Zao Onsen | Popular hotels and Ryokan (Japanese inn) based on reviews!

If you're looking for a kashikiriburo (private, reservable bath), I highly recommend the Zao Kokusai Hotel. The water here is a strongly acidic sulfur spring, which is unique to the Zao area. You'll know it by its classic cloudy white appearance. The hotel has three different types of private baths that you can reserve for an extra fee. The best part is that all of them are gensen kakenagashi—meaning they are filled with 100% pure, free-flowing water straight from the source (no extra water added or recycled). The main public bath (daiyokujo) can get pretty crowded at peak times. But with a private bath, you get to have that amazing, high-quality water all to yourself in peace and quiet. It's also a great hotel for solo travelers, so you can feel completely comfortable staying there on your own.

This hotel has easy access to the ski resort. It is within walking distance of Sanroku Station and Chuo Station, and the slopes are just around the corner. In winter, there is a half-price plan for elementary school students, so it's great value for money. You can enjoy delicious dishes such as Yamagata beef sukiyaki and Shabu Shabu（Japanese hotpot）. The open-air bath from which you can enjoy the natural scenery is attractive, and the breakfast Buffet is very popular with its wide variety of menu items. This is the perfect hotel for a family ski trip.

If you're an onsen enthusiast, you have to try the private bath (kashikiriburo) at Miyamaso Takamiya. The Zao hot spring is famous for its cloudy white, strongly acidic sulfur water. It's honestly considered one of the absolute best water qualities in all of Japan. Here’s the real highlight of this ryokan: It's not just the main public bath—even the private, reservable baths are gensen kakenagashi. This means you get to enjoy the real, authentic onsen in total privacy. No tap water is added to dilute it, and the water isn't recycled or circulated. It's 100% pure, fresh-from-the-source water. The public bath is great too, but if you're the kind of person who wants to quietly and truly appreciate the pure water itself, then having one of these private baths all to yourself is the ultimate luxury.

This inn is located very close to the slopes, so many guests stay there for the skiing purpose. The hot spring is also authentic, and the open-air garden bath is in a wonderful location where you can feel the four seasons. It is lit up at night, so you can enjoy a fantastic view. There is a wide variety of food, including Yamagata's specialty potato stew, wagyu beef Shabu Shabu（Japanese hotpot）, and Yonezawa beef steak. Since it is Yamagata Prefecture, the white rice is sweet and delicious, and Japanese sake is a must. There is a famous sake, so please try it with your meal. It is close to the ski resort, so you can move around efficiently and enjoy both the hot spring and the food.

数ある蔵王温泉の中でも高級感があり、綺麗なホテルとしてお奨めしたいですね。実はこのホテル、地元出身の有名な俳人である斎藤茂吉にもゆかりがあります。蔵王温泉の歴史を綴った写真等も展示され、見ごたえがありますよ。露天風呂に加えて野天風呂もあり、温泉三昧でき、さらには貸切家族風呂もあります。米沢牛や地元の郷土料理の夕食はじめ、お風呂、またお部屋の雰囲気等全てにご満足いただけることでしょう。

「善七乃湯」は、一人旅で静かに温泉を楽しみたい人にぴったりだと思います。貸切風呂からの景色が素晴らしいです。ここには7つも貸切風呂がありますが、特に「恵比寿天」や「布袋尊」という名前の露天風呂は、蔵王温泉街や遠くの山々を一望できる、最高のロケーションにあります。もちろん宿泊者は無料で入れます。大浴場だと人がいて落ち着かない時もありますが、ここでは一人で、蔵王の絶景と素晴らしいお湯を独占できます。本当に贅沢な時間ですよ。

For a seamless nature retreat, we recommend this hotel, conveniently offering a complimentary shuttle from the Zao Bus Terminal. Perched in the highlands, it allows you to breathe in the crisp, clean mountain air and enjoy panoramic views of the natural landscape.The grand public bath is wonderfully comfortable and spacious enough to stretch out your legs and truly unwind. You'll also appreciate the authentic gensen kakenagashi onsen, with water flowing directly from the source. To complete the experience, the comfortable guest rooms feature their own stunning mountain views.

和室１０畳なら、４人全員で泊まれる客室がある。夕食は、和牛のすき焼きかしゃぶしゃぶを食べられる。また、朝はバイキングか、お膳出しになる。風呂は蔵王温泉の硫黄泉を檜露天風呂や岩風呂で２４時間入浴出来る。ロープウェイの乗り場は目の前、徒歩１分だ。近くのタカミヤグループの風呂は無料で入れるのも嬉しい。

「おおみや旅館」は、大正ロマンの雰囲気が漂う、とても素敵な旅館です。館内はすべて畳敷きで、スリッパなしで歩けるのが気持ちよく、とてもリラックスできますよ。蔵王温泉特有の硫黄の香りが漂う源泉を、さまざまな湯舟で堪能することができます。客室の窓からは趣のある温泉街の街並みを一望でき、季節ごとに表情を変える蔵王の自然を、お部屋にいながら感じることができます。夜の温泉街のロマンチックな灯りも素敵ですよ。

I think Gokan no Yu Tsuruya is a great place for solo travelers who want to make the most of their onsen experience. They have four different types of named kashikiriburo (private, reservable baths). Each one is unique—some are made of stone, others of wood—so they all have a completely different vibe. The main public bath is nice, but if you're traveling solo, the real highlight is "hopping" between all these different private baths. As long as one is vacant, you can use them as many times as you want, completely free of charge. The best part is getting to have your own private "yu-meguri" (onsen hopping) experience without ever having to leave the inn. That's the biggest draw!

Iwashimizu Cuisine Inn Kinosato has an open-air bath with free-flowing natural hot spring water, overlooking the Zao mountains. There is also a foot bath, where you can sit and relax while taking in the open view. After the bath, you can receive an aroma treatment. There is also a colorful yukata rental service, which is great for women. Dinner is a Satoyama kaiseki meal made with local seasonal ingredients, and you can eat Zao beef and Yonezawa beef. A little independent guest cottages from the hot spring town, this quiet inn is surrounded by nature, and the guest rooms are Japanese-style rooms with a relaxing feel.

こちらのお宿には、山形の蔵王牛のお肉が楽しめるお食事のプランがあり、おすすめです。温泉は、蔵王温泉ならではの白濁したお湯と、弱アルカリ性の人工温泉の２種類に入ることができます。お食事も温泉も楽しめて、ご予算よりだいぶ安く泊まれると思います。

「名湯舎 創 －MEITOYA SO－」は蔵王温泉バスターミナルから歩いて10分の、温泉街と山間の中心にある宿です。客室は和モダンのテイストで、落ち着きがあります。館内には、風情がある木造りの大浴場、露天風呂、貸切半露天風呂があり、源泉かけ流しの温泉が楽しめます。夕食は和食膳+ブッフェで、山形牛や芋煮や玉こんにゃくなど、地元ならではの味覚が楽しめます。