Welcome to the Karuizawa town Website

Karuizawa is a picturesque highland town perched at approximately 1,000 meters above sea level, located in the east of Nagano Prefecture and on the boundary with Gunma Prefecture. The area is 156.05 square meters. 　

　The advances in transportation have made Karuizawa accessible for foreigners and Japanese alike especially Tokyoites. The high-speed transportation systems were completed with the opening of the Joshinetsu Highway between Fujioka and Saku in 1993 and the partial opening of the Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train between Takasaki and Nagano. These advances meant that travel time was reduced to a mere one hour and 40 minutes by car and 70 minutes by bullet train. As a result, Karuizawa serves as the gateway to Shinsyu, Nagano Prefecture. Karuizawa is now within commuting distance to Tokyo and its suburban areas with employees and students alike making the daily commute with ease.

　In addition, the Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train between Nagano and Kanazawa will open in 2014, which will improve the access from Hokuriku region to Karuizawa having positive consequences for all.

　In 1886 Karuizawa was first introduced as one of the best summer resorts by Mr. Alexander Croft Shaw, the Canadian-born missionary of the Anglican Church to his friends and acquaintances. He was moved by Karuizawa’s wonderful nature and compared it to “a roofless hospital in the forest”. Since then, our predecessors have overcome various trials including the need to find the right balance between developments for economic progress and the need to protect and preserve the rich nature that Karuizawa boasts. As a result, Karuizawa has developed as one of the most renowned international health resorts and the ideal location for rest, relaxation and getting back to nature.

　I hope this website will help you get to know more about Karuizawa and discover new charms of our town.