Zao Ropeway or Zao Chuo Ropeway? Choose by Where You Want to Go
Take Zao Ropeway to Jizo Summit and the snow monsters. Chuo Ropeway serves Torikabuto and Central Highlands; reach Dokko Pond on foot or by summer lift.
These two cableways start in the same hot-spring resort, but they do not reach the same mountain area. Choose Zao Ropeway for Jizo Summit, the Jizo statue and winter snow monsters. Choose Zao Chuo Ropeway for the Torikabuto viewpoint, Central Highlands trails and Dokko Pond. The lower Chuo fare is not a cheaper ticket to the snow monsters.
| Your destination | Route to take | Current adult return fare |
|---|---|---|
| Jizo Summit and the Jizo statue | Zao Ropeway, via Juhyo Kogen Station | ¥4,400 |
| Juhyo Kogen and the lower mountain trails | Zao Ropeway to Juhyo Kogen Station | ¥2,200 |
| Torikabuto viewpoint and cafe | Zao Chuo Ropeway to Torikabuto Station | ¥2,400 |
| Central Highlands and Dokko Pond | Chuo Ropeway, then the summer lift or a walk | From ¥2,400, plus any lift fare |
For Jizo Summit and the winter snow monsters
Zao Ropeway runs in two stages. The Sanroku Line takes about seven minutes from Zao Sanroku Station to Juhyo Kogen Station; change there for the roughly ten-minute Summit Line to Jizo Summit Station, at 1,661 metres. The adult return fare to the summit is ¥4,400. A separate return ticket to Juhyo Kogen costs ¥2,200.
This is the direct sightseeing route to the summit and the Jizo statue. In winter, it is also the regular visitor route for the snow-monster area. Zao Chuo Ropeway does not carry ordinary sightseeing passengers to Jizo Summit. Skiers can connect across the mountain using lifts and ski runs, but that is a skiing route, not a walking shortcut for visitors in regular winter boots.
For Torikabuto, the cafe and Dokko Pond
Zao Chuo Ropeway runs from Onsen Station to Torikabuto Station in about seven and a half minutes. Its 101-person gondola climbs to 1,387 metres; the Torikabuto viewpoint is about a minute from the upper station. The current adult return fare is ¥2,400. This is the more direct choice for the viewpoint, SORAMADO Cafe and the Central Highlands.
Dokko Pond is farther into the Central Highlands, at around 1,400 metres. From Torikabuto, visitors can use the Central No. 1 summer lift when it is operating, or continue on foot. The lift currently lists an adult return fare of ¥1,000 and hours of 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; trail and lift availability are seasonal, so check both before making the pond the day’s fixed goal.
Stations, opening periods and a November exception
Onsen Station, the Chuo Ropeway’s lower station, is in the centre of Zao Onsen and about a five-minute walk from the bus terminal. Zao Sanroku Station, the lower station for Zao Ropeway, is about a 15-minute walk from the same terminal. That difference matters if you are fitting a ropeway ride between a bus arrival and your return departure.
The routes also have different seasonal calendars. Both may suspend service for strong winds, lightning or other operating conditions; one being open does not guarantee the other is. Zao Chuo Ropeway posts maintenance notices separately from Zao Ropeway, and the Sky Cable may be the Central Highlands alternative during a Chuo closure. Zao Ropeway is a separate system. See the November cableway guide for the announced 2026 maintenance dates, and check each operator’s live notice on the day.
If the summit line is stopped or cloud has closed in, the Chuo route may still be a pleasant alternative only if Torikabuto or the Central Highlands are places you actually want to visit. For other weather decisions, use the winter ropeway Plan B guide.
Sources
- Zao Ropeway: [fares, route details and operating hours](https://www.zaoropeway.co.jp/winter/guide.php) and [live operation](https://www.zaoropeway.co.jp/winter/index.php). - Zao Kanko Kaihatsu: [Chuo Ropeway and Sky Cable route and service information](https://zaochuoropeway.co.jp/jp/summer/guide.php), [fares](https://zaochuoropeway.co.jp/jp/summer/payment.php), [access and station locations](https://zaochuoropeway.co.jp/jp/summer/access.php), [Dokko Pond walking information](https://zaochuoropeway.co.jp/jp/summer/dokko.php), and [November 2026 maintenance notice](https://zaochuoropeway.co.jp/jp/summer/info.php?p=3925). - Yamagata Tourism: [Zao Ropeway](https://yamagatakanko.com/attractions/detail_7455.html), [Zao Chuo Ropeway](https://yamagatakanko.com/attractions/detail_6702.html), and [Dokko Pond](https://yamagatakanko.com/attractions/detail_12296.html). - Images: [Zao Ropeway](https://www.zaoropeway.co.jp/summer/guide.php), [Yamagata Tourism’s Zao Ropeway feature](https://yamagatakanko.com/attractions/detail_7455.html), and [Torikabuto viewpoint photo](https://yamagatakanko.com/photos/detail_1884.html).Checked: September 27, 2026
Tags: Zao Ropeway, Zao Chuo Ropeway, Torikabuto, Dokko Pond, Zao Onsen
