Love in the Air: Exploring the Romance of Karuizawa

Now, to leave you more room for the actual romance, we gathered the best places to visit when going to Karuizawa with your significant other. Book your train ticket; we’re taking care of the rest!

1. Enjoy nature: Shiraito Waterfall

The Shiraito Waterfall is an impressive natural waterfall lost inside the Karuizawa forest. You will be impressed by its measures: the waterfall expands to 3 meters high and 70 meters wide. Unique! This sightseeing is popular during summer for its beautiful nature and in autumn for the red foliage. This hike and the waterfall viewing session make a perfect afternoon trip to explore the city's surroundings while enjoying nature.

Access: From Karuizawa station, take the local Kusakaru Kotsu bus to reach “Shiraito no Taki” in about half an hour.

2. The best of both worlds: the old and new town of Karuizawa

One of the characteristics of Karuizawa is the presence of an old and modern town, beautifully surrounded by trees. They’re both active and equally interesting! Start at Kyu-Karuizawa, near Karuizawa Station, and explore the little shops, cafes, the local Ginza Street, or the shopping outlets nearby. When you’re done, take the train to Naka-Karuizawa, the other popular area inside the city. It offers shops and cafes but in a different atmosphere: wood, trees, and museums are kings and queens there! Don’t forget to try out the Hoshino Onsen resort and enjoy the rustic feeling of Harunire Terrace.

Access: Both these places are accessible by train; get out at the Naka-Karuizawa or Kyu-Karuizawa Station.

3. Some adventure: Volcanic Park Onioshidashi

We tend to forget that Japan is a volcanic country, but even Mount Fuji could wake up from its slumber and do much damage if it wanted to… Nonetheless, countries that have or have had volcanic activities usually offer visitors incredible landscapes. And this is the case for Karuizawa, too! Between Nagano and Gunma prefecture lies Onioshidashi Park, a park entirely dedicated to the local volcano, Mount Asama. In 1783, the volcano erupted so abruptly that locals thought a demon was attacking them. The park is a testimony of this tragic time and of the violence of nature; it will leave you breathless. You can wander inside the gigantic lava rock constructions and pay your respects to victims of the incident in the local temple or to little oni (the equivalent of a demon in Japanese) scattered through the park. Onioshidashi Park also offers a nice view of nearby towns for you to take pictures of!

Access: From Karuizawa station, take a Seibu bus to the Onioshidashi Park stop.

4. Romance as its best: Karuizawa Kogen Church illumination

Okay, we’ve seen nature and adventure, but what about romance? Thanks to its agreeable weather during summer, Karuizawa quickly became a town quite popular amongst foreigners not accustomed to the hot and humid Japanese summer. Consequently, Christian culture thrived there and gave birth to many Christian-related buildings in the area. The Karuizawa Kogen Church was designed as a venue for liberal education in the Karuizawa area but became renowned for its candle night light-ups over the years. Head over to the Kogen Church any season to enjoy the relaxing effect of visiting a church inside a forest. As for the candle nights, the most awaited light-up is the summer one, but the year-end one is quite popular, too, as a Christmas season delight. No need to be Christian to attend! This church is well-known to be open-minded, whether for a simple visit or a wedding.

Access: From Naka-Karuizawa station, the church is 20 minutes away by foot. You can take a bus to Hoshino and walk 7 minutes to the church.

5. A bit of everything? Rent a bicycle!

There are many things to do in Karuizawa, maybe too much for a weekend, to be honest (but that’s a reason to come back!). To maximize your trip, and if you’re into riding bicycles, one of your best options is to rent one! Many attractions in central Karuizawa are quite gathered around the train stations, though by foot, it would take you a whole afternoon to visit. Rent a bicycle for a day, and you’ll be able to see a bit of everything without the rush. This technique will allow you to keep one day for your bicycle exploration and one for your favourite activity: waterfall, volcanic park, or just shopping around in the gigantic Karuizawa outlet.

Quite popular among locals, Karuizawa is not (yet) on the must-go list of many tourists: take the opportunity to explore this off-beaten-path location! It might be less easy to find accommodations or schedule your trip, so don’t hesitate to drop us a word if you would like to be accompanied when creating this trip.