Zao's snow monsters are best from late January to February. Ropeway fares, night light-up, Hakkoda and Moriyoshi, and how to plan around wind closures.
Snow monsters (juhyo) are fir trees coated in thick rime ice and snow until they look like giant figures. You can see them from about late December to early March, and they are at their best from late January through February. The easiest place to see them is Zao in Yamagata, where a ropeway from Zao Onsen climbs to the juhyo fields; Hakkoda in Aomori and Moriyoshi in Akita are quieter alternatives.
They are Maries firs (Aomori todomatsu, Abies mariesii) near the top of mountains in northern Honshu. In winter, strong northwest wind off the Sea of Japan carries supercooled water droplets and snow that freeze onto the windward side of the trees. Layer after layer builds up through January until the trees disappear under ice. It needs the right tree, constant freezing wind and enough altitude at the same time, which is why only a few mountains in Tohoku get them.
| Place | How you get up | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Zao (Yamagata) | Zao Ropeway from Zao Onsen to Jizo summit station | Best known, ski runs through the juhyo, night light-up on set dates |
| Hakkoda (Aomori) | Hakkoda Ropeway, about 10 minutes | Fewer visitors, harsher weather, backcountry terrain |
| Moriyoshi (Akita) | Ani ski area gondola | Smaller and less visited |
At Zao the ropeway runs from the hot-spring village up through the ski area. Skiers can ride up and ski down past the monsters on the Juhyo Course; non-skiers ride up and back. The 2025-26 adult return fare from the base station to Jizo summit was ¥4,400 (rurubu). The Zao Ropeway posts each season's fares and light-up details.
The Hakkoda Ropeway costs ¥2,500 return for adults from August 2026. In winter the first car is at 9:00 and the last uphill car at 15:40, and the ropeway stops when wind reaches 25 m/s (Hakkoda Ropeway). The terrain off the top is ungroomed backcountry; ski it with a guide unless you know the mountain.
The trees start icing up in December, but they look thin until mid-January. Most guides put the peak from late January to the end of February, and the shapes hold until early March (tabi-mag). After that, warm days and sun start to strip the ice. If you can only go once, aim for the first three weeks of February.
At Zao, yes, on set evenings. In 2025-26 the light-up ran from December 27 to February 22, mostly on weekends and holiday periods, from 17:00 to 21:00 (tabi-mag). The 2026-27 schedule had not been published in detail when we checked in October 2026. Because the ropeway runs until 21:00 on light-up nights, it is easiest to stay in Zao Onsen.
At Zao, yes. The Juhyo Course runs down from the top of the ropeway through the trees and is suitable for confident intermediates in good visibility. In a whiteout it is easy to lose the course, so stay on marked routes. Our Zao Onsen snow and weather guide covers conditions through the season, and the season calendar shows when the ski area is open.
Rime-covered trees form on cold, windy mountains elsewhere too, but Zao and Hakkoda are known for large fields of them because the Maries fir grows there and the winter monsoon is so consistent.
No. At Zao and Hakkoda non-skiers ride the ropeway up and back. You still need warm clothes and boots with grip on snow.