The milky white hot spring water is filled to the brim, and the smell of sulfur hangs in the air... This is the true joy of a 100% free-flowing sulfur spring. This is a hot spring.
The signature feature of Zao Kokusai Hotel is Yaemon no Yu. The skin-beautifying water flows at an incredible rate of one and a half stones per minute, providing the ultimate bathing experience. The bathhouse has exposed log beams, and combined with the indirect lighting, it gives the feeling of a hot spring resort. While feeling the warmth of the wood, you can fully enjoy the comfort of the free-flowing sulfur spring.
The indoor bath is completely glassed in. In the open-air bath, you can enjoy two baths with different temperatures. It is especially beautiful in the snowy season. In the three types of private baths, cypress, granite, and barrier-free, you can have the 100% sulfur spring water all to yourself.
The hotel continues to renovate throughout the facility, including the addition of three types of modern Japanese-style guest rooms. In 2023, the hotel will introduce the Luxury Suite, the highest-grade room with a lavish 75-square-meter space and a dining table and daybed, and the Deluxe Suite, a 57-square-meter room with a tatami living room and daybed. Both rooms are equipped with Simmons double beds that induce a deep sleep. They will gently pamper your body after it has been soothed by the famous hot spring.
The dining space will also feature a modern restaurant with semi-private rooms called "Beni no Hana." In August 2024, the lounge and restaurant "Dining Room Yama no Uta" will be reopened after renovation.

For dinner, enjoy a kaiseki meal featuring Yamagata beef, which is popular for its juiciness and richness. The "Zao Mountain Kaizen" course is packed with the flavors of Yamagata's four seasons, and includes appetizers to be enjoyed with aperitifs, seafood carpaccio, hot dishes, soups, and more, all of which are full of flavor and umami. The Yamagata beef can be enjoyed in a luxurious way, either as a teppanyaki, shabu-shabu, or sukiyaki.
We also recommend you try the deliciousness of Yamagata's proud brand of rice, "Tsuyahime." As its name suggests, this rice is shiny, has uniform grains, and is highly rated for its sweetness and umami.
The breakfast buffet offers a variety of healthy dishes, including local delicacies such as mountain vegetables, pickles, and the famous ball konnyaku, as well as rice porridge that is good for when you wake up and freshly baked bread. The famous beef curry made with stewed Yamagata beef will activate your metabolism and make you feel energized.