Mount Zaō

Overview

The Zaō Mountains, commonly called Mount Zaō, form a complex cluster of stratovolcanoes on the border between Miyagi and Yamagata Prefectures, within the Ōu Mountains that run north–south through the center of the Tōhoku region. Composed of basalt and andesite, it is an active volcano monitored continuously by the Japan Meteorological Agency. The main peak, Mount Kumano, rises to 1,841 metres and lies on the Yamagata side.

Highlights

• ●The crater lake Okama and volcanic fumaroles on the slopes
• ●Hot springs and ski resorts spread across the foothills
• ●The frost-covered trees (juhyō) that appear in winter
• ●A summit counted among the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains and the 100 Landscapes of Heisei

History

The name Zaō derives from Zaō Gongen, a central deity of the Shugendō ascetic tradition. From the mid-Edo period, devotional climbs known as "Oyama-mairi," in which pilgrims ascended toward the summits of Kumano-dake and Katta-dake to worship at a temple (now a shrine), became popular. The crater lake Okama is said to lie in a crater formed by an eruption in the 1720s.

Map

38.1410, 140.4430 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Get an overview of the mountain area from a foothill hot-spring area
2. 2Visit a viewpoint overlooking the crater lake Okama
3. 3Head for the main summits such as Kumano-dake and Katta-dake
4. 4In winter, observe the areas where frost-covered trees can be seen

Did you know?

💡 Okama is also called the "Five Color Pond" because its water appears to change color depending on the weather.

Nearby spots