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Sounds like Shiga is a huge area. We head there in January for the first time

 

Where is best spot to stay for family of four that are all intermediate to advanced skiers. We dont need nightlife, just closeness to the best skilifts for long challenging runs

 

It seems that the main areas are Ichinose and Giant??

 

We looked at Sunroute, Prince, Alpenburg and Shirakabaso Hotels but hard to get a decent comparison from their websites

 

thanks for any input

 

Tess

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Ichinose without a doubt. Pretty much central, some great riding to be had right out the door AND that seemed to have a decent concentraton of hotels that had restaurants and bar-like structures wink for at least an option of a beer in a place that isn't YOUR hotel. Its nightlife.....but not as we know it, Jim! smile

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We stayed at Sunroute this year which was good value.But if we go back I would try to get some where near Khuls or Villa ichinose where you can walk straight out on to the slopes.

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We've been to Shiga twice now and are heading back for another week this Xmas. We tend to go to 3 resorts for about a week each but are getting a little boring because of the followers that we have who like "known destinations"

 

Places we have stayed at Shiga -

 

Chalet Chiga which was a really good place with good solid food and the benefit of bar down stairs which served light meals, close to a great little isakaya and of course the main st of Ichinose with its erraticly opening convenience stores and 1 or 2 reataurants. Much more Japanese than Sunroute (little Newcastle )and 2 doors up the hill.

 

Villa Ichinose - Excellent location but really hard to get a booking if you are looking for anything before 12 Jan. Our experience was that they are not even interested in acknowledging a booking request until they know that they will be pretty much empty.

 

We stayed at a little place right on the snow at Bunadaira called Alpen Glo which was excellent for food and location but somewhat basic. Beware the toilet facilities which may not please females in the group - squats only. Very Japanese, family run, great food (japanese) and absolutely ski in ski out 3 steps. Even if you have to catch the bus back from a late finish at Okushiga or Ichinose it is easy to ski back in the dark from Hoppo Onsen bus stop.Rates are the cheapest snow accomodation I have ever found except camping in the bush. (go to Shiga Kogen website)

 

We are staying at Shiga Aspen this year which is at the bottom of Giant / Bunadaira and is about $25 a night pp dearer than Alpenglo but has on site Onsen, and a Parisian pastry shop.( of course they also have sit down WCs)

 

Alpenburg is significantly more up market than any of these other lodgings and is next door to Shiga Aspen.

 

The shirakabaso was another that my sister stayed in which she raves about. Again probably nudging 3-4 star accommodation with the benefit of being right next door to the Hasuike bus interchange. Access to ski areas is OK but not as nice as all the other options with a bit of sideways to get anywhere every morning. Also can be a bit of an issue if you are at Okushiga (some of the nicest terrain) as you have to make sure that you do not miss the last rides at Giant to get home.

 

Villa Alpen at Sun Valley is another nice "value" option but just a little out of the way for access to the better ski areas. That said there are times when you can have almost all of uncut Sun Valley to yourself which can be pretttty nice.

 

Prince Hotels - I wish you luck - We have never been able to make sense of their booking forms and always seem to end up with quotes for like $250 pp per nite. I suppose that is the price you pay to have a gondola in the lobby which seems to be pretty standard for Prince Hotels

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PS - not sure from whence you are coming but a stop at Nakano at the Jusco to stock up on Western style nibbles, instant coffee, and drinkable red wine if that is your taste is well worth while as shopping options in Shiga are very limited.

 

PPS - Chalet Shiga had the cheapest beer vending machine of anywhere that I have seen, but it was Kirin not Asahai.

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The Shiga Aspen pasty shop is mouth watering.Enjoyed a coffee and some pasties and watched the monkeys doing their thing out the front in feb.Shiga is agreat resort I can see why you keep going back Mr Brisbane cheers

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Cheers for the tips Mr Brisbane.

 

Did you have private bathrooms at any of the places you stayed.

 

Trying to work out how the bathrooms/showers work,not really understanding the replies I am getting from the places I have emailed

 

Cheers

 

Tom (Mr Sydney)

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Originally Posted By: tom_aus
Cheers for the tips Mr Brisbane.

Did you have private bathrooms at any of the places you stayed.

Trying to work out how the bathrooms/showers work,not really understanding the replies I am getting from the places I have emailed

Cheers

Tom (Mr Sydney)


we had a private bathroom where I stayed, it was the Shiga Park Hotel in the Takamagahara area
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Most places in Shiga will have the option of private bathroom - although it may be more like something that you would see on an aeroplane than the facilities that you may be more familiar with - ie very compact. If you view their website with google chrome it will translate enough to get you the info. Another clue is in the rates - which generally differentiate rooms with private facilities.

 

If you go to this Shiga Kogen website, linked to on the below page (right hand side banner):

http://www.snowjapan.com/e/resorts/index.html

 

there is also an accommodation directory which distinguishes those with english websites - a lot easier and generally a fair indication that some verbal or written communication is possible.

 

Just remember that this is not like Hakuba, Nozawa, Niseko, Myoko, where there is a town within walking or easy transport distance. There are like 3 pretty basic yamazaki shops ( 2 at Ichinosi and 1 at Sun Valley , all of which have some pretty different ideas as to opening hours and can at time just be closed to all but guests in the hotel in which they are located.

 

Any more ?s just shoot and I will try to help.

 

PS if private western style facilities are more important than location you better forget about Alpen Glow.

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  • SnowJapan Admin

Mr Brisbane, I mentioned this in another thread but perhaps you did not see that - please do not use these Forums as a link directory. The Forums guidelines are quite clear if you read through them. I realise you may well just be trying to be helpful but plenty other people seem to be able to help without going that way.

 

Please do not make an issue of this on here in this thread. If you want to make a point to us, email us at editor@snowjapan.com

 

Thank you very much.

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  • SnowJapan Admin

ttuchin

 

The places that are listed on our site are all ones that are very positive about welcoming foreign guests - probably why they wanted to be listed on our site.

 

I'm sure that if you contacted them, they would quickly get back to you with the info you require.

 

http://www.snowjapan.com/e/hotel/shiga-kogen-nagano-accommodation.html

 

Contacting them also goes some way to supporting us.

 

Thank you.

 

friend

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Originally Posted By: MintyNZ
alpen glow looks awesome - we would have booked there if we were going to Shiga, but decided on Hakuba instead.

Squats are easy to use, and IMO far more hygienic than western toilets.


you've never seen them n a train station at last train on a Friday night!! omg Drunken salarymen seem to put it everywhere BUT inside the bowl!!
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Originally Posted By: Tubby Beaver
Originally Posted By: MintyNZ
alpen glow looks awesome - we would have booked there if we were going to Shiga, but decided on Hakuba instead.

Squats are easy to use, and IMO far more hygienic than western toilets.


you've never seen them n a train station at last train on a Friday night!! omg Drunken salarymen seem to put it everywhere BUT inside the bowl!!


Have you ever seen a western toilet that has been mistakenly used as a squat?

Hence why auckland uni now has squat toilets in it's library basement.
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Originally Posted By: MintyNZ
Originally Posted By: Tubby Beaver
Originally Posted By: MintyNZ
alpen glow looks awesome - we would have booked there if we were going to Shiga, but decided on Hakuba instead.

Squats are easy to use, and IMO far more hygienic than western toilets.


you've never seen them n a train station at last train on a Friday night!! omg Drunken salarymen seem to put it everywhere BUT inside the bowl!!


Have you ever seen a western toilet that has been mistakenly used as a squat?

Hence why auckland uni now has squat toilets in it's library basement.


students never go into the library. So it must've been the staff.
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See I win - squat + a pocket tissue pack> western toilet

 

Sitting on muddy footprints probably gives you mudcrabs.

 

Awesome Crisps, I'm going to become a librarian upon returning from Japan (no really, it's true. The wine industry sucks, already handed in my resignation)

 

Anyway.. That is one thing I can't reconcile myself with - using a tap next to the squat to wash myself rather than loo paper. I mean yeah it's probably much better, but I just don't want to. But also, I can't recall seeing squats when I was last in Japan that didn't have loo paper?

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