The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun
Ski resort in Shiga Prefecture offers offseason thrills, spectacular views
OTSU — A ski resort in Shiga Prefecture o ers visitors the chance to enjoy pulse-racing activities outside of winter while enjoying a panoramic view of Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan. Located in northern Otsu on 1,100-meter Mt. Uchimi, the Biwako Valley resort features a number of highabove-the-ground installations, such as an aerial walkway and a ying fox ride.
FEAR, EXHILARATION
Standing on a wooden platform near the mountain summit, I looked out over Lake Biwa far below. My hands trembled with fear as I reached up for the handle above my head at the start of the Zip Line Adventure. e handle hangs from a pulley on a wire cable that stretches between the start and end points.
At some points during the descent, riders are as high as 25 meters above the ground. “ree, two, one, go!” exhorted Mai Fukuda, a guide at the facility. I threw myself forward without looking down.
My fear quickly transformed to exhilaration as I zipped through the air.
ough the descent only lasted about 20 seconds, it was very thrilling.
e Zip Line Adventure comprises six di erent courses ranging from 84 meters to 169 meters in length. Many people scream due to the height and speed, but they soon start enjoying the magni cent scenery. Some wave during the ride, and I even saw two individuals holding hands as they sped down the wire.
“The wind felt so good!” said a 30-year-old woman from Gifu Prefecture visiting with two friends. “I wasn’t able to take a good video [during the ride], so I want to go on it again.”
e Sky Walker area, meanwhile, o ers about 30 di erent challenging activities, including crossing a mid-air suspension bridge and navigating a suspended tree trunk some 5 meters above the ground.
“It’s a great way to relieve stress,” Fukuda, 30, said with a smile.
BREATHTAKING VIEWS
e Biwako Valley ski resort began operating in 1965. Its ease of accessibility from urban areas soon made it a popular destination for skiers.
But when the Japanese economy hit a period of stagnation around 1990, visitor numbers began to drop o .
e operator built a campground and other facilities to attract summer visitors, but it proved di cult for Biwako Valley to di erentiate itself from other ski resorts, resulting in a de cit each year.
While mulling ways to turn around the resort’s fortunes, the operator hit upon the idea of leveraging the views of Lake Biwa and the surrounding scenic mountains.
Zip Line Adventure opened in 2011, followed by Sky Walker in 2015.
‘CAFE IN THE SKY’
In 2016, a mountain lodge near the summit was turned into a “cafe in the sky” called Biwako Terrace.
e cafe deck area is surrounded by a moat rather than a fence, so as not to block the view. e eatery has proved especially popular with female visitors who take photos of the panoramic views and post them on social media sites.
In scal 2018 more than 600,000 people visited the resort. During this year’s Golden Week holiday period in May, many young people and families visited the facility, despite the coronavirus pandemic.
“For a long time, we didn’t realized the value of the natural environment right on our doorstep,” said Takayoshi Kakimoto, a resort o cial. “We didn’t think it was anything special, but it’s been key to attracting visitors.”
e high-vantage-point views of Lake Biwa are spectacular, and the autumn leaves are said to be a sight to behold, too.