Shiga Kogen is a winter sports mecca. It is the largest ski and snowboard resort area in Japan, and possibly the world's largest, with 21 different resorts all interlinked with one combined lift ticket. Shiga’s high-speed lifts, along with cable cars linking all resorts, delivers leading edge technology. You can ski or snowboard all day hardly experiencing the same runs twice. There is fantastic variety in terms of terrain and modern facilities.
Shiga Kogen is a highland area northeast of Nagano City about 3 hours from Tokyo and located inside Joshinetsu Kogen National Park.

During the 1998 Winter Olympic Games, Shiga Kogen hosted the women's downhill, the super Giant slalom, slalom, and all snowboarding events. The snow quality and conditions are excellent reflecting a higher altitude than many Japanese resorts.

The base of the Kanbayashi area is only a 10 minute or so walk from the Jigokudani monkeys, so if you get tired or need a break there is more to do than 'chill out' in the cafeteria etc.