Shiga Kogen at Sunset

Yesterday the sky was so beautiful that we decided to watch the sunset. Maeyama seems to be a good choice, because the Maeyama C course it's not so difficult to snowshoe hike. The course it's just about 750 m. and we reached the top of the mountain in 15 min. You just need to ask at the front desk where you can hire some snowshoes and go with comfortable shoes and warm clothes.

We start to walk about 5:15 P. M.

And we were on the summit of Maeyama at 5:30 P. M.

Just in time to watch this beautiful sunset.


Sunset watched from 1810 m above sea level.


From the summit, you can see Kasadake, Kumanoyu Ski Area and all the Hotaru Onsen Hotels

At this time of the day, all the lifts had already stopped and it's very peaceful.



If you have the chance, I highly recommend, it's worth!

Sunny Sunny Sunny!!!

This is how the sky was in the morning and still is a sunny blue sky day! Some people from Canada came here today to enjoy this beautiful day and go out snowshoe hiking. They decided to walk around Yokoteyama where, on clear days, it's possible to see even the Mt. Fuji. Hope they are enjoying the view right now!

WHAT TO DO IN A SKI RESORT BESIDES SKI?

Thinking about how someone could spend the day besides skiing, I thought snowshoe hiking could be the best alternative to enjoy one day in the middle of the snow. In the end of the day, I was sure about it!
Before we start, at 10 in the morning, I was almost given up hiking because the day was cloudy and I thought this hiking thing would just be beautiful in a sunny day. I couldn't be more wrong!
The beauty of the snow, the snowy trees and the white sky in the background were amazing! And the fog coming and going, showing a little more of the local nature from time to time was magical!
And snowshoe hiking it’s not just about walk and contemplate, at least not where I was hiking, in Shiga Kogen, about 3 hours from Tokyo, in Nagano Ken. Since I don’t have snowshoes or anything, I decide to hike with the local guides and they hire snowshoes and poles, and showed me all the beauty hidden in the summit of Higashitateyama, a mountain 2.000 m above sea level.
With those genki women, we found footprints, I could smell Christmas trees, learned about local nature and tradition, slide down the mountains and could even taste the flavor of the nature… but there are some details that I believe it’s just better to discover by yourself.
All I can tell you it’s worth, even in a cloudy day!

You can check how much fun we had in this pictures and here, here, here and here. And read about it in Japanese from someone who was hiking at the same day.

スノーシューでハイキング

「楽しいですょ～(^.^)」道のない雪の上をどこまでも、自由自在に行きたい場所行き、坂があったらお尻で滑り降り、雪のシャーベットを食べて・・・雪でテーブルを作り、楽しい昼食　お　い　し　い・・・・幸せ。
茂子.

Snowshoe Hiking...

at Shiga Kogen. Higashitateyama summit, 2.000 m above sea level

So much fun in the middle of the snow!

Shiga Kogen's Guides are great! So nice!!!

Snowshoe Hiking... love it!

Cloudy day...

Yesterday was cloudy during almost all day, but was a great day to enjoy the snow anyway...

I was out snowshoe hiking and was a great surprise to see that even in a cloudy day it's possible to have a good view and enjoy another kind of beauty, full of different shades of white!

More about it in other posts.

This pictures was taken yesterday at the top of Higashitateyama, about 2.000 m above sea level.