All of the individual resorts operate on the same lift pass which is a boon and makes a great deal of sense. A one-day lift pass for Shiga Kogen costs ¥ 5,000 (roughly € 40, correct as of 2016/17 season). This puts the ski area in the top bracket of Japanese ski resorts in terms of price, though this fact is tempered by the comparatively large number of groomed kilometres on offer here compared to other Japanese resorts. This price is also considerably cheaper than most European and North American resorts of a similar size and service offering. Families can also look forward to an attractive offer here in the shape of the “Parent-Child Pack” which provides one day’s lift access to a parent and child under 12 for just ¥ 6,700 (roughly € 54).
Factor in the bus
Another costing aspect to factor in here is transport. The shuttle buses running up and down the valley are free for all lift pass holders. If you are staying at one of the ski-in/ski-out hotels in Shiga Kogen itself then you won’t need to consider any further transport. If, however, you are staying down in Yudanaka/Shibu Onsen or indeed in Nagano, then you will have to take the cost of the bus to and from the ski resort into account, too. A return bus ticket from Yudanaka Station costs ¥ 800 (€ 6.40), while a return from Nagano comes in at ¥ 2,000 (€16).