooked in this iron pot.

Even if it’s your first time eating jingisukan, there will be instructions on how to cook it deliciously on the table, so don’t worry!

When grilling jingisukan, be careful of the heat and coat the pan with beef fat, then lay the vegetables and then the meat on top.

I can’t get enough of this sizzling sound…!

One of the charms of Zao Sarukura Rest House is that you can enjoy an extraordinary feeling that is hard to find at home!

Enjoying your meal at Jingisukan while admiring the outdoor scenery in an open-air setting is sure to become a wonderful memory.

The appetizing aroma and excitement of the jingisukan being made naturally brought a smile to my face (lol).

Once the vegetables have softened and the meat is cooked through, dip it in our special sauce and enjoy.

The completed jingisukan

Many people say that the lamb at Zao Sarukura Rest House is “easy to eat and doesn’t make you feel heavy, so you can eat as much as you want!”

Also, by placing the meat on top of the vegetables and steaming them, the flavor of the meat seeps into the vegetables, making for a great combination that is worthy of being the main dish.

Even if it’s your first time eating jingisukan, we encourage you to enjoy your meal at Sarukura!

・Jingisukan bowl

For those who want to enjoy jingisukan more easily, we recommend the “jingisukan bowl . ”

The restaurant staff carefully grills the meat before serving it to you, so you can enjoy jingisukan that is cooked to perfection.

The “jingisukan bowl” at Zao Sarukura Rest House is characterized by thickly cut lamb.

This is served with our original sauce.

It pairs perfectly with our flavorful original sauce.

Mmm, the deliciousness of the meat fills your mouth with every bite!

When you hear the word “lamb,” you might think it has a unique flavor, but Zao Sarukura’s jingisukan bowl is really easy to eat, and even though it was my first time eating it, I couldn’t stop eating it…!

In addition, as it is a set meal style that includes miso soup and otsukemono, it is a very satisfying dish for those who want to eat a balanced diet or who want to shorten the cooking time.

・Banquet plans available for groups

Zao Sarukura Rest House also offers banquet plans for groups, offering several types of dishes.

From the website

Local ingredients are sometimes used for appetizers, main dishes, and desserts, allowing you to enjoy an original course meal unique to Zao Sarukura.

Enjoy mountain feasts that you don’t usually get to eat, such as carpaccio made with fresh rainbow trout, all-you-can-eat jingisukan lamb BBQ, mountain vegetable dishes, and homemade sweets!

3. Café and Sweets Miche

Zao Sarukura Rest House also houses the Café and Sweets Miche, which opened in 2023.

This is a shop run by Mr. Kawaguchi, the president’s son.

Using his six years of experience as a pastry chef, he continues to create “sweets that can only be found in this shop.”

This time, we will introduce three recommended sweets carefully selected from the many popular items!

・Sarukura Shoes

These exquisite cream puffs are made with addictively crunchy choux pastry and filled with a generous amount of elegantly sweet custard cream.

The choux pastry is baked fresh every morning and then poured with cream before being sold, but thanks to Kawaguchi’s special manufacturing method, the crunchy texture of the pastry can be enjoyed for a long time even after the cream has been poured in.

It pairs perfectly with the smooth custard cream, making it a dish that will make you feel incredibly happy.

It is also popular among older people, and many people purchase it as a souvenir.

・Sarukura Basque Soufflé

Sarukura Basque Soufflé is a popular product that combines the best of Basque cheese and soufflé cheesecake.

You may be wondering, “What does it taste like?”

It retains the richness and richness of the cheese while combining it with the soft texture of the soufflé, making it a gentle cake that is perfect for dessert!

The bottom layer is infused with bitter caramel, giving it a slightly bittersweet taste that’s addictive.

Please try it as a “memory” of your visit to Café and Sweets Miche!

・Mas Sablé

Mas Sablé is proudly positioned as Zao Sarukura Rest House’s local sablé.

This adorable sablé is shaped like a rainbow trout, which can be caught in the fishing pond inside the rest house.

With a crispy and crunchy texture and a rich buttery aroma, this dish is easy to eat for both adults and children.

Since it is a baked good, it is easy to carry and makes a great souvenir from your visit to Zao Sarukura.

Kawaguchi says he was originally interested in cooking.

After watching a video about making sweets, he started on his own path and has since gained a wealth of experience as a pastry chef.

Six years later, his father, Kawaguchi, suggested to him, “Why don’t you try opening your own shop here in Zao Sarukura?”

At that time, Kawaguchi was working at the store as a reliable presence.

After much deliberation, he decided to open a shop here in Zao Sarukura.

At Café and Sweets Miche, you can enjoy sweets carefully crafted by Kawaguchi, who has the motto of “creating products that can only be purchased here.”

Our hope is to create sweets that will become memories for the customers who visit Zao Sarukura.

Be sure to check it out as it’s a new spot at Zao Sarukura!

It can also be used as a cafe or for tea time after meals.

4. Zao Sarukura Fishing Pond

There’s more to enjoy at Zao Sarukura Rest House than just the food and sweets.

There is a fishing pond corner that anyone can easily enjoy!

The motto of this fishing pond is “easy for anyone to fish in.”

The process from reception is also smooth.
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1. Borrow a fishing rod, bucket, and bait
2. Attach the bait to a pole and drop it into the pond
3. When a fish is caught, pull it up
4. Eat and drink on the spot or take away (※Sashimi cannot be taken away)
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I actually had the chance to experience it myself!

First, borrow a fishing rod, bucket, and bait.

You are free to choose any rod you like.

Once you receive your bucket and bait, take a small piece of bait about the size of a natto grain and attach it to the end of your fishing rod.

Once you’ve added the bait, throw it into the pond!

The key to successful fishing is to hold the end of the rod upright and swing it like a pendulum, letting it fall forcefully into the pond.

The fish are very energetic, so if you slowly drop the food into the pond, it will be eaten up in no time.

I tried it a few times and progressed with the help of the staff…!

I caught one!!

(Can you sense how lively this is?)

Rainbow trout caught in the fishing pond can be eaten immediately on the spot.

You can choose from simple salt-grilled fish, dengaku fish with sweet miso sauce, and rainbow trout sashimi, which is rarely available in the market.

This time I ordered the salt-grilled fish and miso dengaku, which I was personally interested in.

The rainbow trout is grilled over charcoal, giving it a fragrant aroma that fills the air while you wait.

This is Zao Sarukura Rest House’s specialty, rainbow trout dish!

Left: Miso dengaku Right: Salt-grilled

The plump rainbow trout meat had no strong flavor and the skin was crispy and delicious!

The delicate flavor is appealing, and the moderate saltiness seemed to bring out the deliciousness of the rainbow trout even more.

The miso dengaku is a perfect match of rich, sweet miso and the elegant flavor of rainbow trout!

It was so delicious that it permeated my body…!

I was also convinced that it would go well with alcohol (lol).

This time, the rainbow trout we caught was cooked on the spot, but takeout is also available.

You can have the trout salted and processed on the spot, so you can enjoy delicious rainbow trout dishes even after you get home.

The fishing pond is easy for children to try, so it’s a great place for them to try fishing for the first time.

5. Wakuwaku Land (seasonal)

The last place we would like to introduce is Sarukura Wakuwaku Land, which just opened in the summer of 2025.

This was set up as a place for children of elementary school age and younger to enjoy playing in the water to their heart’s content.

It’s an exciting moment for children, with fluffy domes that make them want to jump on them and impressive slides…!

Since most of the fun will be in the water, it’s a good idea to bring a change of clothes such as T-shirts, sandals, and shorts.

There are also changing rooms and temporary tents on the right side, so please feel free to use them.

6. Message

Finally, President Kawaguchi gave a message to everyone reading VISIT YAMAGATA.

“Zao Sarukura Rest House is a company founded by my father in 1977. It originally opened as a drive-in located along the Zao Echo Line, and in the winter it has operated as a restaurant inside a ski resort.

Most of the facilities have been hand-built by us and we do not receive any support from the government. As the site is entirely privately owned, we have been doing everything we want to do to make it a better place for our customers. We hope that both children and adults will enjoy the facility throughout the year.

7. Summary

Through this interview, I felt that Zao Sarukura Rest House is a place of relaxation loved by people of all generations.

It is not only a play area for children, but adults can also relax and enjoy themselves.

Make wonderful memories by choosing from meals, sweets, souvenirs, fishing experiences, and more!

8. Basic Information

ZAO Sarukura Rest House
Hours: 8:30~17:00
・Last order: 16:00
Please check the official social media for opening hours.

Café and Sweets Miche
・Hours: 10:00~16:00
Please check the official social media for opening hours.

Zao Sarukura Fishing Pond
Hours: 8:30~17:00
*Open from around Golden Week to early November
*Operates as a ski resort during the winter

Sarukura Wakuwaku Land (seasonal)
・Hours: 10:00~16:00
・Business days: Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. Please check the official website for details.

Parking lot: 150 spaces
Phone number: 023-679-2211

9. VISIT YAMAGATA Activities

・[Kaminoyama Zao Sarukura] Rainbow trout fishing & jingisukan lunch

You can book a plan to enjoy rainbow trout fishing and a jingisukan lunch on the VISIT YAMAGATA Activities page.

You can enjoy salt-grilled rainbow trout that you caught yourself, as well as raw lamb jingisukan (with rice, miso soup, and a drink bar) for lunch.

Adults can purchase alcoholic beverages such as beer for an additional fee.

Hours
Please come between 10:00 and 12:30

Number of participants
2 or more people

Fee
3,750 yen (tax included)
*This experience is available by request. After you apply, the provider will respond within 3 days.

Includes
・Rainbow trout fishing
・Grilled rainbow trout
・Raw lamb jingisukan
・Rice
・Miso soup
・Drink bar

Access
You can use the free shuttle bus, Green Echo .
<Outbound> Depart Kaminoyama Onsen Tourist Information Center at 9:20 → Arrive Zao Sarukura at 9:39

<Return> Depart Zao Sarukura at 12:31 → Arrive at Kaminoyama Onsen Tourist Information Center at 12:50
Or, depart Zao Sarukura at 16:06 and arrive at Kaminoyama Onsen Tourist Information Center at 16:25
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Activities here