History
Shiga Kogen (志賀高原, Shiga-kōgen) is a ski resort and hiking spot, located in the Jōshin’etsu-kōgen National Park in the highlands of Yamanouchi, Nagano, Japan.
At 4.25 square kilometres (1.64 sq mi), Shiga-kōgen is arguably the largest ski resort in Japan, as well as the second highest in elevation.[2] The resort is made up of 21 smaller, interconnected ski fields, with 70 lifts in total. Starting in winter 2015-16 all of Shiga-kōgen became open to skiers and snowboarders (previously some areas were restricted to skiers only).
The resort was the site of several events in the 1998 Nagano Olympics. There are more than 100 hotels in the area, with Japanese style or washitsu (和室), Western style or semi-Japanese style rooms.
Ski Season
Shiga-kōgen has one of the longest ski seasons in Japan, with the official ski season commencing from mid-to-late November and continuing throughout April and until Golden Week, the first week of May.
Christmas and the New Year’s season is the peak period in Shiga-kōgen during the Japanese school holiday break. From April 1 onward, the spring ski season begins with lift ticket discounts offered and the Maruike, Hasuike, and Sunvalley ski areas cease operation.