An excursion to Karuizawa resort town

On a research trip to Japan, a Canadian friend joined me for a day trip. She's a former Okinawa resident, so although she's familiar with the Kanto region, many of its attractions are new to her. I suggested we see Karuizawa, a Nagano Prefecture resort town that is new to both of us.

Getting to Karuizawa necessitates a Shinkansen ride. We stood for 45 minutes because we didn't reserve seats. No bother. She caught me up on news from home, and together we marveled at countryside views.

On arrival at Karuizawa Station, we immediately understood the appeal of the resort town. The modern and convenient station with some retro touches, such as the Karuizawa bori carved station sign. On the north side is the refurbished station memorial building.

We were eager to see the waterfalls, so we boarded the Kusakaru Kotsu Bus and opted for the one-day bus passes. On the way, we experienced some deja vu on seeing the vintage villas and tree-lined streets. We joked that Karuizawa is Japan's version of Whistler, the mountain resort north of Vancouver, Canada. And we weren't wrong. The town's development as a Tokyo getaway was spurred by Canadian missionary Alexander Croft Shaw. The town attracted foreign diplomats and wealthy Japanese. Today, the town has a strong Christian influence with many churches.

The trip doesn't have to break your budget. While the Shinkansen ticket is a splurge, the one-day ticket on the bus gets you to many of the beauty spots. We saw Shiraito and Ryugaeshi Waterfalls, had lunch at the chaya at the foot of Mount Aso, and had delicious treats at an iconic coffee shop. We finished the evening with dinner at Kawakamian at the Tombo no Sato resort.

I intend to go to Karuizawa again on my own, parasol in hand, next summer.