Karuizawa is an ideal weekend getaway from Tokyo, perfect for travelers who love nature or great shopping. The city is best known for its ski area, hiking trails, small boutiques, and massive outlet mall.
Karuizawa is in the Nagano prefecture of Japan, about two hours by train north from Shibuya Station. While pleasant to visit year-round, my favorite season in Karuizawa is late November when the leaves turn color (called “kōyō” in Japanese).
This city is a popular weekend getaway destination for locals and was featured as the location of a season of the hit reality show Terrace House a few years ago.
In this guide, I’ll share my recommendations for the best trip to Karuizawa.
What are the best things to do in Karuizawa?
Where To Stay In Karuizawa
Karuizawa is a decentralized city surrounded by nature. If you prefer to stay near cafes or restaurants, stay in either the Kyu-Karuizawa or Naka-Karuizawa areas.
A room inside Hotel Cross Karuizawa
I stayed at the Hotel Cross Karuizawa in Kyu-Karuizawa, which is conveniently located near many restaurants and shops.
You can also rent a house in the surrounding area if you have a car and prefer a more secluded experience.
Where To Eat In Karuizawa
Karuizawa is one of my favorite weekend destinations because it has so many amazing restaurants and cafes. You can spend a very enjoyable trip just reading in different coffee shops and wandering around the downtown area.
One of my favorite discoveries in Karuizawa was Bakery & Restaurant Sawamura. This restaurant has a few locations in Tokyo as well, but in Karuizawa has two locations — one in Kyu-Karuizawa and one in Naka-Karuizawa. It is split into a cafe section and a restaurant section both offering good western-style food, but the quality of the restaurant section stood out as a better value for the price. Apple Pie Lab is next to the Bakery & Restaurant Sawamura Kyu-Karuizawa location and offers a selection of pies.
Pasta from Il Sogno Pizzeria
Japanese curry from NICO cafe
This fruit and vegetable store has several varieties of applies, which the Nagano region is famous for.
Some of my favorite restaurants in Karuizawa are:
Kawakamien (soba)
Cafe Meriggiare (cafe)
Il Sogno Pizzeria (Italian)
NICO cafe (Japanese-style cafe)
Bakery & Restaurant Sawamura (bakery and western-style cafe)
Apple Pie Lab (pies)
What To Do In Karuizawa
Biking
Bike between Kyu-Karuizawa and Naka-Karuizawa to enjoy the nature and spend a half or full day in another part of town. If you stay in Kyu-Karuizawa, there are multiple bike rental stores. I recommend a shop called Amari, which is a 5 minute walk from Hotel Cross Karuizawa. In the winter, Karuizawa is a popular ski/snowboard destination.
Shopping
Karuizawa is full of little shops selling handmade ceramics, crystals, kitchenware, and jams. Check out Old Karuizawa Ginza Street in Kyu-Karuizawa and Harunire Terrace in Naka-Karuizawa for a cluster of great stores.
If you’d like to do some heavier shopping before returning to Tokyo, The Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza is one of the largest and most popular outlet malls in Japan. It’s possible to visit this outlet mall alone as a day trip from Tokyo.
Harunire Terrace
In Naka-Karuizawa, visit Harunire Terrace to do some souvenir shopping and visit one of the many restaurants. From there, you can walk or drive to Tonbo-no-yu, a large indoor and outdoor onsen (Japanese bath).
What To Buy In Karuizawa
Karuizawa is full of little shops selling handmade ceramics, crystals, kitchenware, and jams. Check out Old Karuizawa Ginza Street in Kyu-Karuizawa and Harunire Terrace in Naka-Karuizawa for a cluster of great stores.
If you’d like to do some heavier shopping before returning to Tokyo, The Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza is one of the largest and most popular outlet malls in Japan. It’s possible to visit this outlet mall alone as a day trip from Tokyo.
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