Yamagata Life Diary: Ice Climbing in the Senninzawa Ice Garden

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2024.01.26

I have a tendency to get cold easily and am not at my best during the winter months, but a 40-minute drive from my home in Hirashimizu takes me to a place where I can trek somewhere so magical and beautiful that I am more than willing to get my winter boots on.

This is the Senninzawa Ice Garden, a favorite destination for both ice climbers and trekkers – and since my overriding passion in life is rock climbing, I find myself in the former category. While it has been somewhat of a warm winter so far, I heard rumors that ice climbing conditions at Senninzawa were good, so I packed up my gear and headed out last weekend.

Yamagata Life Diary: Ice Climbing in the Senninzawa Ice Garden

The massive 30m Daihyochu frozen waterfall is the centerpiece of the Senninzawa Ice Garden

For Yamagata city residents, getting to this ice garden is a surprisingly straightforward affair. First, you can do as I did and drive up to the Zao Liza World Ski Resort, or you can take the train from Yamagata Station to Kaminoyama Onsen Station, and a 30-minute bus or taxi ride will bring you to Liza World. (A free shuttle bus runs twice a day during the winter season). After you have arrived, head to the ticket counter, where you can buy tickets for the two pair lifts which will take you up the mountain.

The second of the two pair lifts which take you up the mountain

The second pair lift will transport you to the land of the “juyho” – the famous “snow monsters” of Mount Zao which alone are worth a trip up this mountain. These snow- and ice-covered trees are carved into fantastic shapes by the harsh winds on the higher mountain slopes, and there is a primordial feel to the silent white slopes covered by hordes of these hulking creatures. They feel almost alive, and it doesn’t take much of an imagination to visualize them picking up their feet and lumbering across the landscape.

The “snow monsters” of Mount Zao

At the top of the second pair lift, you will see a trail snaking to the left through the trees – assuming, of course, that you go on a day with at least moderate traffic to the ice garden. If you go during the off-season or if there has been recent heavy snowfall, be sure to go with someone who knows their way around the mountain and can serve as your guide.

After putting on your crampons or snowshoes, a 20- to 30-minute trek will bring you to your destination. And if you are anything like me, your first glimpse of the frozen waterfalls in the distance will absolutely take your breath away. It is not just their stunning scale and shapes – it is also their incredible, almost impossibly aquamarine blue color. If you go on a fair-weather day, the famous “blue ice” will be at its most spectacular, especially in combination with the clear blue sky.

The first view of the Ice Garden from the hiking path

For ice climbers who favor accessible areas with beginner-friendly climbs, Senninzawa is a virtual paradise. There are four frozen waterfalls to choose from, with the obvious centerpiece being the massive 30m frozen waterfall known as “Daihyochu” – a spectacular accumulation of ice pillars and giant spiky icicles. To the right of Daihyochu is the gently sloping “Itotaki” frozen waterfall, and to its left is a stocky frozen formation known simply as “the Boulder”. Slightly left of the Boulder is the “Mini Hyochu,” a vibrantly blue frozen waterfall with a collective height of 25 meters. In terms of climbing grades, Itotaki is the easiest frozen waterfall to climb, while the Boulder and Mini Hyochu are of moderate difficulty. Unsurprisingly, Daihyochu is favored by more experienced ice climbers.

The 25m Mini Hyochu frozen waterfall is located on the far left side of the Ice Garden

Climbing the sheer face of the Mini Hyochu

The central Daihyochu frozen waterfall is an awe-inspiring formation which invites you to come in and explore its depths…but if you decide to do so, proceed with caution. The icicles of this waterfall are truly massive, and if you find standing below them intimidating, you have good reason to feel this way. Small to large pieces of ice have a tendency to break off and fall without warning, and adverse weather conditions can cause huge sections to collapse. No ice climber would be caught anywhere close to a frozen waterfall without a helmet – and even a helmet will not provide much protection in the case of a more serious event.

A view of the massive Daihyochu icicles from below

A major Daihyochu collapse following days of unseasonably warm weather and rain

When climbing at Senninzawa, it’s fun to chat with the individual hikers and guided tour members who come and go throughout the day. Most everyone brings a thermos of hot water and some Cup Noodles, the meal of choice to savor in this incredible setting. And while this ice garden is glorious on sunny days, it has a special kind of wild beauty on overcast days as well. Glimpsing the improbable blue of the waterfalls in the midst of a steely frozen landscape is an almost otherworldly experience – one that makes you feel privileged to know that places like this exist on earth.

Even on the cloudiest days, the Ice Garden has a wild, stark beauty

From left to right, climbers ascend the Boulder, the Daihyochu, and the Itotaki frozen waterfall

On this most recent day of ice climbing, my partner and I made sure to leave by 3 p.m., since it takes about an hour total to hike back up to the ski lift and then walk down the mountain to the parking lot. If you take a pair of skis with you, you can of course ski down and save yourself some time, but personally, I enjoy this last bit of the day. Strolling down the mountain alongside legions of snow monsters while feeling the snow crunch under your crampons – is there really any better way to end a day than this?

Yamagata Life Diary: Ice Climbing in the Senninzawa Ice Garden