"Shiga Kogen" is dotted with 18 ski resorts, and you can ski all of them with a common ticket. Since each ski resort in a vast area can be accessed by car, it is undeniable that it is a little difficult to know where to start.
Therefore, I would like to propose how to enjoy the central area, where many ski resorts are densely packed, starting from the "Yamanoeki" with the pulse gondola that has newly appeared this winter.
"Shiga Kogen Yamanoeki" is located in the Hasuike area, which is the gateway to Shiga Kogen. Located about 800m above sea level from the town at the foot of the mountain, there is a stop for the circulation bus, a free parking lot within walking distance, a cafe, a souvenir shop, a large rental station " Alpina Sports ", and a workation. With plenty of space, it's perfect as a hub station for the central Shiga Kogen area.
All the ski resorts in the central area introduced this time are within a radius of about 3km from the benchmark "Yama no Eki", and from here it is easy to go to Terakoya and Sunvalley. Especially in the middle of winter, the roads are often frozen, and driving to each ski resort is stressful. For that reason, the existence of "Mountain Station" is very appreciated for users who are not confident in driving. Besides, having a starting point makes it easier to formulate a plan based on that point.
From Yama-eki, the Pulse Gondola, which is the first ski resort in Honshu, runs, and a triple gondola connects the 400m distance to Giant Ski Resort.Sanroku Station of the former Shiga Kogen Ropeway. Now the carrier that has finished its role is left as it is. The departure and arrival station has been renovated and is a great view point. There is also a cafe (check the opening date and time) The rental station "Alpina Sports" has rentals for various orientations. The store, which opened this winter, is a spacious space based on wood. Clean and perfect for corona measures Souvenir shop displaying many original souvenirsBuses that circulate the ski resorts always stop, so even if you go to a ski resort far away from the central area, you can easily return.
Looking straight ahead from Yamanoeki, you can see Higashi Tateyama and Happo Bunadaira on your right, and Nishi Tateyama on your left. Behind it are Ichinose and Takamagahara, further back there is a temple hut, on the right back there is a giant, and from there it continues further back to Hasuike, Maruike, and Sunvalley. What you can see from here is part of the central area.
If you ski clockwise or counterclockwise while changing lifts on the slopes that can be seen from this mountain station, you can enjoy various courses while moving, and before you know it, you'll be skiing more than half of the ski resorts in the central area. You can change which way to ski depending on the situation and mood while watching the solar radiation and wind conditions.
From here, let's spell out the pattern of a certain day in March with photos.
First, go down the Pulse Gondola to a plaza where you can access the platform for the Giant, Hato Bunadaira, and Higashi Tateyama lifts. It feels fresh to be on the gondola that is going down from now on. It's a strange feeling to have a gondola carrier right behind you Start riding counterclockwise, that is, from Nishidateyama. West Tateyama is an FIS-approved course, so it's extremely slippery. Beginner, intermediate, and advanced courses are laid out from the top of the mountain, and you can choose between slow and fast skiing. In addition, the snow conditions here are also very good, probably because of the topography that is not affected by the wind so much even when other areas are strong winds. Maruike course can be seen on the left. The peaks of the Northern Alps float in front of you, and the view with a sense of altitude brought about by the height of the altitude is wonderful. Intermediate course in Nishidateyama. The course on the ridge, which maintains a constant slope and has few topographical changes, is ideal for skiing at high speed. The short slope that slides from Nishidateyama to Takamagahara is surprisingly recommended as there is extremely little traffic. To slide into Takamagahara, slide across the bridge over the road. I think it's quite a rare experience to cross the road and slide into the next ski resort... The view immediately after getting off the summit lift of Takamagahara. "THE Shiga Kogen" is a panoramic view of the Hokushin Gogaku (Mt. Takamagahara is a single flat barn. It is also famous as a practice area for alpine skiers and basic skiers. This is also a really good slope where you want to speed up and fly. There is a temple hut on the upper part of Takamagahara. At an altitude of 2060m, it is the highest altitude in this area. The quality of the snow is good and the view is good. If you want to experience the quality of snow in Shiga, this is the place you can't miss. Photo/Go Ito (Instagram: @gomaniac ) Photo/Go Ito (Instagram: @gomaniac )From the temple hut to Higashi Tateyama. This course was used as the stage for the men's and women's giant slalom at the Nagano Olympics, so it's very challenging. The course is about 1600m and you want to speed up and run all the way to the bottom. Photo/Go Ito (Instagram: @gomaniac ) When you come to Happo Bunadaira in Higashi Tateyama, don't forget to ride the rounded 4-passenger gondola. It started operation in 1976 and has been in business for 45 years. The old gondola carrier has already been retired, and now it is a new model with a shape and size reminiscent of those days, as shown in the photo. In addition, while riding, you can see the main course of Higashi Tateyama, so you want to imagine a line that you can see from the sky and ski. An old sign found in the woods beside the course. Since Shiga Kogen has a long history, there are monuments like this here and there. It is fun to ski while looking for Happo Bunadaira has a gentle and vast slope with a maximum width of 160m. It's the perfect place for beginners and intermediate skiers to practice. There is also a wave on the skier's left seen from the top If you return to the Pulse Gondola, you will have gone around the slope that was visible from Yamanoeki.
There are still many places to ski, such as Giant with a famous single slope with a maximum slope of 34 degrees, Sun Valley at the southernmost tip of Shiga Kogen, Hasuike with slopes that are friendly to beginners and intermediate skiers, and Maruike, which was the first ski lift in Japan. I mainly introduced the slopes that are very slippery.
Let's slide into the big ski area from "Yama no Eki" starting point.
