Hotel
Bandai, Tohoku
Bandaisan Onsen Hotel
Bandaisan Onsen Hotel sits at the foot of Mt Bandai in Bandai-machi, Fukushima, with hot springs drawn from the mountain and direct access to the NEKOMA Mountain ski slopes.
Price on request
Hotel · Zao, Japan
KAI Zao
A 14-sided tower in Zao Onsen with a rooftop whirlpool bath shaped like the Okama crater lake and dinners built around Buddhist-inspired kaiseki.
Overview
KAI Zao is a hot spring ryokan due to open on 15 October 2026 in Zao Onsen, Yamagata, housed in a distinctive 14-sided tower. The property has 49 guest rooms, accommodating one to four guests, and is built around a loop-style wellness area on the top floor that pairs a sauna held at approximately 80°C with a cold plunge pool and an indoor relaxation area. The baths are fed by some of Japan's most acidic waters, said to benefit hair and skin. A spiral route leads from this wellness floor up to a rooftop garden, where an open-air whirlpool bath shaped like Zao's Okama crater lake looks out over the surrounding landscape.
Dinner draws on the history of local safflower merchants, presented as a multi-course menu called Benibana Sansai Kaiseki. Dishes are inspired by Buddhist cuisine and include seitan and edible chrysanthemum flowers served on red lacquerware, alongside regional specialities such as the Houraku-mori and a Gassan-nabe hot pot of duck and five kinds of mushroom. Meals are served in semi-private dining spaces, so guests can eat in post-bath attire. Breakfast is Japanese-style by default, with Western-style available year round except 1 to 3 January, and there are set menus for children aged 4 to 6 and for vegetarian guests, the latter free of the eight major allergens with five days' notice.
KAI Signature Rooms carry a crimson colour scheme drawn from local safflowers, furniture by regional artisans and washi paper detailing, with windows facing Mt Zao. The ryokan sits by Zao Ski Resort, an Ikon Pass destination known for powder snow and its rime-covered
- Rooms
- 49
- Minimum stay
- 1 night
- Check in
- 15:00
- Check out
- 12:00
Why we like it
- Housed in a distinctive 14-sided tower in Zao Onsen, Yamagata
- Rooftop whirlpool bath on a spiral route above the wellness area, shaped like the Okama crater lake
- Baths fed by some of Japan's most acidic hot spring waters
- Dinner built around Benibana Sansai Kaiseki, inspired by Buddhist cuisine and served on red lacquerware
- Located by Zao Ski Resort, an Ikon Pass destination known for its snow monsters
- 49 guest rooms accommodating 1 to 4 guests
Gallery
Rooms & suites
Categories shown for orientation. Your travel advisor will confirm which are available for your dates and recommend the one that suits the trip.
KAI Signature Rooms
Rooms with a crimson colour scheme inspired by local safflowers, furniture by regional artisans and washi paper detailing. Windows look out over Mt Zao's landscape.
Up to 2 guestsMt Zao view
Amenities
- Restaurant
- Café / Lounge
- Onsen
- Public bath
- Sauna
- Cold plunge pool
- Whirlpool bath
- Spa / Massage
- Playroom
- Pool
- Meeting room
- Private parking
- Wi-Fi
Reserving through us
Included when your travel advisor confirms this stay
- Daily breakfast for two
- Room upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
- Property credit or equivalent where the house offers one
- Early check in and late check out on request
- Welcome amenity and your travel agent known to the general manager
Eligible preferred amenities are applied wherever available, subject to the property at the time of stay, and are confirmed in your proposal.
Location
Zao, Japan
The north of the main island: deep snow, autumn gorges and almost no other visitors.
Questions
- When does KAI Zao open?
- KAI Zao is scheduled to open on 15 October 2026 in Zao Onsen, Yamagata.
- How many rooms does KAI Zao have?
- The ryokan has 49 guest rooms, with room occupancy ranging from 1 to 4 guests.
- What is distinctive about the wellness area?
- The wellness area sits on the top floor in a loop layout, combining a sauna kept at approximately 80 degrees Celsius, a cold plunge pool and an indoor relaxation area. A spiral route leads up to a rooftop garden with an open-air whirlpool bath shaped like the Okama crater lake.
- What kind of food is served at KAI Zao?
- Dinner is a multi-course Benibana Sansai Kaiseki menu inspired by Buddhist cuisine and local safflower merchant traditions, featuring dishes such as seitan, edible chrysanthemum flowers, the Houraku-mori and a Gassan-nabe hot pot with duck and five types of mushroom, served on red lacquerware. Breakfast is Japanese-style by default, with a Western-style option available year round except from 1 to 3 January.
- Is the property near a ski resort?
- Yes. Zao Ski Resort, an Ikon Pass destination known for its powder snow and rime-covered trees called snow monsters, is located by the ryokan.
You might also consider
Hotels and resorts in Tohoku
Hotel
Nekoma, Tohoku
BunkLodge NEKOMA
A 63-room bunk lodge in Sarashina, Bandai-machi, Fukushima, a 15-minute walk from the South Area slopes of NEKOMA Mountain.
Price on request
Hotel
Akiu, Tohoku
KAI Akiu
A ryokan beside the Natori River in Akiu Onsen, where two on-site hot springs feed baths ranging from hot to body temperature, and kaiseki dinners draw on Sanriku seafood.
Price on request