長野Nagano
軽井沢Karuizawa
A highland town of larch forest and quiet lanes, about a thousand metres up. Tokyo comes here to slow down in summer.
- From Tokyo
- About 2 h 20 by car
- Give it
- 2 days
- Best in
- Summer and autumn
Karuizawa sits on a plateau below Mount Asama, and it has been Tokyo's summer retreat for more than a century. It stays cool when the city is not, and the town suits slow days: cafes, churches in the woods and long straight roads under the trees.
With the car you can cover the whole area. Drive out to the Shiraito Falls, walk around Kumoba Pond in the early morning and stop at the old Kyu-Karuizawa shopping street when it suits you.
The drive from Tokyo is simple, on the Kan-etsu and Joshin-etsu expressways, and the last stretch climbs gently into the hills.
Two days lets you settle in. In winter it becomes a ski town, and the car needs snow tyres.
季節Seasons
Karuizawa through the year
- Spring 春
A late spring: cherry blossom arrives in late April or early May.
- Summer 夏Best
The reason people come: cool and green, and busy in August.
- Autumn 秋BestNow
Larch and maple turn gold and red from mid-October.
- Winter 冬
Snow and very cold mornings. Snow tyres are needed; add them when you enquire.
Know when Karuizawa is at its best
A short note from our family before the best weeks in Karuizawa and the rest of the Drives near Tokyo, with any offers. A few times a year, by email.
祭り・行事Festivals
Festivals and events in Karuizawa
Dates come from each organiser’s own site and are added as they are announced. Big events bring crowds and road closures, so plan your Drive around them.
Karuizawa Winter Festival
Across Karuizawa · 軽井沢ウインターフェスティバル
Illuminations around town each evening, a Christmas market at the Kyu-Karuizawa rotary and ice sculptures in February. The first evening ends with fireworks over Yagasaki Park.
Kyu-Karuizawa car parks fill at busy times, and the town asks drivers not to queue on the road.
Official siteEarly September to early November · Date not announced yet
Karuizawa Autumn Leaves Festival
Across Karuizawa · 軽井沢紅葉まつり
Markets, guided walks, concerts and a cycle ride across town while the leaves turn. Kumoba Pond is at its best from mid-October to early November.
Town car parks fill in the season, with long waits to get in.
Official site
旅の相談Plan this Drive
Drive to Karuizawa
Tell us your dates and who is coming.
他の行き先More Drives
