Mount Zao walking times / order

Hello, I’m planning an Okama Crater + Zao onsen daytrip from Yamagata on the 21st October and I’m a bit confused by the walking distances and times.

I would like to be able to see the caldera and Dokko marsh and then enjoy an onsen bath at the Dai-rotenburo.


There is a bus that runs on weekends from Yamagata to Katta-dake bus stop 9:30 arrives 11:06 (1720 meters, top is 1758m).

Browsing various websites I saw that, from Katta-dake, mt. Kumano (1841m) is 45minutes away and then another 45minutes to Jizo Sancho ropeway station (1661m). This should be 4km total if I’m not mistaken.

From Jizo Sancho 1,8km and about 40 minutes to Torikabuto ropeway station (1260m) of Chuo ropeway.


From mt. Kumano I will be walking mostly downhill, are those walking times for real? I'm 40yo.
Do you think there is enough time to walk the whole thing from Kattadake to Torikabuto starting at 11:06? I would also have a proper lunch somewhere before or after the bath.
Maybe I should split and get the two ropeways separately: Bus > Crater > Town > Dokko marsh > Town.

Thanks

Yamako Bus will go From yamagata eki mae to zao onsen bus Terminal, 1000 yen, 36
minutes,18 km

@Dixit
Thanks for your reply.

I'm looking at the timetable on https://www.yamakobus.jp/busroute1/z90/#02 , but I can't read Japanese so I'm using machine translation...

It seems that Z91 bus runs from Yamagata to mt. Zao summit on weekends, but there is a note for that column:

刈田線運行／4月29日〜7月31日は、土日祝日のみ運行。8月1日〜10月22日は毎日運行。

that Google translates as:

"Katta Line Operation / Operates only on weekends and holidays from April 29th to July 31st. Operates daily from August 1st to October 22nd."

I'll go on October 21st, I belive this bus will be available for my trip, isn't it?

Yes, you are correct.If you want to go from yamagata bus stop to zao onsen unlimited time ,you can buy 1 month pass=42000 yen
3 Month pass =119700 yen
6 Month pass=226800 yen

Some bus stop along the way:
Daigaku byoin guchi
Yamagata onsen guchi
Narisawa minami
Takada
Mansaku no oka
Omotezao guchi
Matsuosan mae
Zao nicho mae
Tatsunokuchi
Uwano jujiro
Hotta, doshidaira
Juhyobashi
Zao yosonjo mae
Zao sanroku

Thanks for the info, but unlimited travel is not needed. It will mostly be a make or break situation because the 21st is the one and only day I can allocate to Zao... I hope in good weather.

Does anyone know if the walking times are real? I doesn't look like a difficult trail

Does anyone know if the walking times are real? I doesn't look like a difficult trail
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpD69tt5JxA

Thank you for the link!

@ Ale345
I will be doing the same hike on the 26th Oct. Could you please post your experience after the trip? Would like to know if the hike is considerably safe and "easy".