Saturday 28 February 2009

Shiga Kogen Backcountry Ski Tour 2009


These are the Shiga Kogen Backcountry Tour skiers.
This photo was taken before they start, at the top of Yokoteyama, this morning.
Now they are still skiing anf enjoying this beautiful landscape.

Shiga Kogen Backcountry Ski Tour 2009



Today The Shiga Kogen Backcountry Ski Tour 2009 started.
It will happen more 5 times during March.
Backcountry tour starts at 10:00 A. M. and they ski the whole day, finishing at 17:30.
In this first tour, 57 skiers joined to enjoy this beautiful sunny day in Shiga Kogen.

Friday 27 February 2009

SHIGA KOGEN - Yokoso! Japan Video

Yokoso! Japan - Japan's Official Travel Website.

Hasuike in a sunny day

Here you can see Hasuike Area and, in the background, Nishitate on the left, Higashitate on the right and Bunadaira below Higashitate Ski Area.



Hasuike triple lift

Hasuike, Sun Valley, Maruike and Giant are all connected.

Powder Snow at Maruike



More pictures from Sun Valley





This is Sun Valley Main Course, intermediate level.

White White Birches


The day started cloudy and with light snow today...
And the White Birches are still snowy and beautiful!
This is Ichinose Family yesterday night.
Here you can ski or snowboard everynight, until 21:00.
Enjoy!

Thursday 26 February 2009

Below Zero...

Maeyama this morning



After yesterday's bad weather, the trees were white again this morning!
Good sign! It's good to feel a cold breeze again!


Nagaden Shuttle Bus Nagano-Shiga Kogen



*click on the timetable to view larger

We hope it helps our guests who are coming by bus from Nagano ;)

Wednesday 25 February 2009

Shiga Kogen Nature Conservation Center

Today isn't a great day to go out and ski... But you can go out and ski/snowboard anyway or, perhaps, spend the day shopping those traditional souvenirs we usually try to find at the last minutes of our last day travelling. Which normally, is hard to find what we want to.
Here are some more options of Omiyage. This time, all from Shiga Kogen Nature Conservation Center.


These wooden puzzles illustrates beautiful animals and plants that can be found at Shiga Kogen.



Handmade chopsticks


A little notebook with Shiga Kogen flower's illustrations



Illustrated postcards of Shiga Kogen's flowers.



And, finally, this interesting craftwork sounds just like a bird!


Shiga Kogen Nature Conservation Center, at Shiga Kogen Sogo Kaikan 98 - Hasuike.
Here, the main focus is the "Relationship between Nature and Human Being", which exhibits the nature of Shiga Kogen. In the “Nature Salon” visitors can enjoy handicraft, using natural materials and in the Lecture Room they can study the nature.

Opening hours: 9:00 to 17:00
Entrance fee: free

Tuesday 24 February 2009

Shiga Kogen inhabitants







These beautiful dogs live at the top of Yokoteyama, 2305 m. above sea level, at Unnjyo no Yado Yokote Sancho Hutte. It's a lodge, restaurant and also the highest bakery in Japan.




Monday 23 February 2009

On cold days...

Tempura Udon an gyouza from La Foret, at Yokoteyama.


After hours skiing on the snow...

nothing better than a hot tempura udon!

This is how skiing in Shiga Kogen tastes... very Japanese!

Lots of snow!





A great day for those who were lucky enough to go out and enjoy the snow on Monday!
Fresh snow all day! Bad visibility but a great day anyway!
Pictures from Yokoteyama on Monday.

Sunday 22 February 2009

SHIGA KOGEN - SNOW VILLAGE


The 2nd Shiga Kogen Snow Village started this weekend!


Enjoy our winter illumination every night, until March 14th (Sat)



From 19:00-21:15.



And we will have much more!!!


From Mar 7 (Sat) to Mar 14 (Sat)


every night, from 19:00-21:15



Outlet, Fireworks, Snow lanterns, Snowslide, Food corner, drink corner...

And a Special Lecture on March 7, 2009 (Saturday)at 19:00

-THE SUMMIT OF EVEREST--YUICHIRO MIURA SPECIAL LECTURE-

Yuichiro Miura is the oldest person who reached the summit of Mount Everest which, actually, he did twice, when he was 70 years old, and again, with 75 years of age. Also, he’s the first person who skied down the same mountain.

Join us at SHIGA KOGEN SOGO KAIKAN 98 at Hasuike.

* Shuttle Bus will run on March 7th, 8th and 14th.
from about 18:10 to Snow Village and about 20:10 or 21:20 from Snow Village to Okushiga Kogen and Suzurikawa Area.

Saturday 21 February 2009

Beautiful Weekend!

Saturday ended beautifully!
Lots of fresh snow during the day and this gorgeous blue sky in the end!
This is Maeyama being prepared to the next day.

お土産 = おみやげ = omiyage = souvenir



Walking through Shiga Kogen I found some interesting souvenirs...


Here in Japan, souvenirs or omiyages, seems a very serious business.


Apparently, if you come back from a holiday travel without a souvenir for your closest friends and co-workers, it seems very rude...


How about these ones here?







Nothing more traditional than those chopsticks (箸) here!
Looks even more interesting with these Japanese ideograms. You definitely had been in Japan!






I found these at Shiga Aspen Hotel, at Giant Ski Area.




This beer is made of rice!


And these beers are interesting because Shiga Kogen is the name of the beer... and you don't have the chance to tasty beers like this everywhere...






And this dark beer here is Caffè espresso taste!!!

Do you like beer? Do you like coffee? How about a Espresso beer? ;)



I found these beers at Hasuike Ropeway Station but you can find it in many other shops and hotels in Shiga Kogen.

And finally, it seems a good choice for those who wants to try a very tradicional Japanese sweet but it's not a adventurous kind of person. Choco Mochi is made of rice but the chocolate taste will be just fine for every western taste. You can find it at Hotel Heights, Hotaru Onsen Area.

I wish I could read these footprints!


It seems like some rabbit was walking around...

Picnic in the snow...



How about a picnic in the middle of snow and trees and under a gorgeous blue sky?
That's how dozens of people are enjoying their Saturday today, snowshoe hiking with Shiga Kogen's guides!

Perfect Weekend!



Saturday starts with more 17 cm of snow and it seems that we will have more during the day.


This is Suzurikawa bus stop at 8:40 A. M. Everybody going out to enjoy the snow very early!

Lucky people!





Higashitate Ski Course at 9:32 A. M. Really beautiful day today!




And today starts the 2nd Shiga Kogen Snow Village...
Looks beautiful!
Come and join us!
Shiga Kogen's winter illumination.

February 21, 2009 (Sat) to March 14 (Sat)
From 19:00-21:15
Where: SHIGA KOGEN SOGO KAIKAN 98 at Hasuike

Friday 20 February 2009

more 10

Last night's snow fall add more 10 cm to our ski runs.
It's very cloudy today and we hope we can see more and more snow registered here!
So far, we have registered 116 cm in Hasuike.




This is Higashitateyama viewed from Hasuike this morning.







and this picture was taken yesterday, at the end of the day, in front of Hasuike Ropeway Station.

Thursday 19 February 2009

Shika Kogen 10!








Today we register 10 cm of snow and it was -10 in the morning at Hasuike.