Romance at Minus 10°C: Marvel at Thousands of Dancing "Snow Monsters" at Yamagata’s 'Zao Onsen Ice Trees Illumination'
▲The Zao Ice Trees Illumination runs from now until March 5.
Reported and photographed by Cai Wenjun / Japan
Located in Yamagata Prefecture in Japan’s Tohoku region, one must-visit attraction is the “Zao Ice Trees.” Take a cable car up to the nearly 1,700-meter-high summit of Mount Zao, and enjoy the view of tens of thousands of ice trees along the way — a winter spectacle not to be missed. From now until March 5th, the “Zao Ice Trees Night Illumination” event is being held, where from 5 PM onwards, various colors are used to paint the uniquely shaped ice trees in fantastical hues, making it seem as if snow monsters are putting on formal wear and dancing — showcasing a completely different charm from daytime.
▲%One of the ways to remember your trip is to take lots of photos.%
The Zao Ice Trees are located in the Zao Onsen area. The only way to see them is by taking the Zao Ropeway. Since the ropeway is right next to a ski resort, you’ll also see many skilled skiers carrying their boards up to the Zao Summit Station, eager to ski down quickly from the heights and enjoy the thrilling sensation of gliding through the clouds.
▲The second-stage ropeway heading up to the summit.
▲Temperatures at the top of Mount Zao are near minus 10 degrees.
▲Zao Summit Station — Jizo-dake Summit Station.
Visitors wanting to see the ice trees must then take the second-stage summit ropeway directly to Jizo-dake Summit Station, located at an altitude of 1,661 meters. The reporter visited in early February and arrived at the summit around 4:30 PM. By that time, temperatures had already dropped to nearly minus 10°C. Even before exiting the ropeway station, you can feel the bone-chilling cold and the wind-driven snow, but the endless world of silver-white landscape is a once-in-a-lifetime winter romance.
▲%A thrilling ride up to the summit awaits you.%
▲There is also an ice tree illumination at the Ice Tree Plateau Station.
At 5 PM sharp, beams of light shoot out from the top of the ropeway station building, casting a spectrum of colors onto the thousands of ice trees before your eyes. Paired with the twisted shapes of the trees, it looks as if they are wearing evening gowns and hosting a snowy banquet at the summit, attracting visitors to step into the snow. No matter how strong the wind or snow, everyone wants to capture this beautiful sight with their eyes and keep it as a memory. A group of Taiwanese exchange students from Sendai also made the trip to see the Zao Ice Trees Illumination, even bringing along the Taiwanese flag for photos, creating lasting memories of their study-abroad experience.
▲Taiwanese exchange students who came from Sendai to see the ice tree illumination specially brought along the Taiwanese flag for a photo on the mountain.
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