REPORT

On the weekend of 10/18 (Sat.) & 10/19 (Sun.), the “Autumn Craft Fair in Shiga Kogen” event (pictured) was held in front of Shiga Kogen’s Yama-no-Eki, allowing visitors to purchase handmade items directly from the artisans themselves. An impressive lineup of 78 stalls filled the main craft area, while the food area had 25 stalls. The parking lot behind the Shiga Kogen 98 Hall was packed, with many cars bearing out-of-prefecture license plates.
[Shiga Kogen Yama-no-eki]

Each stall displayed a wide variety of handcrafted items, including woodworking, pottery, leather goods, accessories, clothing, bags, glass art, and dyed fabrics. Some shops even offered hands-on creative experiences. At Alii Craft, for example, children eagerly made their own colorful sand art pieces using colorful sand crystals.
[Shiga Kogen Yama-no-eki]

A pair visiting from Nagano City (pictured) told me, “We heard there was a craft fair, so we decided to take a drive up to Shiga Kogen. Today we bought earrings and a wall sign.” In the food area, visitors enjoyed a range of delicious options from hot dogs, and Thai food, to roast beef, pasta, tacos, and hamburgers, and could be seen indulging at the tables and chairs set up nearby.
[Shiga Kogen Yama-no-eki]

Coinciding with the craft fair, the autumn colors in Shiga Kogen were at their peak from Mt. Yokote down to the Ichinuma area. During the fair, the Shiga Kogen Golden Line (pictured) offered a discounted 1-day pass of JPY2,000 for adults and JPY1,800 for elementary school students. In addition, the Rooftop Dining restaurant at the summit of Mt. Higashidate was offering a free soft drink with any meal, while the café at Shiga Kogen Yama-no-Eki was giving a JPY100 discount on coffee.
[Shiga Kogen Golden Line]

　　
[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.

　　
*Click here to purchase photos found in this report.
　　　
reported by Snownavi