Giant

Beginner-friendly terrain dominance (49% green, 40% blue, 11% black) with famously wide runs that let you open it up without worrying about traffic. The terrain isn't going to scare anyone, but at nearly 1,000m of vertical and 12 meters of annual snowfall, you're here for the snow quality and the space to actually use it.

Surprisingly chill for being part of the massive Shiga Kogen complex - mostly Japanese intermediates and families who know the secret of wide-open cruising. Midweek feels like a private mountain; weekends bring the Tokyo crowds but the runs are so wide it doesn't matter. Zero English outside the ticket office, but pointing works fine.

"Great run steep & challenging to skiers. Can ski to Hasuike maruike and Sun Valley"

— Google Review

• ✓Intermediates who are tired of being funneled down narrow cat tracks and want to actually improve their carving
• ✓Families with mixed abilities - the wide runs mean everyone can ski together without the strong skiers getting frustrated
• ✓Powder hunters who want reliable snow without the Niseko circus - 12 meters annual at Japan's highest elevation speaks for itself

• ✗Your Japanese extends to 'arigato' and you panic without English menus - this isn't Niseko
• ✗You need gnarly terrain to feel alive - the blacks here are more like steep blues elsewhere
• ✗You're expecting a buzzing resort scene - this is pure skiing with zero nightlife

January to February for the deepest, driest powder - the high elevation means reliable conditions when lower resorts are struggling. Avoid New Year week (Dec 28-Jan 4) when Japanese holiday crowds hit; April offers spring skiing with smaller crowds and budget-friendly options.

1. Not realizing your ticket works for all 18 Shiga Kogen areas - explore beyond just Giant
2. Expecting English support - brush up on basic Japanese or download a translator app
3. Ignoring weather reports - high elevation means wind closures are real

1. Connect to Hasuike, Maruike, and Sun Valley for the full Shiga Kogen experience - your lift ticket covers all 18 areas so use it
2. The terrain park here is surprisingly well-maintained if you're into freestyle - most people skip it for the powder runs
3. When Higashi Tateyama closes for wind (happens regularly), ski via Nishi Tateyama back toward Ichiose - locals know this routing trick