Take a bus from Tokyo to Shiga Kogen! Introducing our recommended bus plans

What is Shiga Kogen?

Shiga Kogen is a highland area that is part of Joshinetsu Kogen National Park, located in the northeastern part of Nagano Prefecture. Blessed with rich nature at an altitude of about 1,300m to 2,300m, Shiga Kogen is a popular spot visited by many tourists from both Japan and abroad, as you can enjoy hiking in the summer and snow activities in the winter.

Shiga Kogen Ski Resort

The latest average winter temperatures in Nagano Prefecture are as follows:

Shiga Kogen Ski Resort is one of Japan's largest ski resorts, with 18 ski resorts gathered together within a range of 1,000m in elevation. There are over 80 courses available, including courses for advanced skiers where you can enjoy natural powder snow, courses that beginners can enjoy safely, and courses for families with a kids' park.

In particular, the Yakebitaiyama Ski Resort in the Yakebitaiyama area is the largest in Shiga Kogen, and is a popular area among foreign visitors to Japan due to its excellent snow quality. You can enjoy courses and scenery unique to Japan, such as the "Olympic Course" used in the Nagano Olympics, and the "Beech Course" that runs through a beech forest.

At Shiga Kogen Ski Resort, one common lift ticket can be used to ride the lifts and gondolas at all 18 ski resorts. We recommend purchasing your ticket online in advance, as it is more economical and allows for smoother entry.

*Please check the official website to check and purchase online lift ticket prices.

Hotels around Shiga Highlands

There are many hotels scattered throughout Shiga Kogen that offer easy access to each ski resort. This time, we will introduce the Shiga Grand Hotel, where all rooms have access to the slopes, and the Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel, which is adjacent to the gondola base station of Yakebitaiyama Ski Resort.

Shiga Grand Hotel

Shiga Grand Hotel is a hotel located right in front of the bus stop "Ichinose Ski Resort." Guest rooms are available in two types, Japanese-style rooms and Western-style rooms, and all rooms have access to the slopes. The hotel also has a large public bath that is available 24 hours a day, and a ski and snowboard rental shop. This is the perfect hotel for those wanting to enjoy snow activities at Shiga Kogen.

In 2022, condominium-style rooms will be available for a relaxing stay in a private space, and in 2023, a new "Hotel Camp" with a camping space will open. Recommended for families planning a long stay or groups who want to have fun with friends.

Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel

Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel is a large resort hotel with 554 rooms in three accommodation buildings: the East Building, the West Building, and the South Building. The East Building and the South Building are adjacent to the No. 1 and No. 2 Gondola Base Stations of the Yakebitaiyama Ski Resort, and the West Building is adjacent to the Yakebitaiyama Family Snow Park, so you can enjoy snow activities right away.

There are plenty of on-site facilities, including an English-speaking ski and snow sports school, a ski and snowboard rental shop, a restaurant, and a bar, so you're sure to have no problems during your stay.

How to get to Shiga Kogen from Tokyo

There are two ways to get to Shiga Kogen from Tokyo: by Shinkansen or by express bus. We will introduce the characteristics of each and give their advantages and disadvantages.

Traveling by Shinkansen

If you are traveling by Shinkansen, take the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Nagano Station (approximately 1 hour 35 minutes). From Nagano Station, take the express bus "Shiga Kogen Line" to Shiga Kogen (approximately 1 hour 20 minutes).

If you use the Shinkansen, you will have to transfer to a bus, and you will have to purchase tickets for both the Shinkansen and the express bus separately. This can be a little difficult for those going to Shiga Kogen from Tokyo for the first time, or for foreign visitors to Japan.

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Disadvantages

Traveling by bus

If you are traveling by bus, it is convenient to use a direct express bus from Tokyo to Shiga Kogen. Once you load your luggage, you don't have to unload it until you reach Shiga Kogen, and you don't have to worry about changing buses. Also, although the number of services per day is limited, there are some that run late at night, so you can enjoy skiing or snowboarding as soon as you arrive at Shiga Kogen.

Unlike traveling by Shinkansen, this is an easy way to travel for people going to Shiga Kogen from Tokyo for the first time and for foreign visitors to Japan.

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Disadvantages

We recommend taking the "Snowliner" ski resort bus from Tokyo to Shiga Kogen!

If you are traveling by bus from the Tokyo area to Shiga Kogen, we recommend using the "Snow Liner" bus that goes directly to the ski resort. "Snow Liner" mainly operates buses that go directly from Tokyo airports such as Haneda and Narita to various ski resorts in Nagano and Niigata. This is an express bus that is often used not only by Japanese tourists but also by foreign visitors to Japan.

Easy travel from Haneda Airport to Shiga Kogen

Both late-night and morning flights from Tokyo to Shiga Kogen are available from Haneda Airport, making it convenient if you want to go to Shiga Kogen Ski Resort without sightseeing in Tokyo.

If you want to go to a ski resort after sightseeing in Tokyo or Yokohama, or if you are using Narita Airport, it is best to choose a late-night flight.

The late-night flight departs from Narita Airport and stops at Yokohama Y-CAT, Haneda Airport, Odaiba Tokyo Teleport, and Tokyo Kajibashi Parking Lot in that order before heading to Shiga Kogen. One of the attractions of using the Snow Liner is that you can choose your departure point according to your schedule.

At Shiga Kogen, you can get off at each slope.

The number of stops differs between late night and morning buses, but the bus stops at the main slopes of Shiga Kogen Ski Resort, such as Ichinose and Yakebitaiyama, so you can freely choose where you get off, just as you can choose where you boarded. The bus also stops at Shiga Grand Hotel and Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel, introduced here (stopping at the West Building, South Building, and East Building, in that order), so you can use the bus and the hotel with peace of mind.

Operates daily during ski season

The "Snowliner" that connects Tokyo to Shiga Kogen will operate daily morning flights until March 8, 2025, and late-night flights until March 29. If there are seats available, reservations can be made on the website until 12:00 noon one day before departure.

In addition to Japanese, reservations can be made in English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), and Korean. For more information, please see the official website .

Pricing is easy to understand

The fares listed on the official website include highway tolls and seat reservation fees. Additional fees may apply depending on the boarding point, but the fare is the same for adults (12 years and over) and children (0 to 11 years old), making it easy to understand.

How to use the "Snow Liner" and precautions

Advance reservations are required to ride the Snow Liner, and applications can only be made online. Make your reservation on the official website using your smartphone or PC. Payment can only be made by credit card.

If you wish to change or cancel your reservation, please cancel it from My Page. Please note that cancellation fees will be charged from 10 days before the departure date according to the terms and conditions. If you receive a refund due to cancellation, the payment will be processed by credit card.

Also, items that can be stored in the trunk of a train must not exceed 120cm in total length, weigh less than 10kg, and be one per person. It's also good to remember that you can also store up to one ski or snowboard per person .

Take the "Snow Liner" and enjoy snow activities at Shiga Kogen!

We introduced how to get to Shiga Kogen from Tokyo, as well as the appeal and usage of the "Snow Liner" bus that goes directly to the ski resort.

Shiga Kogen is one of Japan's leading ski resorts, with 18 ski areas. There are also plenty of hotels and restaurants in the area, making it a safe and secure place to stay. Whether you're an advanced skier or snowboarder, beginner or family with children, we recommend using the "Snowliner" to enjoy snow activities at Shiga Kogen.

Snowliner reservations here