Karuizawa

Cool highland resort at the foot of Asama

Karuizawa is a highland resort town in eastern Nagano Prefecture at the foot of Mt. Asama. It began as a post town on the old Nakasendo road and later became a summer retreat for city dwellers escaping Tokyo's heat. Today visitors come for the old main street of Kyu-Karuizawa Ginza, the forest trails and ponds nearby along with Shiraito Falls. A large outlet mall is right beside the station. The Hokuriku Shinkansen reaches Karuizawa from Tokyo in roughly an hour, so it works as a day trip or a quiet weekend.

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Town in Japan

$$$

$	Cheap
$$	Medium
$$$	Expensive, upscale
$$$+	Very expensive, luxury

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Safety: 8.2

General Safety:	9
Health & medical:	7
Accessibility:	6
Tap water:	9

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3/5

English is spoken at major hotels, tourist centers, and many shops and restaurants, especially near the station and resort areas. In smaller inns or local spots, English may be limited, so a translation app is helpful.

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Last update: Oct 20, 2026

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Karuizawa Summary

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Popular for mountain escapes and outdoor leisure. Cycle through forest roads, visit art museums, enjoy shopping streets and relax in cool alpine surroundings.

Place score

7.5

Best at:

Spotless

Outlets

Luxury

Beer

Fall foliage

Personal score

Suited for

👶 8

Families

🧓 7

Seniors

🛡️ 9

Travel Beginners

❤️ 9

Couples

Japan – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	100 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type A Type A: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Japanese Yen (JPY) $1 ≈ ¥158
Cashless info:	Rating 4/5 Cashless payments are becoming more common, especially in cities, with some shops still preferring cash. Be prepared for occasional cash-only situations in rural areas. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is not customary in Japan and can be considered rude. Excellent service is the norm, and tipping is unnecessary in most places.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is legal and commonly accepted, particularly during festivals and events.
Public smoking:	Smoking is prohibited in indoor public places but allowed in designated outdoor areas. Some restaurants may have smoking sections.

New Year (January)	One of the most important holidays, expect crowded temples and high prices. Plan ahead.
Golden Week (April-May)	The busiest travel time, expect high demand for accommodation and transportation.
Obon (August)	A time to honor ancestors, many businesses close, and transportation can be crowded.

Emergency contact:	Emergency Number: 110 (Police), 119 (Fire & Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, JapanTaxi, DiDi
Other:	Japan is a country of respect, so understanding local customs and etiquette is important. Public transportation is efficient, but can be crowded during peak hours.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colors of the months:
The color shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the color is shows the travel season: full color means high season, soft color means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The gray info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Karuizawa, Japan

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Mar

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Apr

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May

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Jun

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Dec

High season:	July - Aug., Oct.
Shoulder season:	Jan. - Feb., April - June, Sep., Nov. - Dec.
Crowdedness:	8 (Very crowded)

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Climate details

Many shops, cafés and pensions in Old Karuizawa close from December to March, outlet mall stays open

Autumn leaves peak mid to late October, lowlands early November

Golden Week (late April to early May) and August weekends: Shinkansen and roads very busy, hotels book out

Don't miss

🚴‍♀️ Cycle through the forested paths of the Kyu-Karuizawa area
🛍️ Shop at Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza’s upscale outlets
💧 Visit Shiraito Falls and admire its delicate cascades
♨️ Relax in a stylish onsen resort surrounded by nature
🍰 Visit the Former Mikasa Hotel, a Meiji-era wooden Western-style building

You've been here?

Why travel to Karuizawa?

The climate is the first draw. Karuizawa is nearly 3,300 ft above sea level so summer days stay mild and nights are cool. Wealthy residents and expats have escaped here from Tokyo since the nineteenth century for that reason. The old part of town, Kyu-Karuizawa, keeps that atmosphere with a retro brick main street, cafes, bakeries and a few historic hotels and chapels from the early resort days. The second reason is the nature close at hand. Kumoba Pond is a small spring-fed pond with a paved loop of about 0.6 mi and strong autumn color. Shiraito Falls is a curtain of water about 230 ft wide fed by groundwater filtered through Mt. Asama's volcanic layers. A 2.5 mi trail goes to Old Usui Pass on the Gunma border. Onioshidashi Park, a lava field from an old eruption, is about 40 minutes away by bus. Shopping is the third draw. A large outlet plaza has more than 200 shops next to the station. Winter brings skiing, skating and quieter streets. One night is enough for the old town and the falls, while two nights suit cycling and the museums.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 万平ホテル(MAMPEI HOTEL)
2 Nakasendo Trail

🎡Places for activities

1 Kyu-Karuizawa-Ginza
2 ASAMA 2000 Park
3 Trick Art Museum Karuizawa

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Hot Water Stream
2 Kumoba Pond
3 Usui Pass Railway Heritage Park
4 Shiraito Highland-way

🛍️Shopping

1 Harunire Terrace
2 軽井沢 Chocolate Factory

🍽️Eat & Drink

1 Kawakamian Honten
Kawakamian serves handmade Shinshu soba, including cold noodles with walnut dipping sauce and duck broth. It is at the entrance to Kyu-Karuizawa Ginza, the historic old-town shopping street, a short walk from the old Karuizawa bus stop.
2 Kawakamian Sekirei Bridge Branch
Kawakamian’s Harunire Terrace branch serves handmade soba with seasonal tempura and regional sake. It is at Harunire Terrace in Nakakaruizawa’s Hoshino area, beside the Yukawa River and near Tombo-no-Yu hot spring.
3 Kagimotoya Nakakaruizawa Honten
Founded more than 150 years ago, Kagimotoya serves handmade Shinshu soba in generous portions with tempura and duck dishes. It is opposite Nakakaruizawa Station, in Karuizawa’s central Nakakaruizawa district.
4 Boulangerie Asanoya Kyu-Karuizawa Main Store
Founded in 1933, Asanoya makes European-style breads, pastries and sandwiches, reflecting Karuizawa’s long resort-bakery tradition. Its main shop is on Kyu-Karuizawa Ginza, in the town’s historic shopping and café district.
5 Bakery & Restaurant Sawamura Kyu-Karuizawa
Sawamura bakes naturally leavened breads and serves breakfast, seasonal meals and wine. It is at the Kyu-Karuizawa roundabout, just off Kyu-Karuizawa Ginza, near the town’s historic old-town centre.
6 Bakery & Restaurant Sawamura Harunire Terrace
Sawamura’s riverside branch pairs fresh breads and pastries with all-day restaurant dishes and wine. It is inside Harunire Terrace in the Hoshino area of Nakakaruizawa, alongside the Yukawa River.
7 Mikado Coffee Kyu-Karuizawa Main Store
Mikado Coffee is known for Moca Soft, coffee-flavoured soft-serve ice cream associated with Karuizawa’s old-town café culture. Its Kyu-Karuizawa shop is on the Ginza shopping street, among the historic bakeries and souvenir stores.
8 Sawaya Kyu-Karuizawa Main Store Coffee Salon
Sawaya’s coffee salon serves thick toast with house-made Nagano apple jam, plus coffee and fruit preserves. It is on Kyu-Karuizawa Ginza, in the historic old-town shopping area near the Shaw Memorial Church.
9 Atelier de Fromage Karuizawa Pizzeria
Atelier de Fromage serves pizzas and desserts centred on cheese made in Nagano’s eastern highlands. It is on Kyu-Karuizawa Ginza in the old town, close to the main café and bakery district.
10 Apple Pie Lab Karuizawa
Apple Pie Lab specializes in pies made with apples from southern Nagano, a key regional fruit-growing area. It is close to the Kyu-Karuizawa bus stop, just off the town’s historic Ginza shopping street.

🎈Events

Winter Illumination Festival
Cherry Blossom Festivals (Spring)
Autumn Foliage Festival
Summer Mountain Festival
Karuizawa Marathon
Hydrangea Festival at Mishima Skywalk
Ski Season Opening Celebrations
Cultural Performances
Karuizawa Snow Festival
Summer Classical Music Festival
Karuizawa Half Marathon
Shiraito Falls Illumination (winter)
Karuizawa Jazz Festival
St. Paul’s Church Christmas Events

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Knowledge before you go

Rent an electric bicycle for the hills around town.
Go to Kumoba Pond early in the morning at peak foliage because parking fills up fast.
Check bus times in winter since Shiraito Falls services run less often than in summer.
Visit in July or August for cool air that makes a welcome break from the Tokyo heat.

How to travel to Karuizawa

The easiest way to reach Karuizawa from Tokyo is the Hokuriku Shinkansen, which takes roughly an hour from Tokyo Station. The same train continues to Nagano in about 30 minutes. A Japan Rail Pass and some JR East regional passes cover the ride. Highway buses from Shinjuku and Ikebukuro take around 3.5 hours and cost less. By car the drive from Tokyo takes about 2.5 hours depending on traffic. The nearest expressway exit is Usui Karuizawa IC. Snow tires or chains are needed north of town from November to March. There's no airport in town so most international visitors arrive through Tokyo.

Access summary

From Tokyo Haneda (HND): Monorail/rail then Shinkansen, about 2 hours total.
From Tokyo Station: Hokuriku Shinkansen to Karuizawa, about 65–80 minutes.
From Nagano city: Hokuriku Shinkansen around 30–35 minutes; frequent direct trains.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Karuizawa

Hotels cluster around the station and the old town, with a large resort hotel beside the outlet mall that suits shopping and skiing. Kyu-Karuizawa has historic hotels, small inns and boutique stays that let you walk to the main street and cafes. Naka-Karuizawa, one stop away, has upscale resorts, cottages and pensions along the forest roads. Budget stays exist but rooms get scarce in July and August, during Golden Week and in the autumn foliage season from early October to early November. Winter is the quietest period with the cheapest rates. Book early if you plan a weekend visit in peak season.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

Karuizawa Prince Hotel West

8.7

Hotel Indigo Karuizawa By IHG

9.1

APA Hotel Karuizawa Ekimae Karuizawaso

8.1

Hotel Cypress Karuizawa

8.6

The Prince Karuizawa Hotel

8.6

Karuizawa Prince Hotel East

8.7

TWIN-LINE HOTEL KARUIZAWA JAPAN

9.1

Karuizawa Hotel Longing House

8.3

Hotel Grandvert Kyukaruizawa

9.0

Karuizawa Cross

8.9

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Karuizawa

Most visitors get around by bicycle, bus and on foot.

Bikes and walking:
Old Karuizawa is about 25 minutes on foot from the station or a short bus or taxi ride. Rental bicycle shops are near both station exits and electric assist helps on the hilly roads. Naka-Karuizawa is one stop away on the Shinano Railway.

Buses:
Local buses stop at Shiraito Falls, Kyu-Karuizawa Ginza and Onioshidashi Park, though services run roughly hourly and less often in winter. A retro red bus goes toward Old Usui Pass from late April to late November.

Rental car:
A rental car gives more freedom for scattered museums and forest sights, but traffic builds on summer and autumn weekends.

Food in Karuizawa

Karuizawa's food scene leans toward bakeries, cafes and relaxed restaurants. Kyu-Karuizawa Ginza has a long-standing French bakery and coffee shops while the wider area serves traditional Japanese, French and other cuisines. Soba, a Shinshu specialty, is easy to find while local jam is a popular souvenir at grocery shops. Harunire Terrace, in a forest setting, has cafes and shops. Popular lunch spots can have queues on weekends so go early or book if you can. In winter some seasonal places close, so check opening days before you set out. Stalls near Shiraito Falls sell grilled river fish and croquettes for a quick snack.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

We calculate the average costs when traveling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.

To customize this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

-44 %

Daily expenses in the region are around 44% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend a lot less on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

-17 %

Your exchange rate (USD to JPY) is 17% better than in recent years. That means traveling now is considerably cheaper compared to the past.

Travel costs (Data for Komoro, Japan - 10 miles away)

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when traveling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	$76	$184	$483
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	$45	$130	$300
🍝 Food per day	$23	$43	$131
🚕 Transportation per day	$8	$11	$52

Notable additional fees: Adult day pass about ¥6,500 ($41.17). Ski, boot and pole hire runs roughly ¥5,000 – 6,000 ($31.67 – 38.01) a day.

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	$16
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	$6.50
🍟 Fast food combo	$5
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	$9.50
☕ Cappuccino	$3.20
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l / 16 oz	$3.10

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	$1.80
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	$32
⛽ Gas, 1 l / ¼ gal	$1.10

Other

🎞️ Movie ticket	$12
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	$30
🤧 Cold medication	$8
💇 Basic haircut	$17

Safety information overview

General safety

Karuizawa is a very safe resort town with low crime. The main risks are practical ones, such as icy roads in winter and sharp lava rock at Onioshidashi Park. Mt. Asama is an active volcano so check the official warning level before hiking high.

Health & Medical

The town has clinics for everyday care while larger hospitals are in nearby cities such as Saku and Ueda. English-speaking care is limited. Summers are mild but winters are cold and snowy so pack warm layers and sturdy shoes for trails.

Accessibility

The station area and the outlet mall are flat and easy to move around. Old Karuizawa is farther from the station and the roads around town are hilly. Forest trails and the falls involve uneven ground, so a bus or taxi helps for longer distances.

Tap water

Tap water is safe to drink here, as across Japan, so there's no need to buy bottled water. A refillable bottle helps on bike rides and forest walks while shops and cafes in the old town also sell drinks.