Karuizawa

Shiraito falls

Karuizawa (軽井沢) is a town in Nagano prefecture, famous as an upscale summer resort.

Understand

Karuizawa, at about 1000m above sea-level, is a famous mountain resort in eastern Nagano Prefecture. Elegant summer houses are scattered through the nearby forests, while the central part of the town is elegantly laid out with restaurants, cafes and boutiques.

Tourist information site

The local tourist association has a multilingual guide site.

Get in

• Shinkansen (bullet train) from: Tokyo (70 minutes, ¥5250); Nagano (30 minutes, ¥3070)
• Shinano railway from Nagano (90 minutes, ¥1590); Togura Station (in Chikuma; 70 minutes, ¥1170)
• Bus from: Tokyo's Ikebukuro Station (2-3 hours, and ¥ 2500).

See

• 1 Karuizawa Shaw Memorial Church (軽井沢ショー記念礼拝堂) (Take the road north from the station, and turn right into Old Karuizawa Main Street (旧軽井沢メインストリート). The church is about 600m up on the left.). The first church in Karuizawa, founded by the missionary A.C. Shaw. Shaw is also considered the founder of Karuizawa's resort area, which was initially used as a retreat for church workers and western expats in Japan. 
• 2 Kazakoshi Park Arena. Site of the 1998 Winter Olympics curling competition 
• 3 Mount Asama. Active volcano featured in 100 Famous Japanese Mountains (日本百名山 Nihon Hyaku-meizan), the book composed in 1964 by mountaineer and author Kyūya Fukada 
• 4 Shiraito Falls (白糸の滝) (From Karuizawa station, take the 草軽交通 (Kusakaru Kotsu) bus to 白糸の滝 (Shiraito-no-Taki) for 25 minutes, ¥710. It's a five-minute walk from the bus stop.). Beautiful waterfall named for the "white threads" that create a waterfall-like appearance. It's most popular during the fall when many people come to see the autumn leaves. In winter, you can see the waterfall frozen, forming fragile icicles.  

Do

Old Karuizawa Ginza

• 1 Old Karuizawa Main Street (旧軽井沢メインストリート) (Walk north from the station and turn right after 2km.). Stroll up and down the lively old main street which is packed with interesting shops. It is sometimes referred to as Old Karuizawa Ginza, because of the branches of stores from Tokyo's Ginza that open here in the summer. Keep your eyes open and you might see a fur coat in a shop window for a lazy ¥5,000,000 or so. 

Onsen

• 2 Karuizawa Sengataki Onsen (軽井沢仙ヶ滝温泉), Sengataki Onsen, Karuizawa, Kitasaku-Gun, Nagano, 389-0111 〒389-0198 長野県北佐久郡軽井沢町千ヶ滝温泉 (From Karuizawa Station, take the Shinano Railway Shinano Tetsudo Line one stop to Naka-Karuizawa. From there, it's about a 30 minute walk.), ☏ +81 267-46-1111. Weekdays: 14:00 - 21:30; Saturdays, holidays, other "special days": 10:30 - 22:00. The last entry is 45 minutes before the closing time.. Free-flowing onsen facility surrounded by the peaceful nature of Naka-Karuizawa. There's a Japanese garden, and on a clear night, you can see the stars from the outside bath. Weekdays: ¥1200, Saturdays, holidays: ¥1300, "Special days": ¥1550. (updated Jun 2020)
  
• 3 Hoshino Onsen Tombo no yu (星野温泉 トンボの湯), 2148 Nagakura (Take the Seibu Kanko bus from Karuizawa Station to Hoshino Onsen. Alternatively, take the Shinano Railway Shinano Tetsudo Line to Naka-Karuizawa. It's a 17-minute walk.), ☏ +81 267-44-3580, info-hoshinoarea@m.hoshinoresorts.com. 10:00-22:00 (last entry at 21:15). (Hours applicable from 5/7 for the time being.). Adults: ¥1350, children (age 3 - elementary school): ¥800. For golden week, August and the year-end and new year holiday, adults: ¥1550, children: ¥1050. (updated Jun 2020)

Eat

• 1 Oiwake Soba House (追分そば茶家, Oiwake sobadjaya), 1126-2 Oiwake,, ☏ +81 267-45-1415. 11:15–15:00. Soba shop with many options like Mazesoba and Tempura. (updated Dec 2021)

Sleep

• 1 Hoshinoya Karuizawa, Hoshino 2148, ☏ +81-50-3786-1144. Expensive but luxurious resort featuring guest rooms by the lake, world class dining and spa. Starts from ¥30000 per night. (updated Feb 2022)

Go next

• Saku
• Miyota
• Komoro
• Tomi
• Ueda
• Annaka
• Takasaki
• Tsumagoi
• Naganohara

Routes through Karuizawa

Nagano ← Ueda ← Sakudaira ←	N  S	→ Annaka-Haruna → Takasaki → Tokyo
Nagano ← Ueda-Sugadaira ← Saku ←	N  S	→ Matsuida-Myogi(annaka) → Tomioka → Fujioka