Join us on the March long weekend for a 3 day trip to the biggest ski resort in Japan!!!


The Shiga Kogen Ski Area is by far the largest ski resort in Japan. The resort is made up of 21 different ski fields and 70 lifts, including gondolas, high speed quads, pairs and singles and you only need the one lift pass to access all areas! You can ski or snowboard all day hardly hitting the same runs twice. There are 80 kilometers of groomed runs in total, including several runs over 6km in length. Apart from the lift & gondola system there is also a non-stop shuttle bus network that you can use for free with your lift pass to experience the different areas on offer. You really need more than a weekend to be able to cover all the runs at this huge resort.






The key to Shiga Kogen is its altitude. The Yokoteyama area at Shiga Kogen is actually Japan's highest ski field, with stunning 360° panoramic views at the summit. Yokoteyama also features huge Snow Monsters (trees covered in so much frozen snow they resemble monsters) as well as Japan's highest bakery! Shiga Kogen's high altitude means that conditions and snow quality are consistently excellent, these are some of the highest resorts in Japan meaning that you can still score powder conditions right into the beginning of spring. 







Our hotel is the ski-in ski-out Iwasuge Hotel located at an altitude of 1600m in the Higashitakeyama Resort area, which is right in the centre of Shiga Kogen. With fabulous panoramic views of the North Alps and beautiful, tree lined courses, Higashitateyama is the ultimate photo capturing location. The hotel features its own natural hot spring: 'Hoppo-Onsen' which is an excellent 24 hour onsen that can hold over 30 people in each of the male and female areas and has windows overlooking the slopes.







As well as all the skiing/boarding on offer there are also numerous sightseeing opportunities in Shiga Kogen. If you havent been, a must see are the Snow Monkeys who live in the Jigokudani Yaenkoen Onsen area. Some of the best photographic opportunities in Japan await as these Monkeys spend most of their day hanging out in the open air hot springs in the area, occasionally leaving the hot water to hurl snowballs at each other!

Its going to be an unreal long weekend exploring the huge expanse of Shiga Kogen, frolicking with monkeys, hanging out with old and new friends and having fun in the snow, hope you can join us!

• Course Map of the entire Shiga Kogen Ski Area
• Shiga Kogen Ski Resort Official Site
• Iwasuge Hotel
• Great Photos of Snow Monsters at Shiga Kogen taken on March 29 last year
• Jigokudani Yaenkoen Snow Monkeys Official SIte
• Local Sake/Beer Brewers Gallery with Tastings