The central area has the most ski resorts in Shiga Kogen. There are 13 ski resorts you can choose to your liking. Of course, there are the family/beginner slopes when you plan to casually ski with friends. For avid skiers, there are also several challenging slopes, even with up to 34° inclination. It’s wonderful to ski around the central area as the slopes are interconnected by lifts and gondolas, giving a whole other experience to touring around the mountains.
One of the popular areas is the Giant Ski area, perfect for those advanced skiers who wish to practice as the slope is 1 km long and pretty wide. There are many ski-in-ski-out mountain huts around the area and most of them have the vintage mountain hut style, reminiscent of the 80’s ski vibe.
With the different ski areas connected by the lifts and gondolas, there are so many skiable areas. One of my personal favorites is the forest path along the Higashitateyama, where it snakes through the mountain. The trail is quite long and mellow but skiing through it is so relaxing especially when you’re tired of aggressive skiing. Another fun part about this trail is that it is not unlikely to spot a bunch of monkeys chilling on the side of the mountain. I think the monkeys are so used to skiers and snowboarders on the slopes that they just stare and judge everyone while they hang out in the tree area.
The Ichinose Ski area is another great place to ski together as the slope is pretty wide with enough space for large groups. You can find families and friends, exploring the area and there are a lot of beginner courses to try. Then above the Ichinose area is the Terakoya ski area which lets you ski around the top of the mountain with an elevation of up to 2125m. On a clear day, the views are spectacular, and nothing beats the snow quality for areas at high altitudes. Make sure to dress warmly as it can get really cold at the top