REPORT

The long Shiga Kogen winter, which lasts over half the year, finally drew to a close on Sunday, 5/25. With the brief spring now behind us, summer has quietly begun. I spoke with a staff member from the Shiga Kogen Tourist Association, who told me, “Cotton grass is blooming extensively at the Tanohara Marsh this year. We expect them to reach their peak between this weekend and early next week.” I parked at the Tanohara Marsh Parking Area and followed the Nature Exploration Trail for about four minutes to reach the marsh.
[Nature Exploration Course・Tanohara Marsh]

The white tufts of cotton grass lining the boardwalk were glistening with morning dew, as I arrived around 7 a.m. Also abundant were the charming, pink, bell-shaped flowers of hime-shakunage (pictured). Though it’s already mid-June, the early morning temperature at this elevation—around 1,600 meters—was still in the single digits.
[Nature Exploration Course・Tanohara Marsh]

“The contrast between the green of the marsh and the white cotton grass is just beautiful. I’m heading on now, so it looks like you’ll have the Tanohara Marsh all to yourself,” was the comment from a passing photographer (pictured). After they left, I sat alone on a bench in the quiet marsh, enjoying my breakfast while listening to the gentle background music of birdsong.
[Nature Exploration Course・Tanohara Marsh]

Renge azaleas were in full bloom along the Asahiyama hiking trail, the Sunshine Trail, and around Ichinuma Pond (pictured), painting the landscape in brilliant shades of orange. With the Shiga Kogen Golden Line and the Maeyama Lift set to start running this weekend on 6/14 (Sat.), the summer season in Shiga Kogen is about to begin in earnest. Meanwhile, although the Shibutoge 1st Romance Lift will suspend operations starting 6/16 (Mon.), the Yokoteyama Skylator and the Yokoteyama 3rd Sky Lift will begin operating from that same date.
[Ichinuma]

　　
[Shiga Kogen Opening Information]
* Period … Yokoteyama Skylator and Sky Lift 4/23 – late October (*scheduled, 5/30 – 6/15, 6/24, 6/25 close), Shibu-toge 1st Romance Lift 5/30 – Early November (*scheduled, 6/16 – 7/18 close), Shiga Kogen Golden Line 6/14 – 11/3, Maeyama Summer Lift 6/14 – 10/19 (Sat, Sun, holidays and reserved days), Takamagahara Summer Lift 8/17 – 8/19.
* Summer Lift Fees … Shiga Kogen Golden Line round trip 1-day pass / Adults JPY3,000, Child JPY1,800, Takamagahara Summer Lift round trip / Adults JPY1,200, Child JPY800, Maeyama Summer Lift one way / Adults JPY600, Child JPY400, Yokoteyama Sky Lift and Sky Lift round trip / adult 2,000 JPY, child 1,700 JPY, Shibutoge Romance Lift round trip / adult 2,000 JPY, child 1,700 JPY.

　　
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reported by Snownavi