CHIKUSENSO ONSEN Mt. Zao Onsen Resort & Spa

The Zao mountain range towers over the border between Miyagi and Yamagata prefectures in the Tohoku region. Stretching across the eastern Miyagi side of the mountain range is Togatta Onsen, an onsen hot spring resort that dates back more than 400 years. Since the Edo period (1603–1868), it has been a popular starting point for religious pilgrimages to Mt. Zao, and with its abundant onsen water that has excellent therapeutic properties, it is also known as a resort for onsen healing.

CHIKUSENSO is a traditional Japanese ryokan inn. It features 30 guest rooms within grounds of 6.6 hectares and two onsen sources from Togatta Onsen. Guests can unwind in natural hot spring water that flows directly from the source. The large public baths have separate open-air and indoor baths for men and women, as well as private open-air baths. There are also onsen baths attached to the guest rooms. Accommodations include spacious luxury suites of over 100 square meters, suite rooms that average 75 square meters, and richly furnished deluxe rooms averaging 48 square meters. All rooms are equipped with coffee machines, free drinks in the refrigerator, and Simmons beds to ensure a comfortable night’s sleep.

For dinner, guests can savor kaiseki-style cuisine crafted from local mountain and sea delicacies and incorporating local cuisine unique to the region. The ryokan also offers its own original Japanese sake, as well as sake and wine from Miyagi Prefecture, which we highly recommend enjoying with dinner. Breakfast is a traditional Japanese meal with freshly cooked rice and side dishes.

The ryokan’s facilities include a lobby with a traditional Japanese sunken hearth, an elegant library lounge adorned with a bronze hanging bell, an art gallery, and a Japanese-style bar. Guests may also indulge in a serene spa sanctuary, a well-equipped gym, and a gallery shop selling local crafts. The spacious premises also have a stream and walking paths, making it ideal for a leisurely stroll in nature. At the onsen town near the ryokan, guests can enjoy bathing in the public baths, taking foot baths, shopping for souvenirs in the shopping district, and sampling local delicacies as they explore.

Zao is a popular tourist destination with magnificent natural scenery that attracts many overseas visitors throughout the year. Wintertime Zao is famous for both skiing and its juhyo: snow and ice-covered trees that take on monster-like shapes. In spring and summer, vibrant flowers bloom, and in late April, the snow walls along the Zao Echo Line road (open again after the winter) are a spectacular sight. Other beautiful places to visit are Okama Crater Lake near the summit of Mt. Zao and the three waterfalls that can be seen along the Zao Echo Line: Sankai-no-taki Falls, Fudo-taki Falls, and Kaerazu-no-taki Falls. The scenery is particularly spectacular in autumn when the leaves change color and the mountains turn to gorgeous shades of red and yellow.

CHIKUSENSO ryokan is an excellent base for exploring Zao. The easiest way to arrive is by taking the ryokan’s guest-only shuttle bus, which departs JR Sendai Station at 1:30 p.m. Please note that reservations are required. For other means of transportation, please check the relevant website for details.

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