Getting to Zao Onsen Ski Resort

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By car

By car
  • Rental car (expressway): Yamagata Airport — 寒河江 — (Expressway, 35 min · ¥630) — 山形蔵王 — Zao Onsen Ski Resort
  • Rental car (national roads): Yamagata Airport — (National roads, 52 min) — Zao Onsen Ski Resort
  • Rental car: Tokyo Haneda Airport — 空港中央 — (Expressway, 285 min) — 福島 — Zao Onsen Ski Resort
By car
Icy road Snow-covered Approximate winter crash locations

Rental car (expressway) · Yamagata Airport

Recommended

Yamagata Airport → Zao Onsen Ski Resort

43 km Distance
35 min Drive time
¥1,130 ETC · ¥1,400 Standard
Check current toll (NEXCO) ↗ Official resort access page ↗
Driving safety on this route ~8.7× 46 winter crashes on the rural approach over 6 seasons
~8.7×
Crashes about 8.7× more likely per day on heavy-snow days

46 winter crashes on the rural approach over 6 seasons

During snowfall 69.6%
Single-vehicle 6.5%
On curves 6.5%
Downhill 13%
At night 43.5%
Fatal 0%

↑ 678 m 2.5 Heavy-snow days / season

New to driving on snow? Read the guide → 出典:警察庁ウェブサイト (交通事故統計情報オープンデータ, PDL 1.0) を加工して作成 · 2026-07-06

By bus & train

By bus & train
  • Sendai → Zao Onsen (bus): board:Sendai — Sendai — (Yamako Bus Zao Onsen Line, 85 min) — Zao Onsen
  • Airport train + bus (via Sendai): Sendai Airport — (Sendai Airport Access Line, 30 min) — Sendai — (Yamako Bus Zao Onsen Line, 100 min) — Zao Onsen
  • Shinkansen + bus (via Tokyo/Yamagata): Tokyo Station — (Yamagata Shinkansen (Tsubasa), 150 min) — Yamagata Station — (Yamako Bus Zao Onsen Line, 40 min) — Zao Onsen
By bus & train
Shinkansen + bus (via Tokyo/Yamagata) Recommended Shinkansen, Bus 3h 10m ride time · ¥12,700 · 1 ⇄
Tokyo Station
Yamagata Shinkansen (Tsubasa) JR East 150 min ¥11,500 Timetable ↗ from Tokyo Sta (HND→Tokyo ~30min); ~¥11,500 — verify
Yamagata Station transfer
Yamako Bus Zao Onsen Line Yamako Bus (Yamagata Kotsu) 40 min ¥1,200 Timetable ↗ Yamagata–Zao line, official ¥1,200/600
Zao Onsen
  • JR East Unreserved seats need no booking; reserved seats via Eki-net. Only Hakutaka services stop at Iiyama Station.
  • The Yamako bus needs no reservation and runs roughly hourly in the daytime; the last bus to Zao Onsen is around 20:00 (~33–37 min).
Sendai → Zao Onsen (bus) Bus 1h 25m ride time · ¥2,500
Sendai
Yamako Bus Zao Onsen Line Yamako Bus (Yamagata Kotsu) 85 min ¥2,500 Timetable ↗ Yamagata Kotsu highway Sendai–Zao line (¥2,500/1,250)
Zao Onsen
Airport train + bus (via Sendai) Winter only Train, Bus 2h 10m ride time · ¥3,172 · 1 ⇄
Sendai Airport
Sendai Airport Access Line JR East 30 min ¥672 Timetable ↗ fare via JR — verify
Sendai transfer
Yamako Bus Zao Onsen Line Yamako Bus (Yamagata Kotsu) 100 min ¥2,500 Timetable ↗ Yamagata Kotsu highway Sendai–Zao line (¥2,500/1,250)
Zao Onsen
  • JR East Unreserved seats need no booking; reserved seats via Eki-net. Only Hakutaka services stop at Iiyama Station.
Esc