Shiga-Kogen in April

[B-san 0]

Hi, I'm going o Japan for a couple of weeks in April to visit friends, and I am thinking of vising Shiga-Kogen on the 8th and 9th of April to do a bit of skiing. Could anyone give me some advice on the following:

 

1. I understand that most of the resorts only open weekends after the 6th of April. I made a few calls though and found out that Kuma-no-yu and Yokoteyama have some lifts running on weekdays. Which of these two would be better for beginners (I have skied a fair bit before, but my kids are beginners).

2. We will be in a hire car with "normal" tyres. Will the roads be passable all the way up to Kuma-no-yu? I understand that we may get unlucky (lucky?) and hit a late season snowstorm, but on a normal day at that time of year would the roads be OK?

 

Any comments would be most appreciated.

[iiyamadude 6]

Unlikely snowstorm aside, you should be just fine with normal tyres, the tarmac is warming.

 

[Slippery Jim 65]

Kumanoyu & Yokote are linked; lower Yokote runs probably best for beginners. Also a couple of lifts on the back side of Yokote would be fine beginner terrain.