Shiga Kogen
志賀高原36°43′ N 138°30′ ESki villageNagano
Shiga Kogen is the high plateau above Yamanouchi where hotel clusters such as Ichinose, Hasuike, Kumanoyu and Okushiga sit beside their own ski areas, and it suits skiers who want altitude and snow that holds into spring. The trade-off is village life: there is little beyond your hotel after dark.
Photo Akiko_Toshinai · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Who should base here
Stay in Shiga Kogen if your days are about skiing from the door and you are happy with hotel dinners. Anyone who wants restaurants, bars or an onsen street should stay down in Yudanaka or Shibu and ride the bus up.
The name
Shiga Kōgen
志賀高原Kogen means highland or plateau; the name Shiga Kogen was given to the plateau when it was developed for skiing.
japanese
The Nipponica encyclopedia dates the name to the early Showa era, when the Nagano Electric Railway extended its line to Yudanaka and began developing the highlands. It does not explain the word Shiga itself.
Things to do in Shiga Kogen
Shiga Kogen spreads across a volcanic plateau inside Joshinetsu Kogen National Park, with lakes and ski areas strung along Route 292 and the road to Okushiga. The name dates from the late 1920s and early 1930s, when the Nagano Electric Railway opened its line to Yudanaka and began developing the highlands for skiing. Ichinose is the busy middle of the plateau. Hasuike sits by the bus terminal at Shiga Kogen Yamanoeki, while Okushiga and Yakebitaiyama stand on their own at the far end.
Express buses from Nagano Station reach Shiga Kogen Yamanoeki in about 70 minutes, according to japan-guide.com, and many hotels meet guests from there. Snow keeps well up here: Kumanoyu Hotel's own guide puts its ski area five minutes' walk from the door, and Hotel Grand Phenix in Okushiga says its lifts are one minute from the ski lockers.
Pick your cluster by the lift you want under your window and expect to eat in your hotel most nights.
Worth knowing
- Choose the hotel cluster by its lift, since moving between areas means a shuttle bus.
- Bring cash and snacks, because shops are few and close early.
Quick answers about Shiga Kogenよくある質問
How long is the bus from Nagano Station to Shiga Kogen?
Express buses from Nagano Station reach Shiga Kogen Yamanoeki in about 70 minutes, according to japan-guide.com.
When did Shiga Kogen get its name?
Shiga Kogen took its name in the early Showa era, when the Nagano Electric Railway opened its line to Yudanaka and began developing the plateau, according to the Nipponica encyclopedia.
Is Shiga Kogen a good place to stay?
Stay in Shiga Kogen if your days are about skiing from the door and you are happy with hotel dinners. Anyone who wants restaurants, bars or an onsen street should stay down in Yudanaka or Shibu and ride the bus up.
Within 12 km
Places to stay nearby宿
Within 12 km
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In the journal
Read more about Shiga Kogen特集
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