Originally Posted by
shuigao
Hijacking the thread a little ... have any of you ski'ied in Zao Onsen before by any chance?
Thinking of doing a late-Feb short trip there because (partially) of the Zao snow monsters and proximity to the Zao Fox Village.
Google/TripAdvisor seems to suggest that the ski infrastructure / equipment rental there is old and limited? For comparison I've only ever ski'ed in Nozawa Onsen in Japan.
I've been there, but it was so long ago that I can't really help you much with any up-to-date firsthand info. I just remember the mountain being massive, very cold; great onsen.
But based on everything I've read from recent Internet reviews, what you say seems true to an extent about Zao. However, I think most Japanese skiers would put Zao on the must-ski list. It's sort of a legendary place. If you want the assurances of better organization and modernity, then another Tohoku resort to look into would be Appi.