Travel to North Shiga Height with ski insurance from Essential Travel

North Shiga Height ski resort is one of the many ski destinations located within the Shiga ski area of the Joshinetsu Kogen National Park in Nagano prefecture. Shiga Height itself has about 10 per cent of the park’s terrain, which is mainly aimed at intermediate skiers and snowboarders. Snow conditions here are always excellent and accommodation is plentiful.

There are basic rental and repair facilities at North Shiga Height ski resort, including ski and snowboard rentals and a ski school. Shiga Height also has plenty of pensions and lodges at the slopes as well as other accommodation at the nearby resorts, while après-ski is hotel and restaurant-based.

North Shiga Height has 11 pistes of varying difficulty levels, many of which are long runs, while much of the terrain here is given over to intermediate snowboarders and skiers. The highest run at Shiga Height reaches an altitude of over 6,500 feet and the overall vertical drop is a healthy 1,772 feet, while chairlifts and cable cars provide access to the slopes.

For alternative sliding, the Shiga ski area encompasses an additional 22 resorts, with slopes of every description and more than 80 ski lift systems covering the mountain. Popular resorts in this chain include Shiga Giant, Shiga Sun Valley and Shiga Takamagahara Mammoth, while other nearby resorts worth visiting are Iizuna, Iwatake, Hakuba 47, Nozawa and Happo One.

Skiers and snowboarders looking for ideal sliding conditions at North Shiga Height should visit in February of the December to May ski season when the powder is near-perfect. Driving from Tokyo’s Narita International Airport is the most convenient transfer option for getting here, but direct buses do run to Shiga town from Tokyo in the high season.

Skiing in North Shiga Height

Located in central Nagano prefecture, Central Honshu, North Shiga Height ski resort is part of the 21 ski resorts that make up the Shiga ski area. Situated in the Joshinetsu Kogen National Park, North Shiga Height boasts beautiful scenery and several long runs for skiers and snowboarders.

North Shiga Height’s 11 runs are divided into 20 per cent as suitable for beginners, 60 per cent for intermediates and 20 per cent for experts, while seven chairlifts and three cable cars feed the slopes. North Shiga Height is a fairly lofty resort reaching altitudes of 6,570 feet and it has a respectable vertical.

There is not much else in the way of alternative winter activities at North Shiga Height, apart from cross-country skiing and hiking. Wellness facilities are available at the top hotels and there are hot springs located nearby, while après-ski is provided at the on-slope restaurant.

Although North Shiga Height’s selection of lodges and pensions are quite expensive, they offer convenient accommodation. If you can’t find a room here, try one of the many other resorts in the Shiga ski area, which are linked by a network of buses. North Shiga Height has ski and snowboard rentals and there is also a ski school on-site.

North Shiga Height’s ski season runs from December to early May and sees its best snow in February, while cheaper ski lift tickets can be purchased on weekdays. Travelling to Shiga from Tokyo by bus is the easiest and cheapest option of getting here in the high season.

Transportation to North Shiga Height

North Shiga Height ski resort is about 150 miles northwest of Tokyo and is situated in the Joshinetsu Kogen National Park at the centre of Nagano prefecture. There are several travel options for getting here from Tokyo including driving, taking a combination of trains or travelling direct by bus in the peak season.

If you are travelling by car from Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, bypass the city on route 16 and take the Chuo and Nagano expressways northwest to the city of Matsumoto. Route 144 then runs north to the town of Shiga from Matsumoto, from where North Shiga Height ski resort is well signposted. The Chuo and Nagano expressways also run from Osaka to Matsumoto.

By rail, bullet trains run direct to Nagano from Tokyo on the Shinetsu line in 90 minutes, from where services run onto Yudanaka with a journey time of 45 minutes. Buses and taxis operate services to the various ski resorts in Shiga, including North Shiga Height. Buses also run from Nagano Station to the Shiga resorts.

Bullet trains also run along the Chuo line to Matsumoto from Osaka, from where buses run to the resort. For those who are heading to North Shiga Height in the peak season, buses are also available direct to Shiga from Tokyo.

Both Tokyo Narita and Osaka Kansai international airports offer convenient transfer options to North Shiga Height ski resort and receive many daily flights from numerous world cities.

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