Karuizawa
Karuizawa is the perfect day trip from Tokyo to explore nature, local shopping and Udon. Karuizawa is an upmarket resort town in the mountains of Nagano prefecture and an hour from Tokyo by Shinkansen.
Karuizawa is popular all times of the year, as an escape of the heat of summer, a place for skiing in winter, and has amazing displays of colour in Autumn.
Soba noodles
Karuizawa is known for soba noodles so it’s a must when visiting. Karwakamian is in the centre of town and serves fresh tasty handmade soba along with the lightest crispiest tempura. You can always tell its a great place to go by the line reaching out the door, but the service was fast and the line moved quickly.
From here, walk North to the Ginza shopping street or South to the pond.
Kumobaike Pond
The short walk down the road from the town centre to Kumoba is picturesque. Autumn colours contrast with evergreen trees that reach to the sky way above your head. It felt like we has walked into a Ghibli story book.
There is a flat walking track around the pond and it is the perfect place to enjoy the autumn colours and the reflection in the lake.
Ginza shopping street
Karuizawa was a post town of the Nakasendo trail – the main trading route between Kyoto and Tokyo in the Edo period. Kyu-Karuizawa is at the centre of town and the shopping street, Ginza, follows the old trading route.
Karuizawa is known for its jam and here you can find any kind of jam you can dream of! Of course being in Nagano, there are plenty of apple products to find.
A trip to Karuizawa would not be complete without trying the Number 1 Apple Pie in the world! Oh and we’d also recommend the apple jam as the perfect souvenir to take home.
While you are here
There were a number of other sites that we didn’t get time to see on our day trip as they were a little further a field. But if you have the time then the following places are highly recommended:
Shiraito Waterfall
Shiraito waterfall is in the middle of the forest. No river flows to the waterfall as it is a natural spring of groundwater. It is not a very tall waterfall but is very wide and looks like a beautiful white curtain.
Onioshidashi Park
These temple grounds boast a very unusual volcanic rock garden and provide a great view of the city.
Usui Pass Observation Deck
This observation deck provides breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains.
Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza
If you still have time for shopping, then you may want to stop at the Prince Shopping Plaza, located near the south exit of Karuizawa Station. This huge shopping center has over 200 outlet shops.
How to get here
Karuizawa is easily accessible by shinkansen from Tokyo by the Hokuriku Shinkansen, the trip takes 65-80 minutes. So if you are keen for a shinkansen ride but not keen on Osaka or Kyoto this is the perfect day trip for you.
Once at Karuizawa station there are a number of bus lines that take you top the sights of the area. You can also hire a bike and cycle between the sights.
The Kusakaru Kotsu bus line travels from Karuizawa station to Kyu-Karuizawa Ginza and then on to the former Mikasa Hotel and Shiraito Waterfall.
The Seibu bus line starts the same, running from Karuizawa station to Kyu-Karuizawa Ginza and then on to Naka-Karuizawa (view of the city, temple and volcanic rock garden)
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