Qualla: Shiga Highlands

Shiga Highlands: Introduction

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Masteraah, CC BY-SA 2.0 de. Eighteen ski resorts stitched together across a volcanic highland, linked by lifts, shuttle buses, and a single pass. Shiga Kogen sprawls across 4.25 square kilometers of ridgelines and bowls in the Joshinetsu Kogen National Park, making it arguably the largest ski resort in Japan and the second highest in elevation, with runs reaching 2,307 meters above sea level. When the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics needed alpine venues worthy of the world stage, they came here for the slalom, Super G, and women's downhill. But Shiga Kogen was famous long before anyone strapped on skis. The hot springs that bubble up through volcanic rock drew visitors for centuries, and in 1980, UNESCO designated the highlands a Man and the Biosphere Reserve, recognizing an ecosystem where beech forests give way to alpine meadows and Japanese macaques soak in steaming pools just down the valley.

Read more: Shiga Highlands on Qualla

Image: Masteraah | CC BY-SA 2.0 de

Shiga Highlands: An Olympic Playground

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Steve Collis, CC BY 2.0. The resort is made up of 18 smaller, interconnected ski fields served by 48 lifts. Starting in the 2015-16 season, all areas opened to both skiers and snowboarders, ending a long tradition of restricting certain zones to skiers only. The ski season stretches from mid-November thr...

Read more: Shiga Highlands on Qualla

Image: Steve Collis | CC BY 2.0

Shiga Highlands: Before the Skiers Came

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Meg1977, CC BY-SA 3.0. Shiga Kogen was an onsen destination long before it became a ski resort. More than seven natural hot spring sources feed the highlands, and many of the resort's hotels pipe volcanic water directly into their own bath facilities. After a day on the slopes, guests can soak in miner...

Read more: Shiga Highlands on Qualla

Image: Meg1977 | CC BY-SA 3.0

Shiga Highlands: A Living Biosphere

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Steve Collis from Melbourne, Australia, CC BY 2.0. The UNESCO Biosphere Reserve designation covers a landscape that shifts dramatically with altitude. Lower slopes are cloaked in beech and Japanese oak forests. Higher up, coniferous woods take over, eventually giving way to alpine plant communities near the ridgelines. Japanese l...

Read more: Shiga Highlands on Qualla

Image: Steve Collis from Melbourne, Australia | CC BY 2.0

Shiga Highlands: Four Seasons on the Plateau

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Meg1977, CC BY-SA 3.0. When the snow melts, Shiga Kogen transforms. Hiking trails thread through the highlands, connecting lakes, botanical gardens, and mountain huts. The Higashitateyama Botanical Garden sits atop Mount Higashitate, offering nature trails through alpine flora. Fishing is permitted at ...

Read more: Shiga Highlands on Qualla

Image: Meg1977 | CC BY-SA 3.0

Shiga Highlands: Getting to the Highlands

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Steve Collis from Melbourne, Australia, CC BY 2.0. Buses connect Shiga Kogen to Nagano Station and Iiyama Station, making the resort accessible by Shinkansen from Tokyo. The drive up from the valley is an experience in itself: the road is steep and rough, flanked by sharp drop-offs, and in winter it is often covered in ice and sn...

Read more: Shiga Highlands on Qualla

Image: Steve Collis from Melbourne, Australia | CC BY 2.0