Hot. Very hot. The Japanese summer is very very hot. I remember one year there was a summer that broke all records. For more than thirty consecutive days the air temperature exceeded more than 30 degrees day and night. You live like in a sauna. It is for this reason that I never recommend going to Japan for tourism between mid-July and mid-September. Well, unless you like to lounge around outside baking in 40-degree temperatures in sweat-soaked clothes. But there is a way out. Even in Japan relatively close to Tokyo you can find a place to shelter from the real summer heat. The name of salvation is Karuizawa. Karuizawa (軽井沢町, Karuizawa-machi) is a resort town in Nagano prefecture.
It takes about two hours by car from Tokyo. However, the resort can also be reached by bus from Shinjuku or Ikebukuro Station. One-way bus fares should be between EUR 20-30. However, there is another much more convenient way of travelling. This is by high-speed shinkansen train from Tokyo Station. The high-speed train will get you to Karuizawa in one hour and five minutes. Trains to Nagano run approximately two or three times an hour. The one-way ticket costs around EUR 40.
For this reason Karuizawa is known as Tokyo’s 24th suburb (the Tokyo Metropolitan Area officially has 23 municipalities). Thanks to its extremely good transport links, excellent climate, fantastic nature and other resort facilities, Karuizawa is undoubtedly the most luxurious resort in all of Japan. Simply a fantastic city. I think it is the only place I could live in Japan outside Tokyo.
Karuizawa has a population of about 20 000 and it reminds me of my hometown of Druskininkai. As I mentioned Karuizawa is one of Japan’s oldest and most famous summer resorts and has been visited by many people from many different countries since the 19th century. Before the corona period more than 6 million tourists a year came to this small town. These are simply incredible figures.
Karuizawa will never make you sad. A few more interesting facts. It is the only city in Japan to have hosted both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. In 1964, the equestrian events of the Tokyo Summer Olympics were organised here. Later, in 1998, it hosted the curling events of the Nagano Winter Olympics.
In 2016, this small town hosted the G7 Transport Ministers’ Meeting. Karuizawa was also considered as a venue for the 2023 G7 meetings in Japan but in the end Hiroshima was chosen.
In February 1972, one of the most famous terrorist incidents took place here. After a massacre and hostage-taking local fans of the Communist Red Liberation Army retreated to a summer house at the foot of Mount Asama. Police surrounded the communist fighters hiding in the holiday resort. The live broadcast from the scene of the hostage drama beat the ratings. It was this incident that popularised noodle soups in Japan. And the fact of the matter is that in February it is quite cold in Karuizawa. The temperature stays around plus five during the day and cools down to about minus five at night. Cold. So the police came up with the idea of feeding the hostages during the hostage drama with an innovative product produced by some unknown company – instant noodles. You pour hot water over the noodles in a paper packet and you end up with a hot soup. So in a live broadcast that broke viewing records viewers watched policemen slurp up the noodles while chewing and chomping. Everyone was hugely impressed. Just a fantastic product for the frozen body and soul. Instant noodles became popular overnight. Today it is simply impossible to imagine a Japanese person without Nissin’s noodles.
Karuizawa is located in the eastern part of Nagano Prefecture bordering Gunma Prefecture to the north, east and south. The city is situated on a high plateau at the foot of Mount Asama, one of Japan’s most active volcanoes. The mountain is classified as a Category A active volcano. A small eruption was recorded in June 2015 and a more significant eruption, throwing hot rocks and a plume of ash, occurred in February 2015. The most destructive eruption of Mount Asama in recent history occurred in 1783 killing more than 1 000 people. The volcano is being actively monitored by scientists and climbing close to the summit is prohibited. I remember looking for a house in the Karuizawa area and seeing a cloud hanging over a large mountain from the highway about 50 km from Karuizawa. Only later did I realise that it was the Asama volcano and that the cloud was rising smoke. It is true that in Karuizawa itself nobody is too worried about the volcano. It will erupt. The Buddhists are calmly accepting the calamities of fate. The locals also argue that the Asama volcanic crater is looking towards Gunma Prefecture, or more specifically towards the other very famous hot spring resort town of Kusatsu. So if the rocks are going to fly they are going to fly to their neighbours in Gunma Prefecture.
One of the biggest reasons for Karuizawa’s popularity is its specific climate. IOf course, Karuizawa, like the rest of Japan, does not have particularly cold winters. The average annual temperature in Karuizawa is 8.6 °C. The best time of the year is from the beginning of April to the first day of July, when the resort goes on holiday and comes back to life again during the New Year or the skiing season. One important feature of Karuizawa is its relatively high rainfall. September is statistically the wettest month but it always seems to me that July is the wettest month. Maybe it’s because our small ranch is built at the foot of Mount Asama. About half a kilometre from the fazenda, the forests of Mount Asama begin. The climate near the mountain is always changeable. It rains and then the sun shines again. The general trend is that summer rainfall is much higher than in winter.
History of Karuizawa
A few hundred years ago Karuizawa was part of Shinan province (at that time the whole Nagano region was called Shinan), and during the Edo period it developed as the Karuizawa Post Office on the Nakasendo Highway linking Edo with Kyoto.
In the 1870s and 1880s, the various villages in the Asamayama area were amalgamated to form the town of Karuizawa. To this day the old names of the villages are preserved as separate Karuizawa districts.
Karuizawa’s heyday as a kuroto is primarily attributed to the Canadian Anglican missionary priest Alexander Croft Shaw and James Main Dixon, professor of English at Tokyo Imperial University. Thanks to the latter, Karuizawa was introduced as a summer resort in 1886. At that time Japan was in the process of westernisation so foreigners were held in high esteem and their observations shaped the trends of the time.
Since then many foreigners (westerners) from all over the country have come here to escape the summer heat and enjoy their holidays. As a result a lot of western culture has survived in this town. It is worth noting that unlike many other mountain resorts Karuizawa has been actively open to a wide range of residents from the very beginning. In fact along with many foreigners, many Japanese dignitaries, scientists and artists had also built ‘western-style’ villas in the town by the beginning of the 20th century and the two communities interacted well with each other at summer recreational events, etc. For these reasons Karuizawa has a unique history and a culture with a rich international flavou
And nowadays, it has also become a popular year-round resort mainly visited by Japanese offering a wide range of outdoor sports, hot springs and leisure activities. Convenient road and rail links from central Tokyo have ensured Karuizawa’s popularity as a location for second homes and resort hotels since the Meiji era.
Top 10 places to visit
Ginza dori, Ginza Street in old Karuizawa
As I mentioned before old Karuizawa was founded by the English missionary Shaw and flourished as a summer resort for foreigners and famous business people. The main street of Kyu-Karuizawa, Ginza-dori, is lined with shops selling bread, jam as well as popular fashion stores and restaurants. There are also many historic churches along the street.
“Kyū-dō (Ginza Street, or Old Road) has links to both the Japanese royal family and guests such as John Lennon and Yoko Ono. In August 1957 the former Emperor Akihito and Michiko Shoda met for the first time on a tennis court in Karuizawa, and in the late 1960s John Lennon and his family spent several summers in Karuizawa. The hotel and tennis courts where the imperial family met are just off Ginza Street.
The shopping street itself is not very impressive. However, as I said, the nearby sites such as the old hotels, villas and churches are worth seeing.
Karuizawa Prince shopping pier
This is one of the largest shopping malls and outlet stores in all of Japan with more than 200 shops selling the most famous brands. The mall is located just outside Shinken Karuizawa Train Station on the north side. A five-minute walk takes you into a world of shopping.
The shopping centre is also home to many restaurants and Karuizawa souvenirs, as well as famous foreign designer brands, high-end boutiques, grocery stores and other popular shops. The beautifully landscaped surroundings will immediately make you feel the difference compared to the shops in the big cities.
There is also a Prince Hotel just next to the Prince Shopping Centre where you can stay relatively cheaply.
It is also important to note that during the winter season ski slopes open at the foot of the mountain next to the Prince Hotel. You can rent all the necessary equipment on site. So when the work in Tokyo is finished in the second half of December you can hop on the train and an hour later you’ll be in a beautiful corner of nature where you can shop for the new year, stroll down Ginza Street, visit a traditional church, and even go skiing if you’re up for it.
Haruni terraces
The Hoshino area of Karuizawa adjacent to the Asamayama volcano the centrepiece of which is the Hoshino Hot Springs Onsen opened in 1915. Thanks to its magnificent nature the area has attracted and continues to attract the attention of great writers and artists, politicians and businessmen for more than a hundred years.
Haruni Terrace is a small shopping zone. A small stream flows nearby and a grove of over 100 ash trees grows nearby. Around 15 unique shops and restaurants are located on Huruni Terrace connected by a wooden deck. Nearby you can enjoy the fantastic onsen Tonbo no yu (adult tickets cost around EUR 10). If you like nature you can walk along the path next to Tonbo no yu to the forest where bird photographers from all over Japan gather. This area is known as the wild bird forest and is a nature reserve. However to hear the songbirds you should choose the right time. In summer the birds start chirping very early in the morning or around 6pm.The most convenient way to reach Haruni Terraces is by direct bus from the bus terminal on the south side of Karuizawa Train Station.
Kumoba pond
Kumoba Pond, also known as “Swan Lake” is a popular Karuizawa attraction. This tranquil pond fed by the clear water of the Gozensui River takes about 20 minutes to walk around and visitors are soothed by the trees reflected in the water and the ducks swimming peacefully. It is the perfect place for a peaceful stroll. It is said that even the Emperor himself likes to take a stroll by the pond when he visits Karuizawa. It is especially famous for its beauty during the autumn leaf season. So if you visit Karuizawa in the second half of November during the koyo, the maple blush season, you simply must go to Kumoba.
There are also many impressive villas near the pond. If you like to walk around and catch a glimpse of palocides unimaginable on a Japanese scale then this area will serve you well.
Getting to Kumoba is easy with a taxi or you can hire a bicycle. The journey will not take long if you are staying in central Karuizawa.
Manpei Hotel (café terrace) 万平ホテル
This is a classic hotel with a very charming atmosphere and a rich history. The hotel’s café terrace is famous for having been frequented by the family of John Lennon. A must-try is the royal milk tea, a favourite of John Lennon’s, and the apple cake made with red shinshu apples.
The Royal Milk Tea costs around EUR 9 and the apple pie around EUR 12.
Mikasa Hotel 旧三笠ホテル
The Mikasa Hotel, a western-style wooden hotel, was declared a National Important Cultural Property in 1980. Although designed and built by the Japanese, it attracted people’s attention because of its Western-style architecture, which was extremely rare at the time. It is a former luxury hotel that preserves the atmosphere of the Meiji era. The retro and romantic atmosphere is also attractive. Entering the building can feel like stepping back in time!
Although it is not possible to stay overnight in the hotel today, it attracts many tourists as an exceptional cultural and architectural landmark. At the time the hotel was open the cost of a night’s accommodation would have been more than €1500 per night, in today’s money.
As I said, today it is a tourist attraction, so for a few euros you can get inside.
Karuizawa Taliesin 軽井沢タリアセン
Karuizawa Taliesin is a large resort complex with museums, entertainment centres, restaurants and shops, located on Lake Shiozawa, south of the city of Karuizawa. You can get there by renting a bike or taking a taxi.
The Karuizawa Kogen Bunko Museum offers documents of writers and poets associated with the area.
There is also the Paine Museum, which houses the works of Raymond Paine, and the Beniko Fukazawa Wildflower Museum, where you can admire Beniko Fukazawa’s delicate and beautiful paintings of wildflowers, which, together with the tranquil atmosphere of the forest, create a peaceful atmosphere.
The area also has well-equipped leisure areas. Go-karting and monorail rides are activities for the whole family. Mini-golf and boating are also great leisure activities. The Taliesin has an English Rose Garden, so don’t forget to bring your camera.
By the way, “Taliesin” literally translates from Welsh as “shining forehead”.
The word comes from Celtic mythology and is said to have originated from the nymph Taliesin, who was a wise woman and patron of the arts.
There is a charge for access to the site. An adult ticket to the museum and gardens will cost around EUR 12.
Shiraito Falls 軽井沢タリアセン
One of the most famous natural tourist attractions is the Shiraito Waterfall.
A waterfall where underground water cascades like countless white threads down a curved cliff face. During the summer the waterfall also displays a fantastic projection map called “The Illusion of Karuizawa Shiraito Falls”, and in 2015 the waterfall was registered as “one of the most beautiful illuminated nightscapes” by the Japan Nightscape Heritage. From mid-December to March when Karuizawa is in the grip of winter Shiraito Falls is shrouded in frost. Looking at the frozen icicles of the waterfall’s water feels like being in a fairy-tale kingdom.
The waterfall can be reached by bus from Karuizawa Shinkansen Train Station to Kusatsu onsen Hot Springs. You should get off at the Shiroito Taki bus stop. However it would be most convenient to take your own car or taxi.
Oni oshidashi lava and rock park 鬼押出し園
Onioshidashien which translates directly as Devil’s Park is a park formed at the foot of the Asama volcano. The area was formed by lava that flowed out of the eruption of Mount Asama in 1783. The park is home to the Sengenzan Kannon-do Hall, an extension of Kan-eiji Temple in Ueno, Tokyo. It was commissioned in 1958 to commemorate the victims of the eruption of Mount Asama. Walking paths have been made for visitors. There is a choice of paths ranging from 30 minutes to more than one hour.
In fact, not many tourists know, but there is another Asama Volcano Museum near Onoshidashi. It is a very interesting museum and an even more interesting walking trail. In my opinion this trail is ten times more interesting than the tourist favourite the Onioshidashi Park. Not only is the unique volcanic vegetation fascinating but also the views are stunning.
The most convenient way to get to the park is by your own or rented car. A taxi from the centre of Karuizawa will take you more than half an hour so the price will not be particularly encouraging.
Toy Museum, Season Museum, Hochi Market, Nagakura Waterfalls, Missionary Alexander Croft Shaw Church Shrine, Stone Church and other tourist attractions
There is so much to do in Karuizawa that you can’t cover it all in one article. The ten listed above are only a small part of the attractions. Museums, restaurants, cafés, playgrounds, villas, forests, walking and cycling trails, sports complexes, numerous golf courses – all this makes Karuizawa unforgettable.
