michael_eds 0 Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 We are considering five days in Honshu in late January/early Feb 09. Should we go to Shiga Kogen or Hakuba? Our main considerations are: - ease of travel to Tokyo - Available of ski-in ski-out accommodation...recommendations warmly accepted. - Restaurants I am sure we will be happy at either but in your opinion ....where should we go? Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Hi, have you tried looking a few pages back? This exact same question was asked just recently Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Ski in and ski out Shiga Restaurants Hakuba Nightlife or anything after skiing Hakuba Shiga has good skiing but dont expect anything else. Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 "Shiga has good skiing but dont expect anything else....." except - onsen; - tons of interconnected resort areas, the biggest in japan; - onsen snow monkeys; - friendly people; - and probably more Great place. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 You just described the Japanese experience that can be found almost anywhere. Good skiing nothing really else to do. Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Right, yes, so sorry --- I forgot that there are 'tons of interconnected resort areas, the biggest in japan' and 'onsen snow monkeys' almost anywhere in Japan. I am obviously wrong. You are obviously right. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 You are going to count the snow monkeys into apres skiing? They go home at around 4pm daily. interconnected resorts is still the skiing experience and too be honest it isnt like you are going ski the whole valley in one shot. It is also sometimes better to shuttle to the spot you want to ski at. Good skiing, Monkeys close for a half day off. That's it nothing really else there to do or to see. If you want it quiet and dead go to Shiga. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 I can only speak from the Yokoteyama area as thats the only part of Shiga I have skied but have hit all the resorts right there in that area. Driest powder I have had in Japan for sure. Not many people there were hitting it either so I had it all to myself. A few of the resorts over there are skier only as well. Night life on that side is a joke, the only places to eat at night are at the hotels/ryokans. Bars? None. Onsens? All the resorts on that side are tapped into Kumanoyu Onsen, which is a sulphor odor. Hotels, and even outside, smell of sulphor. I happen to love those onsen the most. Expect lots of school students late Dec - early Jan over the winter hols and then its just random when they go. Its worth going over and seeing the monkeys. Theyre pretty cool. We usually spent a few hours out there hanging out and taking pictures. The lighting is generally pretty bad after 3pm as the sun dips behind the mountains so it'd be best to get out there from the early morning. Hakuba rocks. Ive spent the last 4 years straight there. Before that I did 3 years straight going to Hokkaido, primarily Niseko (I did a season up there several years back), but also Rusutsu, Teine, and Kokusai. Awesome places up there as well. Just like Shiga, Hakuba is a huge area with so many resorts in the valley. Tons of epic skiing, great snow, and sick terrain. You could probably walk 10 mins-15 mins in any direction and keep hitting onsens. Good selection of restaurants and bars, as well as sheeeetloads of gaijin now too. Was shocked at how many were there the last 2 years. You will have a good time at any resort you go to. Probably the only reason you wouldnt was if there wasnt a storm giving you powder daily. Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 Interesting that, Shiga Kogen better than CB in your experience at both..... Link to post Share on other sites
iiyamadude 6 Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 Quote: Just like Shiga, Hakuba is a huge area with so many resorts in the valley. Shiga Kogen - about 20, mostly connected Hakuba - about 10, mostly unconnected Link to post Share on other sites
9015peter 0 Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 What about creche for a 18 month old at shiga. Does anyone know if there is one? Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 you are gonna give hakuba a 10 flip that mate shiga aint that big! Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Originally Posted By: iiyamadude Quote: Just like Shiga, Hakuba is a huge area with so many resorts in the valley. Shiga Kogen - about 20, mostly connected Hakuba - about 10, mostly unconnected how many of those resorts have only a few lifts? Quite a fair few. At least over on the Yokoteyama side. 20 resorts sounds impressive, but I can tell you, I would never, by my own means, go over to the Yokoteyama side or anywhere near there if I was footing the bill. Yakebitai sounds good though. Saying there are 20 resorts sounds impressive, and while Shiga Kogen IS Japan's largest resort area, from what Ive seen and ridden, a lot of it is boring, small, family oriented, and not lots going on. Just trying to give some perspective...my 2 yen Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 though to add, the BC has some sick terrain that I would like to experience Link to post Share on other sites
iiyamadude 6 Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 A few of them are small yes, but isn't Hakuba Minekata, Hakuba Highland and Yanaba? They are tiny places and a few more in the valley are hardly huge. You haven't been over to Yakebitaiyama area? Enough said. (Of course, mikeeds, it is difficult to say even the slightest thing that isn't raving about Hakuba these days without getting shot down either by people with interests in the place or best mates who do. Just remember to keep that in mind. Check the comments that will inevitably follow my post here for evidence....). Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 I wasnt even thinking about those Hakuba areas, yes, theyre extremely small. Yokoteyama and anything on that side is quite small relatively. But as I said, that is where I have had the best snow in Japan. As for your smartass comments, I never wrote anything bad bout Shiga. Just trying to give balanced info for people who have no idea. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 I love it I post here for years and I get smart ass ed comments back for posting the truth. Shiga kogen doesnt compare in size to Sun Aplina+Goryu/47+Happo+Iwatake+Tsugaike+Norikura+Cortina. Fact Plain and simple That isnt even including the slack country or backcountry. To make a statement that shiga is 10 times larger than those resorts is plain false. (Why cant I comment back)? I don't post here because I have an interest in Hakuba. To suggest that is an out and out lie. I post here because I like to ski in Japan. I have done articles for this site that don't include Hakuba. So, do some research before you get smart ass ed again and talk crap. Link to post Share on other sites
iiyamadude 6 Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Quote: To make a statement that shiga is 10 times larger than those resorts is plain false. Yes, it would be.... if anyone made such comments, which as far as I can see, they didn't. (Not even close) Quote: (Why cant I comment back)? I don't know (and I don't know what you mean). Anyway, it is just futile, so I'm out. Cheers. Link to post Share on other sites
yamayamayama 2 Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Unless I am mistaken, Shiga Kogen is the undisputed largest interconnected ski resort in Japan. Link to post Share on other sites
Kumapix 0 Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 why is this so difficult to understand? FT is not disputing the fact that Shiga is the biggest connected resort area in Japan. Since the original question was Hakuba vs Shiga he is saying that while not inter-connected by lifts, Hakuba has a larger skiable area than Shiga. Then as CB points out below, saying that Shiga's got 20 resorts compared to Hakuba's 10 is pointless. Originally Posted By: Creek Boy Originally Posted By: iiyamadude Quote: Just like Shiga, Hakuba is a huge area with so many resorts in the valley. Shiga Kogen - about 20, mostly connected Hakuba - about 10, mostly unconnected how many of those resorts have only a few lifts? Quite a fair few. At least over on the Yokoteyama side. 20 resorts sounds impressive, but I can tell you, I would never, by my own means, go over to the Yokoteyama side or anywhere near there if I was footing the bill. Yakebitai sounds good though. Saying there are 20 resorts sounds impressive, and while Shiga Kogen IS Japan's largest resort area, from what Ive seen and ridden, a lot of it is boring, small, family oriented, and not lots going on. Just trying to give some perspective...my 2 yen Link to post Share on other sites
Kumapix 0 Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Originally Posted By: iiyamadude (Of course, mikeeds, it is difficult to say even the slightest thing that isn't raving about Hakuba these days without getting shot down either by people with interests in the place or best mates who do. Just remember to keep that in mind. Check the comments that will inevitably follow my post here for evidence....). iiyamadude, you hit the nail on the head right there! I'm sick of hearing how great Hakuba is too. No more Hakuba TR's and photos please! (then hopefully people will stop flocking there and stealing my powders ) Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Originally Posted By: Kumapix why is this so difficult to understand? FT is not disputing the fact that Shiga is the biggest connected resort area in Japan. Since the original question was Hakuba vs Shiga he is saying that while not inter-connected by lifts, Hakuba has a larger skiable area than Shiga. Then as CB points out below, saying that Shiga's got 20 resorts compared to Hakuba's 10 is pointless. Originally Posted By: Creek Boy Originally Posted By: iiyamadude Quote: Just like Shiga, Hakuba is a huge area with so many resorts in the valley. Shiga Kogen - about 20, mostly connected Hakuba - about 10, mostly unconnected how many of those resorts have only a few lifts? Quite a fair few. At least over on the Yokoteyama side. 20 resorts sounds impressive, but I can tell you, I would never, by my own means, go over to the Yokoteyama side or anywhere near there if I was footing the bill. Yakebitai sounds good though. Saying there are 20 resorts sounds impressive, and while Shiga Kogen IS Japan's largest resort area, from what Ive seen and ridden, a lot of it is boring, small, family oriented, and not lots going on. Just trying to give some perspective...my 2 yen There are 5+ resorts in Hakuba I have no interest in going to. Same with Shiga, but actually a lot more at Shiga I dont want to go to. Numbers might sound impressive but there are lots of crappy little mountains there which is why they probably all banded together to form Shiga Kogen...but what do I know, I have only skied 5 outta 20, what a loser I am....I know F'all about it obviously. Link to post Share on other sites
Rag-Doll 0 Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 I wonder if the Niseko boys are feeling a bit left out? Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Sad, but true, what a load of whollop. Come on, this is digressing from the Niseko v the rest of the world debate from which the Earth derives its energy to spin. Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Someone needs to whip out the smilies. Oh, go on then I'll do it: And lets stop the everyone. I want to hear about Niseko 'n stuff. Link to post Share on other sites
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