Enjoy Tohoku in winter! A luxurious trip around the spectacular scenery of Zao, Naruko Onsen, and Matsushima

On the first day, enjoy winter sports and the large open-air bath at Zao Onsen!

Yamagata Airport

Yamagata Airport is widely known as "Delicious Yamagata Airport" and is located in Higashine City, located north of Yamagata City. It is connected by direct flights to four cities, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Sapporo, and by bus it takes about 25 minutes to get to Yamagata City. There are also shuttle buses and sightseeing liners to tourist spots such as Zao Onsen, making it easily accessible. It is used by many travelers as a base for gourmet food and sightseeing.

Zao Ice Tree Festival

The Zao Juhyo Festival is held from late December to late February. The highlight is the fantastic lighting up of the juhyo trees. The colorful juhyo trees, which are different from the silvery white of the daytime, float up into the night sky, creating an atmosphere that makes you forget about everyday life. There are also activities unique to winter, such as winter fireworks, a tour of the power spots of the ski resort, and the "1,000 People Torch Sliding" where you slide down the slope holding LED torches.

On the second day, after sightseeing around Zao, we went to Naruko Onsen (Onikobe).

Japan Kokeshi Museum

The Japan Kokeshi Museum is a facility where you can learn about the history and culture of the traditional Tohoku region craft, kokeshi, and exhibits over 5,000 traditional kokeshi dolls collected from all over the country. Among the 11 varieties of kokeshi dolls handed down by artisans from all over Tohoku, there is also the Naruko Kokeshi. Naruko Onsen is known as the oldest production area of kokeshi dolls, and inside the museum you can enjoy demonstrations by artisans and a kokeshi painting experience.

Onikobe Onsen Public Bath Me no Yu

"Me no Yu" in the Onikobe Onsen area is a day-trip hot spring facility. You will be greeted by a lobby made of 200-year-old Onikobe cedar trees, and you can enjoy two types of baths: an indoor bath and an open-air bath. As the name suggests, the spring water contains ingredients that are beneficial for the eyes. The temperature of the open-air bath changes depending on the outside temperature of the day, so it's also fun to enjoy that.

From the third day onwards, you can relax at the inn "Hotel WAMARE Onikobe"

After enjoying winter sports and sightseeing, you can relax and enjoy the Tohoku winter in the Naruko Onsen and Onikobe Onsen areas, which are filled with abundant nature.

To make your trip even more special, you can rent out the entire building at the inn "Hotel WAMARE Onikobe." Enjoy five unique Japanese-style rooms in a space that harmonizes Japanese elements with traditional crafts. From the balcony, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Kurikoma Quasi-National Park.

In the area around Hotel WAMARE Onikobe, there are tourist attractions such as the Nakabachi Museum of Art, the former Yubikan building, Naruko Gorge, and Onikobe Ski Resort, so you'll never get bored.

Final Day

The last part of the trip is a sightseeing boat tour of Matsushima, one of the three most scenic spots in Japan.

Let's go to Naruko Onsen (Onikobe) to enjoy the spectacular winter scenery created by nature!

In addition to the spots introduced this time, there are many other places to enjoy in the Zao and Naruko Onsen areas. Be sure to use this as a reference for your winter trip to Tohoku.