inverted 0 Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 I am going in Feburary 08 I am going with about 4-6 friends I am intermediate (kinda advanced) did a season in Whistler, so I can stand up.. I want a varied location - steep hills to parks to deep powder I want to be there for 10 days snowboarding (or there abouts) I have been looking into Shiga Kogen - what do think? I hear the "night life" is a bit suspect.. Any thoughts? Link to post Share on other sites
@tokyo 14 Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 There is no nightlife in Shiga Kogen. But it is a good place to be. Some areas don't allow snowboarding (Okushiga / Kumanoyu / Yokoteyama) but it still leaves an impressively large area. (Not sure about parks there) Link to post Share on other sites
rach 1 Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 If you are looking for nightlife other than a soak in the bath, you do not want to be going to Shiga Kogen. I think almost everyone will agree with that. But as @tokyo said it is a lovely area. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 If I were you I'd split it between Shiga Kogen and Nozawa which is about an hour away Link to post Share on other sites
inverted 0 Posted July 10, 2007 Author Share Posted July 10, 2007 I dont really 'need' a night life, but I dont want to just go home after snowboarding every day and eat > goto bed. I just wanna hit a bar or a pub after it and have a few beers then back home to crash, no night clubbing or crazy stuff like that.. I am too old! Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 some people, me included, consider going to the pub as night life. Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 There are a few places to drink in Shiga Kogen - but it is limited. Probably the liveliest area is the Ichinose area where there is a concentration of accommodation. That might be your best bet. Link to post Share on other sites
inverted 0 Posted July 10, 2007 Author Share Posted July 10, 2007 how is the snow there in Feb? I see from the reports it is good, are there powder runs? does it get very busy? Link to post Share on other sites
viv&kev 0 Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 The snow is usually really good. Have you looked at the now reports on here http://www.snowjapan.com/e/daily/shiga-kogen-now.php Link to post Share on other sites
charlotte 0 Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 You might want to consider the Hakuba valley for that period of time... different resorts, parks, powder, more nightlife on offer than Shiga Kogen.. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Can you reach Shiga Kogen by shinkansen from Tokyo?? Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 I know that. The Shinkansen goes to Nagano Station. From there you get a bus (1 hour or so) or the local train to Togari and then get a short bus ride to Nozawa. da-daaaa Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 Let's have a show of hands for BoC Inverted: sliding midweek in Feb, you will find everything pretty much deserted. Lift queues won't exist. Link to post Share on other sites
lin 0 Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 Good on you BofC looks like a gokaku as well Link to post Share on other sites
inverted 0 Posted July 12, 2007 Author Share Posted July 12, 2007 So should I stay there for the full 10 days of boarding, or got to another place? I really need to know if there are some nice powder runs at SK or a park? Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 I think BoC is your man. Spill the beans Bags. Link to post Share on other sites
skidaisuki 0 Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 Shiga Kogen is usually great for snow but as the others said nightlife of the packed bar variety is almost impossible to find. The Back Bowl Cafe at Ichinose (ground floor of Villa Ichinose - run by a telemarker crew) is probably your best bet there. They do a great fondue, but it is more the place for a quiet few drinks and watching some vids than for dancing on the bar. If that floats your boat, fine. I never found Nozawa to be much livelier, to be honest, though it is a proper village rather than just a collection of hotels like Shiga. If you really want proper apres-ski nightlife, try Hakuba, Yuzawa or Niseko. Link to post Share on other sites
klingon 10 Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 Another thing about Shiga Kogen is the lack of restaurants outside of the hotels - there are only very few. The hotels want you to eat there. Link to post Share on other sites
Domokun_72dpi 0 Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Good Thread, I am a total n00b to this site, and am trying to find a good place to ski. I am also going in February, but only for 7 days. =( I am prob same as Inverted, I haven't boarded for 7 years, but it's just like riding a bike, the first time you break something, it hurts.. Oh hang on, wrong saying.... I have the chance to sandboard & ski etc to get back into it.... Anyhow, I just want to find nice snow, lots of difficult tracks. I heard Nozawa Onsen is quite nice? Oh, and I'm going by myself. i don't speak Japanese, nor read, so is it best to join a tourgroup? Any replies are really appreciated..... Link to post Share on other sites
egglesby 1 Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 Nozawa Onsen is very nice - the mountain and the village. You should be fine on your own. Just smile! Link to post Share on other sites
TJ OZ 0 Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 Originally Posted By: Domokun_72dpi Good Thread, Oh, and I'm going by myself. i don't speak Japanese, nor read, so is it best to join a tourgroup? Any replies are really appreciated..... I think you would enjoy yourself more if you were with a group of westerners. It could get pretty lonely staying in a Japanese hotel by yourself for a week with the possibility of not conversing with anyone. Link to post Share on other sites
Domokun_72dpi 0 Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 Cheers for the reply's. Looks like "Hakuba" may be the place I am going now. I will smile =), also, just contacted an australian company who runs tours. Either that, or I may have to invest in one of those funny "Currently seeking Japanese Girlfirend" t-shirts, and add "Please Help a n00b" on the bottom. it is a while away, so starting to prepare now. Link to post Share on other sites
spook 0 Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 if you go to hakuba, stay at one of the hostel type places listed on the accomodation section of this site. You should find plenty of people to ride and hang out with Link to post Share on other sites
Domokun_72dpi 0 Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 Will Do mate, thanks Will definately go to a hostel type, a lot more friendly, social & interactive. Am actually going almost same time as "inverted", so i am sure I will find some English speaking ppl to have fun with. BTW< Sorry "Inverted", I slightly hijacked your thread Thanks again...! Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 you're welcome Link to post Share on other sites
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