Biwako Valley Ski Resort
First opening in 1965 the Biwako Valley ski area has been the home to winter sports for Kyoto and the towns and villages which surround Lake Biwa in Japan. Whilst being a smaller ski resort and receiving a lower average snowfall when compared to some other major Japanese ski resorts Biwako Valley makes up for this with the incredible views of the largest lake in Japan which can be seen from many of the ski trails.
To access Biwako Valley ski area riders must load onto an incredible aerial tram ropeway which is the fastest ropeway in Japan and carries 121 people over 1,700m to the top of the mountains. From the tram summit station riders have access to 8 different chairlifts that span out to the different regions of the resort. Biwako Valley ski area is the perfect place to learn how to ride and progress your skills, this makes Biwako Valley ski area a great destination resort for families and beginners.
Due to the elevation above the lakeshore, there is no way to ride to the base area and all riders must download from the resort on the aerial tram. This unique feature means there is no night skiing at Biwako Valley ski area and no overnight accommodation, Lake Biwako is purely a day visit ski resort.
Biwako Valley Web Cam & Live Snow Cam
Stay up to date with the snow conditions from every corner of Biwako Valley Resort. We have collected all the best Biwako Valley web cam so you can see every aspect of the ski resort and surrounding mountains.
If you want to check out the snow depth from the latest storm, see if the sun is going to be shining or check out the weather at Biwako Valley before your next visit - check out the Biwako Valley web cam below.
Biwako Valley Web Cam | Tram Summit
This Biwako Valley web cam looks directly out from the top of the tram station towards the lake and surrounding towns below.
Elevation: 1,108m (3,635ft)
Biwako Valley Lift System
Biwako Valley Resort Stats
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Seasons
OPENING AND CLOSING DATES -
The official opening and closing dates for , Japan for current and past seasons. These dates are subject to change at Ski Resort discretion based on weather and snowfall. Estimated dates are based on historical averages or advice from the resort and retrieved from the resort website.| Season | Opening | Closing |
|---|---|---|
| 22/23 | ||
| 21/22 | ||
| 20/21 | ||
| 19/20 | ||
| 18/19 | ||
| 17/18 | ||
| 16/17 | ||
| 15/16 | ||
| 14/15 |
Where is Biwako Valley Resort
Biwako Valley ski resort is the closest ski area to Kyoto and is easily accessible via the JR railway to Shiga Station then a short bus ride to the aerial tram terminal.
By Car: Meishin Expressway Suita JCT→Kyoto-Higashi IC→Kaido/Route1→Nishi-Ohtsu Bypass/Route161→Nishi-Oumiji/Route558→Biwako Valley(2hr30min)
Parking Capacity: 1,700
By Train: Tokyo Station→Kyoto Station(2hr20min)→Shiga Station(40min)→Bus(10min)→Biwako Valley
Centrair/Chubu International Airport(Nagoya): Central Japan (Chubu) International Airport Station→Train(2hr30min)→Shiga Station→Bus(10min)→Biwako Valley
Kansai International Airport: Kansai International Airport Station→Train(2hr40min)→Shiga Station→Bus(10min)→Biwako Valley
Tokyo International Airport (Haneda): Haneda Airport Station→Train(3hr40min)→Shiga Station→Bus(10min)→Biwako Valley
Japan Snow News
The 23/24 winter season was the polar opposite to the 22/23 season in by way of the fact that there was far less snowfall across the whole country. We take a look at which resorts in United States saw the largest snowfall during the 23/24 winter season. All the total snowfall reports have been taken directly from the ski resort websites as of the 25th of April 2024.