Every winter, Mount Zao in Yamagata Prefecture becomes overrun with hordes of “snow monsters” who appear to be trekking across the white landscape.

These tall, sometimes hunched forms, are actually trees with alternating layers of wind-blown ice and snow. This natural spectacle is called Juhyo in Japanese and is one of Zao’s most unique annual sights.

Juhyo season typically lasts from late-December to late-February.

How to see Zao’s snow monsters

To witness these rare snow monsters, you can ride the Zao Ropeway, Zao Sky Cable, or Zao Chuo Ropeway, go snowshoeing, join a Night Cruiser tour, or even ski/snowboard down slopes lined with the hulking creatures. Each activity offers different perspectives, highlighting the sheer magnitude of the snow monster forest, as well as the impressive size of a singular Juhyo.

Please note that the cable car and ropeways stop running in the early evening:

• Zao Ropeway: 8:30am–5pm (Sanroku Line) / 8:45am–4:45pm (Mountaintop Line)
• Zao Sky Cable: 8:30am–5pm
• Zao Chuo Ropeway: 8:15am–5pm

Light-up

At night, the pristine snow monsters are illuminated in a variety of colors, offering a mystical contrast to the juhyo’s pure whiteness during the day.

You can book the Night Cruiser “Frost-covered Fantasy Corridor Tour” (ナイトクルーザー号で行く 「樹氷幻想回廊ツアー」) through JTB’s website (Japanese only).

Other events

During the festival’s roughly two-month period, Zao also sets up Juki Snow Park (a kids play area on Omori Slope, Nakamori Slope, and Uenodai Slope) and hosts an illumination, torch, and fireworks display typically in early February. In 2025, the event was held on Saturday, February 1.