Complete Guide to Skiing in Shiga Kogen, Japan

Shiga Kogen is located in Nagano, Japan. I spent three days skiing there and have compiled a guide for your reference. 1. Transportation: Nagoya to Nagano: Nagoya and Tokyo are good starting points for Shiga Kogen. We flew to Nagoya, and after landing, we purchased the μsky train ticket at Nagoya Airport T1, reaching Nagoya Station in 28 minutes. From Nagoya Station, we took the Shinano JR train, which runs approximately every hour, with no transfers needed, and arrived at Nagano Station in about 3 hours. Japan JR offers both unreserved and reserved seats; unreserved seats allow you to find any available seat in the designated car, while reserved seats have fixed spots. Unreserved seats are slightly cheaper. Nagano to Shiga Kogen: After arriving at Nagano Station, follow the signs to the bus stop for Shiga Kogen. You can buy a ticket on the bus, and it takes about an hour and ten minutes to reach the Yamanoeki stop in Shiga Kogen. Shuttle Buses: Shiga is divided into three areas: Central, Burn Goose Mountain, and Yokote Mountain, with a total of 18 ski resorts. The resorts are quite spread out, so it's best to check the shuttle bus routes on the Shiga website before you go to determine your drop-off point. 2. Accommodation: You can choose to stay in the hot spring town of Yudanaka at the foot of the mountain and take the shuttle bus up daily, or stay directly on the mountain. We stayed in the Ichinose area, which is conveniently located near the Ichinose Ski Resort and Terakoya, as well as several other ski resorts whose names I can't recall. Dining and transportation are convenient, and there are convenience stores nearby. 3. Equipment Rental: Many hotels offer equipment rental, though some only provide this service to guests. In Ichinose, there's a snow gear shop called Snowcan where you can rent a full set of equipment, with prices similar to those in Chongli. 4. Ski Slopes: Each of Shiga's 18 ski resorts is relatively small, with most having only two or three slopes. We spent most of our three days skiing in the Ichinose, Burn Goose Mountain, and Oku Shiga areas, which together are about half the size of Wanlong. Most slopes are narrow, and I couldn't find any wide slopes like Jinlong or Yinlong. 5. Snow Quality: Unfortunately, we didn't experience Japowder on this trip. There were several days of high temperatures before we arrived, and on the first day, the parking lot was slushy, with sugar snow covering the mountains. It rained that night, and after a bit of snow the next morning, the mountains were covered with a layer of snow over ice, with icy patches in shady areas, making it feel like skiing on gravel. 6. Overall Experience: Shiga is more suitable for those who enjoy various terrains, with plenty of mushrooms, steep slopes, snow walls, and trees. If you encounter powder snow, it's worth visiting. However, if you prefer skiing on groomed slopes, Wanlong and Genting might be better options. #ShigaKogen #JapanTravel #SkiingInJapan