!!! Stay in Shibu Onsen and get ShigaKogen SKI passes FOR FREE - ski season 2010 !!!

MAIN INFORMATION YOU NEED                                                                                             
10km from Yudanaka station (25min. by bus from Yudanaka station, By car 20min.)
21 ski areas,  71lifts, 84 courses (all levels from the beginner to the expert)
Highes point of the lift is 2307 meter above the see level (Yokoteyama)
Open from first Saturday in December 
Close usualy beggining of May.
There are:
Kids’ Park
Snowboarding Park   
Skiers-only slopes
Night skiing
Great powder snow
Private english speaking Ski Instructors
Gorup Ski lessons (mostly japanese only)                                
Guided snowshoe trekking
Snow Tubbing
1day ski lift ticket  - 4800 yen
1day carving ski rental - 4000yen
1day wear rental - 2500yen
Prices are much cheaper if you rent it for 2 and more days
!!! there is no worth to bring ski equipmnet !!!

During the summer you can enjoy hiking, tour the natural environment, horse riding or take  one of the world’s largest ropeways floating upwards on.

MY DESCRIPTION                                                                                                                    
To get to this ski area you have to drive up to the hill trough many curves. I enjoy the look out on the beautiful landscape around during all seasons. Some of the ladies drivers can be scared during the winter, when the road is covered by snow . Anyway you need wheel chains or 4WD with winter tires. 
I ski since I was six (Europe, Australia, NZ, Japan-Hakuba) and I found here the best snow quality ever. Shiga-kogen is very famous in Japan, but not discovered by foreign tourists jet.
Big advantage - Shiga-kogen is quite large in the size.
21 ski areas are connected by Suttle bus. Shuttle bus is free, if you buy 1day Ski pass or more.
One ticket is valid for all 71 lifts.
You can really enjoy various slops and choose your favorite one.

BIT OF HISTORY                                                                                                                      
In the year 1947 was Shiga-kogen first place in Japan, where was introduced a ski lift. From this time Shiga-kogen was getting more and more popular for ski. The big point in the history was year 1998, when Shiga-kogen participated in Winter Olympic games. In this time all world was focused on first ever snowboard competition in the history of Winter Olympic games. Presented - Alpine Ski Giant Slalom, Alpine Ski Slalom, Snowboard Giant Slalom, Snowboard Halfpipe competitions.

INTERESTING                                                                                                                           
*To take all of the lifts in all of areas takes 3 days.
*Interesting is Snow wall, what you can see after April on Shiga-kogen - Kusatsu roud.
If you come with car I higly recommend to drive this roud . It is really beautiful, you can stop on Look out points and enjoy beauty of the mountains and nature.

NEGATIVES (what people mostly complain about)                                                                
*There are not many choises of restaurants or bars.
Zeno: this area is 2000 meter above the see level. You are really in the mountains with great ski conditions, so do not expect night life like in city. Hotels over there are happy if you eat in their restaurants. Or you can get on bus and come down to Yudanaka-Shibu Onsen where are many choises of restaurants or bars. 

HOW TO GET THERE                                                                                                               
By bus
from Yudanaka station, Shibu Onsen stop or Kambayashi stop it takes approx. 35min.
By car
just folow the Olympic road and signs to Shiga-kogen. Signs are in English too. It takes approx. 30min

MAP                                                                                                                                          
of Shiga-kogen Heighs

LINKS                                                                                                                                 

What to do in Ski resort if you don't ski (by Mag Yamagute) - click here >>>

Shiga Kogen blog (by Mag Yamagute) - click here >>>

MY FOTOS                                                                                                                                

Winter

Other seasons 
uring the other season you can enjoy hiking, river sliding, horse riding, tour the natural environment, or take  one of the world’s largest ropeways floating upwards on.
 

Japanese "Kouyou"
the time when leaves change its colors
(During OCTOBER)

 Shiga Kogen is one of the best places in  
 Nagano to see this natural miracle. It's one
 of  the busiest time after winter. There are  
 buses and goups of Japanese carring big   
 profi cameras and taking pictures of 
 everything around

 Why don't you combine visiting of Snow 
 Monkeys and watching "Kouyou"

I took this pictures 13.Oct. '08 around Hasuike.

                                                    Summer
 Relax next to one of the mountain's lakes, get to the 
 highest point of Shiga Kogen, cool down and enjoy the  silent  atmosphere.
 After visiting busy, humid, tourist cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, 
                                                 Nara you will apreciate it !

If you are interested in local plants, trees and flowers, Summer is the best time for tracking
between Shiga Kogen flowers bolossom.