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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Zao
蔵王町
One night in Zao is enough for the Okama crater and the kokeshi museum; add a second if you ski or hike. From Sendai it's a 1-hour bus ride, so a day trip works if you start early.
Zao is a small town in Miyagi best known for the Okama caldera lake and the largest kokeshi museum in Japan. It sits on the border with Yamagata and is a common stop for travellers heading to the Zao ski area or the hot springs. Most visitors come for a day trip from Sendai or stay one night in a ryokan.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 蔵王町
- Best months
- Jun–Oct for the crater; Dec–Mar for skiing
- Avoid
- Apr–May (muddy trails, crater may be closed)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥6,000–9,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥10,000–16,000 excl. bed · High ¥17,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | ¥300–500 |
| Ramen or soba | ¥800–1,200 |
| Beer (can) | ¥250–350 |
| Kokeshi doll (small) | ¥1,000–3,000 |
| Museum entry | ¥500–800 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SDJ · Sendai Airport
- Bus to Sendai station, then bus to Zao, about 2 h total
Typical fares
- Sendai → Zao, bus
- about ¥1,000 one way, about 1 h (check)
- Taxi Zao town → Okama crater
- ¥3,000–4,000 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walking covers the town centre and the museum. For the crater you need a car, taxi or the seasonal bus from the Zao Onsen ropeway station.
See and do
Known for
- Okama Crater
- Miyagi Zao Kokeshi Museum
- Kokeshi dolls
- Zao ski area
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sendai | Bus from Zao Onsen or Zao town, about 1 h | 1 h |
| Matsushima | Bus to Sendai, then JR train to Matsushima, about 1.5 h | 1.5 h |
| Kesennuma | Bus to Sendai, then JR train, about 2 h | 2 h |
Sleep
- Zao Onsen area
- Hot spring inns and ski access; quiet outside winter.
- Near the Kokeshi Museum
- A few mins' walk from the museum; limited dining options.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Where is the bus stop? | バス停はどこですか？basutei wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- The Okama crater road closes in winter (Nov–Apr). Check the official site before going.
- Buses from Sendai run a few times a day; check the timetable and don't miss the last one back.
- Kokeshi museum hours may change; confirm on the website.
Zao is a quiet rural town with very low crime. The main risks are icy roads in winter and the altitude at the crater (about 1,700 m) – bring warm clothes even in summer.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Zao yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Okama Crater
- Miyagi Zao Kokeshi Museum
- Kokeshi dolls
- Zao ski area
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Zao (Miyagi), revision 5292409 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5292409
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/zao-miyagi). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.