Staying at the Shiga Kogen Prince East Wing Hotel, at the Foot of the Ski Slopes

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What better after a good day of skiing than to relax in a place that’s comfortable and luxurious? At the foot of the slopes of Shiga Kogen, which is 50km away from Nagano, three hotels of the Seibu group will make your stay memorable. The Shiga Kogen Prince East Wing Hotel, is the most luxurious of them.

Comfort and Modern Service

Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel has about 666 rooms and caters to all budgets, both for families and couples. Modern comfort is a standard, and upon your arrival you will be well taken care of by a very competent staff. At Shiga Prince Hotel East Wing, all rooms will have a view of a sumptuous landscape. If your budget allows, I recommend you book a room on the 5th floor which is the top floor of the building. These spacious rooms have a very high quality bedding. Upon arrival you will find all necessary bath accessories, a kettle, tea and coffee self service; as well as free access to the secure wi-fi network. Be aware that the air is very dry in Shiga Kogen, with a humidity level in the air close to 10%. Up to the smallest detail, the hotel readjusts the humidity level around 40% for each room. Note that the property does not have its own onsen. Only a few kilometers away, Kanbayashi Onsen will offer you a variety of relaxing baths.

Along with this hotel’s comfort, it will give you a unique variety of cuisines, and a warm welcome. You will spend precious moments of serenity and tranquility in the middle of a magical setting, without worrying about your everyday life.

Sports Practice

The motto of the hotel is “Ski in, Ski out”, and it is literally at the foot of the ski slopes. On the ground floor, near the reception, you will find the ski school stand to book your lessons and your ski pass. As well as a very well-stocked shop for renting and buying ski equipment. Ideally designed, a storage space with secure lockers, is allocated by each room, to store your equipment after a long day of hitting the slopes.

A Variery of Special Delicious Food

At Shiga Kogen Prince East Wing Hotel, talented chefs collaborate to offer you a very refined cuisine. The breakfast is very rich and will satisfy all palates. In the form of a buffet, a Western Style party meets a Japanese Style. An excellent apple smoothie from Nagano, a specialty of the region, will wake you up gently; the Japanese claim a very good food for health (breakfast champions!). Let’s not forget that Nagano Prefecture is known for it’s longevity after Shiga Prefecture.

Dinner is not left behind and offers two types of cuisine. Dive into the local gastronomy with an excellent Shabu-Shabu. This typical Japanese dish is a hotpot dish with meats and vegetables, which bathe in broth; A delight! Or you can discover the Western menu as well. Served on a plate, a succession of tasty and delicate dishes which follow each other, with a very refined dressage. On a reservation basis, the restaurant also offers savoyard French cuisine like raclette, tartiflette and cheese fondue; this hotel collaborates with trois valleys in France which is one of the biggest ski resorts in the world (information from reception).

All meals are held in the Main Dining Room. This spacious room offers you a panoramic view to enjoy meals. It is necessary to reserve your seats at the reception of the hotel.

• Breakfast: Western Buffet and Japanese Style, 7:00 – 9:30
• Lunch: a la carte, 10:30 – 14:30 (11:00 – on the weekday)
• Dinner: Western gourmet menu, Menu Shabu-Shabu, 18:00 – 20:30

On the 3rd floor, the Bar l’Etoile, welcomes you from 20:30 to 22:00 (23:00 on Saturday evening) for a moment of relaxation. In a cozy atmosphere, with a background of jazz music, you can try a very good cocktail while admiring the night view. At night, when the sky is clear and you are lucky, you can observe the Milky Way. This is another opportunity to taste a fruit juice or Shiga Cocktail, based on sweet and tasty apples. From 8:00 to 10:00, and from 15:00 to 20:30, this bar is exclusively reserved for hotel residents and offers self-service drinks.

At the Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel South Wing, an Izakaya-style restaurant, welcomes you for dinner (from 17:30 to 20:30) around local specialties to share. This is the place to share an aperitif with friends, and taste the beer and Japanese sake of the region. The Nagano Prefecture is also famous for brewing and producing quality alcohols.

Find a wide variety of restaurants in Shiga Kogen resort, so you can vary the culinary pleasures.

How to get there?

Located 50km from Nagano, Shiga Kogen is ideally midway between Kanazawa and Tokyo. A common train line, the Shinkansen Hokuriku Line, connects its three cities together. Reach Nagano from Kanazawa in 1h05 and from Tokyo in 1h25. Once in Nagano, you can easily rent a vehicle to move more freely in the area. Nevertheless, Japan and pragmatism require, a bus is a link between the station and the ski resort. The frequency is average, but with a little organization, you can move without problems. Take the Nagaden bus line from Nagano Station to Shiga Kogen Ski Resort in 1h24 (2,000 yen). The bus will make a stop at the Snow Monkey Park (take the opportunity to discover the local wildlife!) To put on snow chains. The road will then be winding and mountainous. If the weather lends itself, you will see sublime landscapes.

Tip! This is something unique to Japan: we take a ticket when we get on a bus, and we pay the driver at the exit.

Note that if you stay at this hotel, a special rate will be available to visit the Snow Monkey Park: a round trip ticket by bus are sold at the reception for only 1,000 yen. Ticket does not include the admission fee for the Snow Monkey Park.