Distance
120 km
Duration
1 day
Climb
1,400 m
Zao Echo Line — Okama Crater Drive.
The Zao Echo Line is one of Tohoku's finest mountain toll roads, climbing 26 km of hairpins from the volcanic spa town of Zao Onsen to the Okama Crater Lake — a 325 m-wide caldera famous for its colour-shifting emerald water. The road is open late April to early November and offers spectacular snow walls in spring, lush green in summer, and blazing autumn foliage before winter closes it.
Quick facts
SurfacePaved
Distance120 km
Days1
Total climb1,400 m
DifficultyChallenging
Loading map...
The route.
YamagataStart · Start in Yamagata. Fuel up here — the mountain road has no petrol stations once you enter the Echo Line toll section.
Zao OnsenScenic Point · Famous ski resort and onsen town at the foot of Mt Zao. The water is so acidic it corrodes metal — do not put jewellery in the baths. Entrance to the Echo Line toll road is just above town.
Okama Crater LakeMountain Pass · The 1,841 m summit holds the Okama — a 325 m-wide crater lake nicknamed the Five-Colour Pond for its shifts between emerald, jade, and turquoise depending on volcanic activity and light. Nothing can survive in the hyper-acidic water. Snow walls can reach 8 m in early spring.
Zao High Line JunctionPhoto Spot · Branch point for the Zao High Line extension. The 3.6 km spur adds sweeping southward views toward Fukushima and the full crater panorama — worth the small extra toll on a clear day.
Togatta OnsenRestaurant · Descending the steep Miyagi side, stop at Togatta Onsen for a bowl of local Zao soba and a short soak before the final valley run. Stay in low gears — the gradient is steep and catches out visiting riders.
ShiroishiEnd · End in Shiroishi, home of a well-preserved castle and the local umen thin-noodle dish. Rail connections back to Sendai (30 min) or Yamagata city.
More routes in Japan
Saba Kaido — Kyoto to Obama over the Mackerel RoadJP 26 · 220 kmShigisan-Ikoma Skyline — Osaka & Nara Night-View RidgeJP 29 · 50 kmMount Ibuki Driveway — Lake Biwa & the Alps PanoramaJP 25 · 55 kmMatsuhime Pass — Otsuki to Okutama over Route 139JP 19 · 65 kmNihondaira & Kunozan — Shizuoka Fuji BalconyJP 22 · 55 kmShikoku Karst — Tengu Kogen Skyline (Route 383)JP 38 · 92 km
Save this ride. Open the app.
Clone it to your planner, customize dates and stops, then ride. All free.
Open in MotoVault
Navigate this route with GPS