Best Places to Stay in Karuizawa
Popular with Tokyoites, the more wealthy of whom often have second homes in the area, Karuizawa is one of Japan’s most famous resort towns and offers visitors some of Nagano’s best accommodation. On this page you will find the following information:
— Best Places to Stay In & Around Karuizawa
— 30 Best Things to Do Around Karuizawa
— Tours & Charters Around Karuizawa
Only 70 minutes from Tokyo or 30 minutes from Nagano using the Hokuriku Shinkansen, Karuizawa is one of Japan’s oldest and most famous mountain resort towns. Sitting around 1000 metres above sea level, Karuizawa enjoys a notably cooler climate than the capital and as such, has offers escape from the heat and humidity of summer. Known for its shopping, dining and outdoor activities including hiking, cycling, golf and skiing and snowboarding in winter, Karuizawa is an all-year-round destination – a little taste of Tokyo in the mountains.
This page is intended to be read in conjunction with our ’30 Things to Do Around Karuizawa’ page. We hope that both pages inspire you to visit Karuizawa and are of assistance in finding the right accommodation for you.
BEST PLACES TO STAY IN & AROUND KARUIZAWA
Karuizawa boasts an excellent range of accommodation options including many high-end hotels, guesthouses and self-contained apartments and lodges. In this section we provide information about accommodation in the following areas:
KARUIZAWA STATION AREA – OLD GINZA / KYUKARUIZAWA AREA – NAKA-KARUIZAWA STATION AREA – KUSATSU ONSEN AREA – MANZA ONSEN AREA
Most visitors arrive at Karuizawa Station using the Hokuriku Shinkansen, making the area around the station a convenient base. Alternatively, the area around Naka-Karuizawa Station also has some excellent accommodation options and attractions but it’s worth noting the shinkansen does not service that station:
KARUIZAWA STATION AREA
Most international visitors heading to and from Karuizawa will do so via the station, making it convenient to stay nearby. The area around the station is also close to some of the main attractions that bring people to this area, such as the Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza for prime shopping and the Karuizawa Prince Snow Resort to see some of Karuizawa’s famous scenery from the slopes. The Prince Hotel Group has been becoming more and more popular all through Japan as a premier option for those wishing for quality experiences during their vacations, and the above two attractions are also a part of a grand resort that the Prince Hotel Group has set up in this area that caters to all times of year and activities. The Karuizawa Prince Hotel is also a part of this grand resort area, and operates multiple hotels and villas in this area near the station catering to the mid and high-end market, making it for the perfect place to stay if you are going to Karuizawa for any type of trip.
KARUIZAWA PRINCE HOTEL
The Karuizawa Prince offers shuttles from the Station, as well as within the resort premises so that you can make the most of your time and not worry about logistics! Guests can enjoy the convenience of ski-in and ski-out access in the winter, while the warmer months offer opportunities for tennis, cycling, and exploring the extensive grounds. Hotel guests have access to free shuttles within the resort grounds, the onsen (hot springs) onsite for relaxation, as well as multiple dining options ranging from traditional Japanese cuisine to international fare, ensuring a delightful culinary experience. The resort’s prime location also makes it an ideal base for exploring nearby attractions and famous sightseeing spots in the Nagano area like Kusatsu Onsen, Matsumoto, and the Snow Monkey Park.
Historic & Grand
Resort Complex
| Karuizawa Prince Hotel | |
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| Area | KARUIZAWA & KUSATSU |
| Type | Hotel |
| Feature | Bar/LoungeConcierge ServicesDinner & Breakfast IncludedEnglish-SpeakingFamily RoomsFitness CentreFree WifiOnsen/Hot SpringOutdoor OnsenPrivate BathroomPrivate OnsenRestaurantRoom ServiceShuttle ServiceSki In/OutSki/Snowboard RentalSwimming PoolWestern Rooms |
| Price | JPY20,000 ~ / pp |
OLD GINZA / KYUKARUIZAWA AREA
The Old Ginza / Kyukaruizawa area of Karuizawa is located to the north of the station, within 10 to 15-minutes walk depending on where you are headed. In this area you will find many smaller hotels and guesthouses including several high-end ‘ryokan’ (traditional guesthouses). As the name suggests, this is the original heart of Karuizawa town; a quainter shopping and dining precinct than the modern Prince Shopping Plaza to the south. For accommodation listings, see our ‘Karuizawa: Old Ginza / Kyukaruizawa Area’ hotel page.
NAKA-KARUIZAWA STATION AREA
Lying 4KM to the west of Karuizawa Station, Naka-Karuizawa Station is surrounded by small hotels, guesthouses and villas. Hoshino Resorts BEB Karuizawa is located in this area – around 1.5KM from Naka-Karuizawa Station – with Harunire Terrace and Hoshinoya Karuizawa sitting just a little further to the north. In the surrounding area, you will find some excellent restaurants and cafes with many wealth Japanese also having second homes nearby. If you are planning to stay in this area it’s important to note that the Hokuriku Shinkansen does not service Naka-Karuizawa Station. Upon arrival at Karuizawa Station you will either need to switch to the local Shinano Tetsudo line – a journey that takes only 4-minutes – take a taxi or walk. Unless you are travelling with only small luggage and the weather is good, we don’t recommend walking as it’ll probably take longer than you think. For accommodation listings, see our ‘Karuizawa: Naka-Karuizawa Station Area’ hotel page.
KUSATSU ONSEN AREA
1 Day Tour
| 1-Day Tour from Nagano and Karuizawa: Unwind in Kusatsu Onsen | |
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| Period | April – November |
| Time | 09:30 – 17:30 |
| Meeting Place | Nagano Station Karuizawa Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥24,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥15,500 |
Kusatsu Onsen is one of Japan’s most famous hot spring towns – located around 70 to 80 minutes drive to the north of Karuizawa Station. There’s no shortage of accommodation options in Kusatsu Onsen, with most hotels and guesthouses concentrated around the iconic ‘yubatake’ which feeds the hot springs of accommodation throughout town. There’s a large range of accommodation including high-end ‘ryokan’ (traditional guesthouses), large hotels along with mid-range and budget options. Given the fame of the town and its hot springs, accommodation can book-out well in advance on weekends and holidays so if you you’re your eye on a specific hotel or guesthouse, make sure to lock-in that booking early. For accommodation listings, see our ‘Kusatsu Onsen Area’ hotel page.
MANZA ONSEN AREA
Manza Onsen is a notably smaller hot spring town nestled within Joshinetsu Kogen National Park – also located around 70 to 80 minutes from Karuizawa. Hotels and guesthouses are dotted across a dramatic yet beautiful alpine landscape with walking trails spanning-out into the national park. Drawing its water from nearby Mount Shirane, the water of Manza Onsen is known for its brightly-coloured, acidic and sulfuric character. While it won’t be for everyone, the town is popular with many visitors who seek-out its water, said to improve blood circulations and metabolism. For accommodation listings, see our ‘Manza Onsen Area’ hotel page.
30 BEST THINGS TO DO IN & AROUND KARUIZAWA
1 Day Tour
| 1-Day Tour from Nagano and Karuizawa: Colors of the Season at Ashikaga Flower Park | |
| Period | March – October |
| Time | 07:50 – 19:00 / 09:30 – 17:30 |
| Meeting Place | Nagano Station / Karuizawa Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥29,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥17,900 |
Karuizawa is one of Japan’s most famous resort towns offering lots of reasons to visit. Within easy reach of Tokyo, both Japanese and international visitors flock to Karuizawa to enjoy its cool alpine climate, shopping, restaurants, museum, galleries and array of great accommodation. Sitting on the boundary of the Joshinetsu Kogen National Park, visitors headed to Karuizawa can also enjoy nearby destinations including Mount Asama, Mount Kusatsu-Shirane and multiple hot spring towns including Kusatsu Onsen. For lots of great tips and suggestions of what to do and where to stay, see our ’30 Things to Do Around Karuizawa & Where to Stay’ page.
HOW TO GET TO KARUIZAWA
As a stop on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line running from Tokyo to Kanazawa, Karuizawa is easy to reach from the capital, nearby Nagano and beyond. Our ‘How To Get To Karuizawa’ page explains how to make the journey from those and many other popular starting points.
TOURS AND CHARTERS AROUND KARUIZAWA
While Karuizawa is an amazing place to spend a vacation, you may wish to use some of your days there to travel a little farther afield! While Japan’s public transport is amazing, there are still times where it may fall short of fulfilling your needs. In those situations, we recommend taking a tour with us!
1 Day Tour
| 1-Day Tour from Nagano and Karuizawa: Unwind in Kusatsu Onsen | |
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| Period | April – November |
| Time | 09:30 – 17:30 |
| Meeting Place | Nagano Station Karuizawa Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥24,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥15,500 |
Offering pick up from both Nagano Station and Karuizawa Station, this group tour will bring you to Kusatsu with a stop at the beautiful dry lava fields of the Onioshidashien along the way. After some time to enjoy what Kusatsu has to offer, our tour vehicle will take you up into the mountains behind Kusatsu on one of Japan’s most scenic highways. This is not a tour to miss!
Private Tour
| [START FROM KARUIZAWA] Private Snow Monkey Tour | |
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| Period | All Year Round |
| Time | 08:30 onward |
| Meeting Place | Any location in Karuizawa |
| Price | ¥160,000 ~ / group |
If you are interested in seeing the world famous Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani, and want to travel at your own pace, why not take our private tour of the park from Kusatsu? With a visit to Nagano City and the historic Zenkoji Temple included, this is a great way to explore the area with ease.
If you don’t need a guide and would like to make your own route, why not hire one of our private charter vehicles for the day? With well trained and polite drivers, we will bring you where you want to go from the Karuizawa area, door-to-door. For more information on pricing and availability, please click HERE.
