On the Yamagata–Miyagi border · Updated 10 Nov 2026
Zao Snow Cams & Snow Report
Mount Zao has two bases, one on each side of the range: Zao Onsen on the Yamagata side and Togatta Onsen on the Miyagi side. The Zao Echo Line is impassable from early November to late April, and in winter the trip between Zao Onsen and Togatta Onsen swings far to the south around the mountains. On the Yamagata side, buses run up from Yamagata Station to Zao Onsen; on the Miyagi side, the ski areas are spread over the slopes above Togatta Onsen. The snow monsters, the rime-coated trees, can be reached by ropeway from Yamagata and by snowcat from Miyagi. Sources: tabi-mag.jp, nap-camp.com, pref.miyagi.jp, ana.co.jp, zao-ski.or.jp, zao-sumikawa.jp, eboshi.co.jp (sources read 2026-10-13; an AI draft the site operator has not yet checked)
No new snow has fallen at Zao's ski areas in the last 48 hours.
Pictured: Zao Liza World
Live cameras
4 of the 7 ski areas have official live cameras (5 in all). Each link opens the operator's own page or YouTube stream.
- Zao Onsen
- Official live camera ↗zaomountainresort.com
- Chuo slopes ↗zaomountainresort.com
- Miyagi Zao Eboshi Resort
- Official live camera ↗eboshi.co.jp
- Miyagi Zao Shiroishi Ski Resort
- Official live camera ↗nposki.com
- Zao Sarukura
- Official live camera ↗zao-sarukura.co.jp
No slope camera found yet: Zao Liza World, Miyagi Zao Sumikawasu Snow Park, Miyagi Zao Shichikashuku
Footage remains the copyright of each operator. JAPANSNOWLINE neither stores nor redistributes it. Road cameras are listed on each resort’s page.
Today's snow
| Ski area | 24 h | 48 h | Base | Next 3 days | Temp | Powder Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zao Liza World | 0 cm | 2 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | −2°C | 24 |
| Zao Onsen | 0 cm | 2 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | −2°C | 24 |
| Miyagi Zao Sumikawasu Snow Park | 0 cm | 2 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | −2°C | 23 |
| Miyagi Zao Eboshi Resort | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0°C | 12 |
| Miyagi Zao Shiroishi Ski Resort | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0°C | 12 |
| Miyagi Zao Shichikashuku | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 2°C | 10 |
| Zao Sarukura | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 1°C | 8 |
Snowfall and base are calculated from a weather model, not reported by the resorts. "Next 3 days" is Open-Meteo’s published forecast shown as-is; it is not a forecast made by JAPANSNOWLINE. Check the Japan Meteorological Agency and the resort before you travel.
The season at a glance
| Ski area | Typical winter | Worst–best of 12 | Snow quality (of 397) | Adult day ticket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zao Onsensame grid cell | 258 cm | 129–357 cm | 82 | ¥9,000 |
| Miyagi Zao Sumikawasu Snow Parksame grid cell | 258 cm | 129–357 cm | 77 | — |
| Miyagi Zao Shichikashuku | 256 cm | 179–341 cm | 224 | — |
| Zao Liza Worldsame grid cell | 254 cm | 111–357 cm | 73 | — |
| Miyagi Zao Eboshi Resortsame grid cell | 254 cm | 111–357 cm | 102 | — |
| Zao Sarukura | 253 cm | 129–352 cm | 165 | — |
| Miyagi Zao Shiroishi Ski Resort | 190 cm | 111–242 cm | 206 | — |
Typical winter is the December–March average over the last 12 winters (calculated). “Worst–best” is the leanest and the deepest of those 12 winters, which is the range a trip booked a year out has to live with. Ticket prices are checked on each resort’s own site; “—” means we have not checked one yet.
Compare Zao Onsen, Miyagi Zao Sumikawasu Snow Park, Miyagi Zao Shichikashuku →
When the snow falls
In Zao, the most snow falls in January. March brings 56% of January's, or about 47 cm. The one that keeps snowing latest is Miyagi Zao Shiroishi Ski Resort, where March still brings 61% of January's snowfall.
Monthly averages over the last 12 winters, averaged across the ski areas in this area. This is what falls in each month, not how deep the base is.
The mountains themselves
| Ski area | Base to top | Vertical | Spread of the runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zao Liza World | 1,071–1,446 m | 375 m | 1.9 km |
| Zao Onsen | 792–1,661 m | 869 m | — |
| Miyagi Zao Sumikawasu Snow Park | 1,110–1,371 m | 261 m | 2.5 km |
| Miyagi Zao Eboshi Resort | 687–1,361 m | 674 m | 3.4 km |
| Miyagi Zao Shiroishi Ski Resort | 861–1,131 m | 270 m | 1.7 km |
| Miyagi Zao Shichikashuku | 540–957 m | 417 m | 1.8 km |
| Zao Sarukura | 682–803 m | 121 m | 0.7 km |
Elevations come from the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan and OpenStreetMap. “Spread” is the width of the area the runs cover, not the total length of piste.
Questions people ask
How much snow does Zao get in a typical winter?
From December to March, the most falls at Zao Onsen and Miyagi Zao Sumikawasu Snow Park: about 258 cm. The least in the same area is at Miyagi Zao Shiroishi Ski Resort, about 190 cm. The figures come from weather-model grid cells about 30 km across, so neighbouring ski areas in different cells can differ widely. Calculated from the last 12 winters.
What happens in Zao in a bad winter?
Over the last 12 winters, Zao Onsen ranged from 129 cm in its leanest winter to 357 cm in its deepest, against a typical 258 cm, so a poor winter brought 50% of the usual amount.