KIRAKU ONSEN LIVING's open-air bath behind reed screens, filled with cloudy hot spring water

KIRAKU ONSEN LIVING

An easy kind of luxury,in Zao.

Leave the clock behind,

and simply sink into the waters of Zao.

Eat when you want,

where you want.

A quiet, unhurried place

to make your own while in Zao.

Stay as if you lived here,and taste Zao.

We have deliberately left out the grand facilitiesand the attentive service of a traditional ryokan.

Walk out for the food of the region,come back to the inn,and slip into the hot spring.

Think of Zao — the mountains and the town alike — as your inn.

The exterior of KIRAKU ONSEN LIVING, facing the street in Zao Onsen

Renewal

Full renewal, late December 2026

For more than thirty years, KIRAKU ONSEN LIVING welcomed its guests

under the care of Shuko, the previous proprietress.

With her retirement, the inn will be fully renewed.

Our hot spring — cloudy, unheated, undiluted, straight from the source —

and the warmth with which we receive our guests will stay as they are,

as KIRAKU ONSEN LIVING becomes a new kind of place to stay

for a wider range of travellers.

We will continue in our current form until the end of October.We would be glad to see you before then.

A new way to stay in Zao.

New rooms with kitchens and living spaces, suited to longer stays as well as short ones, are available for stays from January 1, 2027.

Some of the existing rooms will remain, so you can choose the stay that fits your journey.

NOW BOOKINGDirect reservations are open for the new rooms for winter 2027 (nights from January 1 to March 31).

Check availability & rates for the new rooms

Renovation concept image: a room with a kitchen and living space for longer stays
Renovation concept image: beds set on a tatami room

Images shown are renovation concept images.

Rooms

Choose the room that suits the way you travel.

The rooms shown here are for stays through the end of October 2026. For stays from January 1, 2027, the new rooms — apartments (one- and two-bedroom), twin and single rooms with sofa bed, and the spacious Japanese-Western room — are shown on the official reservation page.

  • A tatami room with two futons laid out and the Zao mountains beyond the window

    Twin Room

    A twin room with its own toilet, easy for couples and friends travelling in Zao. Head for the bath after sightseeing or skiing. A straightforward room for two.

  • A compact tatami room with a single futon and a view over Zao

    Single Room

    A single room with its own toilet, comfortable for solo trips and ski days. Compact but calm, and an easy base for Zao Onsen.

  • A spacious tatami room with wide windows, able to take several futons

    Deluxe (up to 6)

    A larger room for families and groups, with space for the luggage a ski trip brings. Sightseeing and hot spring days, all from one room.

Dining

KIRAKU ONSEN LIVING does not serve meals. Instead, we introduce the restaurants of Zao Onsen.

AND MORE

There are many other places to eat within walking distance in Zao Onsen.

Walk the streets of the hot spring town and pick the one for the day.

See restaurants nearby

Please check each restaurant for current opening hours and closing days.

Onsen

Onsen

Unheated, undiluted, and cloudy — straight from the source.

The indoor bath and the open-air bath both carry the white, clouded water of Zao as it comes.

A soak on arrival, a quiet bath at night, another in the morning.

With no set schedule, go whenever you feel like it.

KIRAKU ONSEN LIVING's open-air bath, framed by reed screens and trees
  • The indoor bath, filled with cloudy white water
  • The open-air bath set among rocks, fed straight from the source

Seven Partner Onsen

Alongside our own bath, guests may use the hot springs of seven partner properties at no charge.

Walk the hot spring town and find a different room, a different view, at each bath.

With no meals to keep to, there is time to move from one bath to the next.

Eligibility
Guests staying at KIRAKU ONSEN LIVING
Charge
Free
Hours
8:00–10:00 / 13:00–20:00
Booking
Not required

Seven partner properties

  • The bath at Meito Resort Lucent Takamiya

    Meito Resort Lucent Takamiya

  • The main bath at Meitoya So

    Meitoya So

  • The main bath at Takamiya Ruricura Resort

    Takamiya Ruricura Resort

  • The bath at JURIN

    JURIN

  • The bath at BED'n ONSEN HAMMOND

    BED'n ONSEN HAMMOND

  • The bath at ONSEN & STAY OAKHILL

    ONSEN & STAY OAKHILL

  • The main bath at Yoshidaya

    Yoshidaya

Baths may be unavailable on each property’s closing days or when busy.

Reservations

Find availability and rates for your stay.

Official booking

Book direct with KIRAKU ONSEN LIVING

  • No membership required
  • Quick booking
  • Pay at the hotel

Check availability and book at the rates offered for direct reservations on our official website.

Check availability & rates

Rates on other booking sites may occasionally be lower due to their own sales, member discounts or coupons. This is not a best-rate guarantee.

Online booking is recommended

To ensure your booking details are recorded accurately, we recommend booking online.

Phone inquiries 15:00–19:00

Please check rates and availability on each booking site. Rakuten Travel and Jalan net are Japanese-language sites.

By telephone 023-694-2222

Access

935-25 Zao Onsen, Yamagata City, Yamagata 990-2301, Japan

Train & bus
  1. About 45 minutes by local bus from JR Yamagata Station
  2. About 7 minutes on foot from the Zao Onsen Bus Terminal
By car
  1. About 25 minutes from the Yamagata Zao IC on the Yamagata Expressway
  2. Free parking available
By air
  1. About 34 km from Yamagata Airport
  2. About 55 minutes from Haneda to Yamagata Airport
  • About 200 m to the Zao Ropeway
  • Under 5 minutes on foot to the slopes
Get directions Open in Google Maps
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Call Book now

Reservations

Official bookingCheck availability & rates →

Other booking sites

Please check rates and availability on each booking site. Rakuten Travel and Jalan net are Japanese-language sites.

Online booking is recommended

To ensure your booking details are recorded accurately, we recommend booking online.

Phone inquiries 15:00–19:00

By telephone 023-694-2222