ski_10_shigakogen
Shiga Kogen
Shiga Kogen ski resort links eighteen ski areas on one pass — Japan's largest ski resort, with snow monkeys soaking in hot springs just down the road.
Buy Shinkansen ticket to Nagano →About the resort
Japan's biggest ski area, one pass
Shiga Kogen isn't one resort — it's eighteen linked Shiga Kogen ski areas, spread across a high volcanic plateau inside a national park, all covered by a single lift pass. It hosted the 1998 Nagano Olympics giant slalom, and its altitude keeps the season running longer than almost anywhere else in Honshu.
🏔 18 areas, 1 pass
A single ticket covers every linked area — ride shuttle buses or connecting lifts between them all day.
🐒 Snow monkeys next door
Jigokudani Monkey Park, where wild macaques bathe in hot springs, is a stop on the same bus from Nagano Station.
🎿 Olympic pedigree
Shiga Kogen hosted the giant slalom events at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics.
❄️ A season that won't quit
High elevation keeps snow reliable from late November into Golden Week in May.
Terrain by level
Getting there
Shiga Kogen access from Tokyo, step by step
Book your Shinkansen ticket online
Choose your date and train, pay online, and receive your QR voucher by email.
Hokuriku Shinkansen: Tokyo → Nagano
Print your tickets from your QR voucher at a station ticket machine, then board.
approx. 90 minShiga Kogen bus: Nagano Station → Shiga Kogen
The Nagaden express bus leaves from Nagano Station's east exit for Shiga Kogen Yamanoeki and the higher villages. See the full timetable ↓
approx. 80 min to Yamanoeki · ¥3,000Ride all 18 areas
Free shuttle buses and connecting lifts link the areas — one pass, endless variety.
Resort info
The resort, by the numbers
Scale is the whole story here.
| Linked areas | 18, all on one shared lift pass |
|---|---|
| Courses | 80+ across the linked areas |
| Top elevation | 2,307 m (Mt. Yokoteyama) |
| Season | Late November – early May |
| Snow | High-altitude, reliable natural snow |
| Terrain mix | 30% beginner · 40% intermediate · 30% advanced |
| History | Hosted the giant slalom at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics |
| Shiga Kogen access | Nagaden express bus from Nagano Station east exit (approx. 80 min to Yamanoeki, ¥3,000); free shuttle buses and connecting lifts link the 18 areas |
Winter services
A vast resort, easy to navigate
Shiga Kogen's scale is well organized for visitors, with English signage throughout.
🎿 Rentals
Rental shops near the main base areas stock gear for all levels; book ahead for peak weeks.
🎓 Ski & snowboard schools
English-language lessons and first-timer packages are available at the main areas.
🚌 Free shuttle network
Buses run continuously between the 18 linked areas, included with your lift pass.
🐒 Monkey park on the way
Snow Monkey Park is a stop on the Nagano–Shiga Kogen express bus — an easy half-day detour.
Village info
Hotels on the plateau, an onsen town below
Shiga Kogen itself is a scatter of hotels and lodges across the high plateau; the historic hot-spring town of Yudanaka-Shibu sits just down the mountain.
- On the plateau — Hotels and lodges cluster near the main base areas, most a short walk or shuttle ride from the lifts.
- Shibu Onsen — A short bus ride downhill, this Edo-era hot-spring town has wooden inns and public bathhouses along stone-paved streets.
- Jigokudani — Home to the famous snow monkeys — bathing macaques you can visit on a half-day trip.
- Good to know — Book plateau hotels for ski-in convenience, or stay in Yudanaka-Shibu for onsen-town atmosphere and a short bus commute.
Restaurant & nightlife
Hotel kitchens and an onsen town nearby
Dining is mostly hotel-based on the plateau, with a proper night out available down in Yudanaka-Shibu.
- On-mountain dining — Most hotels and lodges serve full dinners; several base areas also have casual restaurants and cafes.
- Yudanaka-Shibu izakaya — The onsen town below has traditional izakaya, soba shops, and sake bars along its old streets.
- Local specialties — Shinshu soba, oyaki dumplings, and Nagano apples are worth seeking out.
- Good to know — If staying on the plateau, check your hotel's dinner plan — options thin out after dark away from the base areas.
When to go
Shiga Kogen season at a glance
Getting here
Nagano Station → Shiga Kogen Bus
The Shiga Kogen bus (Nagaden express, Nagano–Shiga Kogen Line) runs from Nagano Station's east exit up to the plateau, calling at Snow Monkey Park on the way. Winter services run daily from early December to early April. Timetable below is provisional, based on the 2025–26 season. Please confirm the latest schedule with the operator before your trip.
| Nagano Stn. (east exit) | Snow Monkey Park | Sun Valley | Yamanoeki | Ichinose Ski Area | Okushiga Kogen Hotel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8:15 ▲ | 9:00 | 9:29 | 9:35 | — | — |
| 9:10 | 9:57 | 10:26 | 10:32 | 10:45 | 11:07 |
| 10:40 | 11:32 | 12:01 | 12:07 | 12:30 | 12:52 |
| 11:15 | 12:07 | 12:36 | 12:42 | 12:55 | 13:17 |
| 13:10 (Hotaru Onsen) | 14:02 | 14:31 | 14:37 | — | — |
| 13:10 (Okushiga) | 14:02 | 14:31 | 14:37 | 14:50 | 15:12 |
| 14:30 | 15:22 | 15:51 | 15:57 | 16:20 | 16:42 |
| 17:05 ◆ | 17:57 | 18:26 | 18:32 | 18:45 | 19:07 |
| 21:00 ★ | — | 22:05 | 22:11 | 22:34 | 22:56 |
| Okushiga Kogen Hotel | Ichinose Ski Area | Yamanoeki | Snow Monkey Park | Nagano Stn. (east exit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:45 | 8:00 | 8:25 | 8:50 | 9:45 |
| 9:40 | 9:55 | 10:30 | 10:55 | 12:15 |
| 12:55 | 13:10 | 13:35 | 14:00 | 15:20 |
| 13:55 | 14:10 | 14:35 | 15:00 | 16:20 |
| 14:55 | 15:10 | 15:35 | 16:00 | 17:20 |
| — (from Hotaru Onsen 15:45) | — | 16:05 | 16:30 | 17:50 |
| 16:20 | 16:35 | 17:00 | 17:25 | 18:45 |
| 17:40 | 17:55 | 18:20 | 18:45 | 20:05 |
| Fare (one way) | ¥3,000 — Nagano Station to any Shiga Kogen stop, or to Snow Monkey Park |
|---|---|
| Journey time | approx. 80 min to Yamanoeki · approx. 2 hrs to Okushiga Kogen |
| Operating period | Early December – early April, daily |
| Boarding point | Nagano Station, east exit bus terminal |
★ "Weekend Shiga" — reservation-required service, Fridays only in January – mid-March. Boarding at Nagano Station only.
◆ The 17:05 departure does not connect onward toward Hotaru Onsen.
⚠ Several other departures on this route terminate at Snow Monkey Park and are not listed here. Check the latest schedule at Nagaden Bus.
Good to know