Zao Onsen Shinzanso Takamiya

Takamiya stands at the top of a narrow lane in Zao Onsen, Yamagata's oldest spa, and has been run by the same family since 1716. The inn owns three sources of strongly acidic sulphur water, which fill nine tubs without mixing, including the old-style Chouju no Yu, a semi-open-air wooden tub, and riverside stone and hinoki baths. The 19 rooms all differ: traditional tatami rooms in a wooden building over 100 years old, 2023-renovated corner suites, the Rian Sansui rooms designed with Ken Okuyama with open-air baths, and a converted storehouse villa. Dinner is a Yamagata kaiseki featuring Zao beef.

• ◎Three private sources of strongly acidic sulphur water in nine tubs
• ◎Family-run in Zao Onsen since 1716
• ◎Villa and designer rooms with private open-air baths

Number of rooms

19

Room types

Japanese-style (tatami) · Japanese-Western (tatami + beds) · Suites · Detached villas

Open-air bath in the room

Some rooms

Shared onsen baths

Yes

Natural hot spring water

Yes

Spring type

strongly acidic sulphur spring - hydrogen-sulphide-containing strongly acidic alum-melanterite spring (含硫化水素強酸性明ばん緑ばん泉); three private sources

Reservable private bath

Yes

Open-air bath in the room

Some rooms

Kaiseki dinner

Yes

Dinner

Yes

Breakfast

Yes

Bus from Yamagata Station to Zao Onsen bus terminal, then free pick-up by the inn (phone on arrival). By car, phone near the bus terminal and staff guide you to the car park and carry luggage; Zao Echo Line closed Nov-Apr.

Prefecture

Ginzan & Yamagata · Yamagata

Nearest station

Yamagata Station (Yamagata Shinkansen)

Shuttle bus

Yes

Parking

Yes

• Couples
• Solo travellers
• Families

Price on request

This inn prices by date, room and meal plan. Send your dates and we reply with the current price and available rooms.

What the inn publishes. Anything not listed here we ask the inn for you.

Check-in

15:00

Check-out

10:00

Accessibility

About 20 stone steps to the entrance, cars cannot reach the door, and the 100-year-old wooden building has no elevator; guests with limited mobility should contact the inn first.

Cancellation

From 7 days before: 20%; from 2 days: 30%; day before: 50%; same day and no-show: 100%.