what is sun valley at Shiga Kogen like?

[ttuchin 0]

WE have an offer of accommodation at Villa Aspen in Sun Valley Shiga Kogen. We are trying to figure out how that area compares to Yakebitayama and Ichinose as these were the areas we had previously looked to stay. We range from beginner (9year old) to advanced. Is the Sun Valley area easily linked to the rest of the resorts? Has anyone stayed at Sun Valley and can tell us if there is much there?

[white-void 0]

Sun Valley is just a small part of SK. The Captain at the place you mention is very friendly, I stayed there once.

 

It's not the best part of SK but it is easy to get to both the extreme areas (n and s) of SK from there as you are basically in the middle.

 

http://www.snowjapan.com/e/maps/snow-jap...akogen-map.html

[dale#1 1]

Ichinose is probably the most lively place out of all Shiga Kogen. (But not very lively. If that makes sense). There's a concentration of hotels in that area that make it what I feel is the center of the resort. Sun Valley is in between that area and the southern area where you find Kumanoyu and Yokoteyama.

[echineko 1]

I think most popular place for staying is Ichinose. Another area is quieter so some people like it. Which part of resort do you want to go most?

[SnowConnection 0]

Sun Valley (the old name is Housaka) is the lowest place (the entrance) in Shiga Kogen resorts. It is a nice place and no problem to enjoy the entire of the big resort because Sun Valley lifts connect the upper lifts/gondoras/ropeway. When I was younger, I used to stay at a hotel of Sun Valley. I used to ride the shuttle bus for Ichinose ski resort just after the breakfast, and ski down to Sun Valley for spending a whole day. You can go up to Ichinose by using lifts/gondora/ropeway. The Ichinose lifts connects to Yakebitai & Oku-shiga. You can also access to Kumanoyu (Yokoteyama ski resort) from Sun Valley by bus where it is an isolate resort (but nice) to major Shiga Kogen ski resorts.

Yahoo! Map: Sun Valley Ski resort

http://map.yahoo.co.jp/pl?lat=36%2F42%2F....x=244&CE.y=214

[SnowConnection 0]

It is a very hard driving to go to Sun Valley from Yudanaka sta by car. Even me, I do not want to drive my car (a 4D with snow tires) in the night and the early morning in winter season. If I myself stay at a Sun Valley hotel, I go there by train and bus, or by my car (at Yudanaka parking) and by bus. The bus schedule from Yudanaka sta to Sun Valley (to Ichinose) is enough. Also, taxi service is available.

You can check the driving route from Yudanaka sta to Sun Valley (the above posting) by Yahoo! Maps with tracing route 292 toward right-down. a FROZEN road !

Yahoo! Map: Yudanaka sta.

http://map.yahoo.co.jp/pl?lat=36%2F44%2F...pointer=on&sc=4

[SnowConnection 0]

The word "Shiga" sometimes confuses people (even Japanese) in terms of the resort location names.

See this map agin:

http://www.snowjapan.com/e/maps/snow-jap...akogen-map.html

Followings are each SEPARATE area which people call "Shiga".

1. Shiga Kogen: The VERY BIG ski resorts from Sun Valley to Ichinose to Okushiga Kogen. All resorts are connected by lifts/gondoras/ropeway

2. Kunamanoyu & Yokoteyama: This resort is a smaller, but famous in Onsen and high quality powder. You can access from Hasuike bus station (near to "G"iant in the map) by bus. It has no lift connection with Shiga Kogen lift system.

3. Gorin Kogen: This is an intermidiate ski resort easily accessed by Yudanaka sta. The ropeway system can carry many passengers at one time.

4. Kitashiga resorts: This is an intermidiate(/large) ski resort. Kitashiga means northern Shiga. I've never been there. I supopose three resorts of Snowboard WH, Kitashiga K Komaruyama and Ryuoo SP are connected with lift sytems. KS Takaiifuji and KS Yamase are not connected with lift system each.

 

Kijimadaira might not be called Shiga. We call Kijimadaira Kimimadaira.

[mina2 6]

 Quote:

I supopose three resorts of Snowboard WH, Kitashiga K Komaruyama and Ryuoo SP are connected with lift sytems

No, they are not.

"Shiga Kogen" is officially the resorts from Okushiga Kogen in the north (through Ichinose, Sun Valley, Maruike etc) to Shibutoge in the south. Even though Shibutoge / Yokoteyama / Kumanoyu is not connected by lift. It is still part of "Shiga Kogen".

[SnowConnection 0]

I mean; Three resorts of Snowboard WH, Kitashiga K Komaruyama and Ryuoo SP are connected with their lift sytems, and NOT connected with major Shiga Kogen lift system.

[mina2 6]

 Quote:

Three resorts of Snowboard WH, Kitashiga K Komaruyama and Ryuoo SP are connected with their lift sytems

No, they are not.

[SnowConnection 0]

Really? I've never been there. I checked a Yahoo! Map agin.

http://map.yahoo.co.jp/pl?lat=36%2F47%2F...pointer=on&sc=4

No. Three resorts are connected with short distance roads. Sorry I was wrong. mina2 is right.

[SnowConnection 0]

I realized English version of offical Shiga Kogen web site had got better for this season.

http://www.shigakogen.gr.jp/english/

They say nothing about road condition in the access section, though the road btwn Yudanaka & Sun Valley is somtimes frozen.

Another idea is to have a rent-a-car for Nagano JR station (East exit), then to have a Nagaden bus for Sun Valley. The bus fare is 1,500 yen one-way. The bus time table is in Japanese.

http://www.nagadenbus.co.jp/robus/2007fuyu/kyukowin.htm