Zao Dairy Center is a facility surrounded by the rich natural landscape of the Zao area, where a variety of cheeses and dairy products, including the famous Zao Cheese, are produced and sold. The spacious grounds offer much more than shopping, with facilities for tasting and purchasing cheese, a restaurant serving cheese-based dishes, snack facilities, and a beautiful rose garden.
Cream cheese, natural cheese, and dairy drinks made using the natural bounty of Zao are also popular souvenirs for visitors. The opportunity to enjoy both food and nature in one place is one of the main attractions of Zao Dairy Center.
Cheese Cabin is a shop on the grounds where visitors can find a wide selection of Zao Cheese and other cheese products. Various items are displayed throughout the shop, and visitors can also enjoy tasting products such as cream cheese.
Being able to sample the products before choosing what to buy makes the experience enjoyable even for those who are not familiar with different types of cheese. With a wide selection of cream cheese, natural cheese, and other products, the shop is also a convenient place to find souvenirs to take home.
At the Zao Cheese Factory, various products are made, including cream cheese, other fresh cheeses, aged cheeses, and a range of dairy products. Taking advantage of the natural environment of Zao, the factory produces items designed to bring out the distinctive flavors and textures of each type of cheese.
The selection of natural cheeses is particularly appealing to cheese lovers. Other popular products include low-temperature-pasteurized milk and cheese drinks made using cheese whey. These products offer visitors the chance to experience dairy in forms beyond cheese itself.
Although the facility offers an opportunity to learn about Zao’s cheese products, factory tours are not currently available. Visitors can still experience the flavors of Zao Cheese through product sales and tastings.
There is also a restaurant on the grounds where visitors can enjoy dishes made with Zao Cheese. Rather than simply buying cheese to take home, dining at the restaurant provides another way to discover the versatility and appeal of Zao’s cheese products.
It is a convenient place to stop for a meal while sightseeing and is especially appealing to travelers who want to enjoy local dishes featuring dairy products from the Zao area.
The grounds also have snack facilities where visitors can enjoy something sweet or take a break during their visit. Popular choices include soft-serve ice cream and cheesecake, making them ideal for a relaxing stop between shopping and sightseeing.
From rich, cheese-flavored desserts to refreshing soft-serve ice cream, there are treats that can be enjoyed by visitors of all ages. These casual options make it easy to experience the flavors of Zao Cheese in a different form.
Zao Dairy Center also has a facility where visitors can purchase handmade bread. Combining the bread with Zao’s cheese products offers another simple way to enjoy the flavors of the region.
With cheese shopping, meals, desserts, and walks around the grounds all available in one place, visitors can enjoy a leisurely experience that goes beyond simply buying souvenirs.
Another highlight of Zao Dairy Center is its spacious rose garden. During the flowering season, colorful roses fill the garden, offering a different kind of natural beauty from the dairy products that are the center’s main attraction.
The garden features approximately 400 varieties of roses, with the main flowering season generally running from early June through early July. When the roses are in full bloom, the garden becomes a popular place for strolling and photography, allowing visitors to enjoy the seasonal beauty of Zao.
The rose garden is free to enter, making it an easy addition to a sightseeing itinerary. Some varieties bloom outside the peak season as well, so the appearance of the garden changes throughout the flowering period.
Zao Dairy Center is a multifaceted sightseeing spot where visitors can enjoy Zao Cheese along with meals, desserts, shopping, and seasonal flowers. You can sample and purchase cheese at Cheese Cabin, enjoy cheese-based dishes at the restaurant, take a break with soft-serve ice cream or cheesecake, and stroll through the rose garden.
When visiting Zao, take some time to enjoy the cheese and dairy products made in this beautiful natural setting while experiencing the changing scenery of the seasons. With food, shopping, and nature all in one location, Zao Dairy Center is a distinctive place to include in a trip around the Zao area.
9:00-17:00
Approximately 30 minutes by car from the Murata IC or Shiroishi IC on the Tohoku Expressway.