Winter Services in Shiga Kogen
Shiga Kogen 18 Ski Area Lift Pass
As the largest ski resort area in Japan and throughout all of Asia with 18 inter-connected ski resorts, Shiga Kogen makes for an exciting snow adventure. Prepare your lift passes ahead of time to maximise your time on the snow. We will have your pre-ordered passes waiting for you at your hotel upon your arrival. These can be picked up at the front desk as you check in to your accommodations and then your right to go out onto the snow.
The pre-paid lift passes are an all mountain pass, valid at 18 different mountain ski resort in the Shiga Kogen, with interconnecting ski runs, and also connected by shuttle buses.
Please Note:
This pass does not cover night skiing and therefore if you wish to ski at night then you need to purchase a Night Ski Pass. The lift tickets are non-refundable. If lift tickets are lost then they cannot be refunded or replaced, please take care.
Shiga Kogen All Mountain Pass covers the following resorts:
- Sunvalley
- Giant
- Takamagahara
- Ichinose Family
- Ichinose Yamanokami
- Ichinose Diamond
- Kumanoyu
- Maruike
- Higashi tateyama
- Nishi tateyama
- Terakoya
- Yakebitai yama
- Yokote yama
- Hasuike
- Hoppo Bunadaira
- Tannenomori Okojo
- Okushiga
- Shibutouge
To book your lift tickets, fill out the Ski Japan Holidays Inquiry Form below.
Ski & Board Rentals
Shiga Kogen has a variety of rental stores as well as most properties offer their own selection of rental equipment. The resort also has several rental shops, mostly located in the central areas of Yamanoeki and Ichinose ski areas.
Alpina Sports Rentals & Retail - YAMANOEKI, located in the central area of Shiga Kogen. In front of “Shiga Kogen YAMANOEKI” bus stop is one of the most well stocked and modern rental store operating in Shiga Kogen. Other than this SnowCan has 4 rental outlets dotted around the Shiga Kogen landscape.
SnowCan Rentals
• Ichinose Diamond Shop
• Snow Can Takamagahara Shop
• Snow Can Haisuke Shop
• SnowCan Yokoteyama & Kumanoyu Shop
The Prince Hotel in Yakebitaiyama has three rental equipment shops in each of their buildings, located from the Northern end of Ichinose one after the other heading in the direction of Okushigakogen. The best of the 3 stores is currently the gondola station of the South building and a large shop in the West building lobby. They hire out good quality ski and snowboard equipment for adults and children, as well as clothing.
In the Okushigakogen ski area there are 2 properties the Okushigakogen Hotel and the Grand Phenix Hotel, both with a good range of ski & snowboard rental. The Grand Phenix is the better of the two and as the resort’s premier hotel, Grand Phenix’s in-house ski rental is stocked with a wide range of Japanese and international brand skis including Atomic, Head, Rossignol and Ogasaka (no snowboard rental equipment is available - ski equipment only). Not only does the hotel offer high end ski gear ,but they also have rental staff who totally know their gear and what to best recommend to you along with giving you the best possible information of where to in and around Shiga Kogen.
Shiga International Ski School
**Ski and Snowboard Lessons**
Lessons
There are 3 schools working out of the Shiga Kogen area we recommend.
• SUGIYAMA Skiing & Snowboarding School SIA
• SHITAKA SHINGO Mt.Yakebi Snow School SAJ
• Shiga Kogen International Ski School (best one)
Sugiyama Ski and Snowsports School offers private lessons in English with meeting places at Okushigakogen, and the East and South Wings of the Prince Hotel. The Shitaka Shingo Yakebitaiyama Ski School offers private lessons in English and operates from the West Building of the Prince Hotel. The International Ski School in the Okushiga area offers skiing and snowboarding lessons in English and other foreign languages. Both group and private lessons are available. This is the best option, but can book out quickly so advanced bookings are necessary
Shiga International Ski School offers private and group English-speaking lessons to those wanting to learn and or hone their abilities. Whether you are interested in ski lessons or snowboard lessons, their experienced instructors can help you increase your skills and have a great day on the mountain.
As Shiga Kogen is such a vast area it can be useful sometimes to have guides to show you the best places to get the best snow. Big Cloud Backcountry offers guided backcountry ski tours as well as snowshoe tours around the Shiga Kogen region in English. All tours require at least two participants.
Ski Japan Holidays can make all the arrangements for you.
Facilities for Children
• Takamagahara T-Kids Day Care Centre is located at the Takamagahara Mammoth ski area, providing childcare from ages 6 months to 6 years
• The International Ski School has children’s ski lessons available from 4 years of age up to 12 years, above 12 years in considered at an adult rate.
• Some of the hotels can organize babysitting such as the Prince Hotel in Yakebitaiyama or the Okushiga Kogen Hotel. The latter also has various family-oriented evening activities.
Snow Monkey Hotsprings Tour
Pre organized tours are not necessary to enroll into while you are in Shiga Kogen, as the Snowmonkey park is right on the edge of the Shiga Kogen ski resort. You can very easily and cheaply from your hotel or nearby jump on the bus and take it down to the Snowmonkey Park.
Nagaden buses run frequently between Shiga Kogen and Yudanaka where the Snow Monkey Park is located at the base of the Shiga Kogen Ski Resort. After getting off the bus it is approximately a 30-to-45-minute walk to get up to the monkey park. Warm clothes and good hiking waterproof boots of some type are a very good idea along with taking your ski jacket and a warm hat. The snow-covered pathway is often slippery and icy too so be wary of this.
The bus stop is in front of the Shiga Kogen Roman Museum. Buses run throughout the day to and from Yudanaka, please ask your hotel for the latest updated bus timetables.
Entrance is 800yen for adults (18+yrs) and 400yen for Children (6-17yrs).
The park is generally open from 09:00 – 16:00 but hours can vary with weather conditions.
This is a highly recommended half day trip and well worth the little bit of extra effort to get there. The Snow monkeys in Jigokudani as said are right on the door-step of the Shiga Kogen ski resort. Jigokudani, or “Hell’s Valley” in Japanese, walk through the picturesque and peaceful forest to the monkey’s playground. The park has no fences; wild monkeys come down from the mountains to visit and soak in the hot springs to keep warm from the harsh winters. Ask your hotels staff the best way for you to get over to the monkey park.
Monkey photos © Toshio Hagiwara