Karuizawa Customized Half-Day Tour with Licensed Local Guide

To start things off, take a stroll on the promenade around Kumoba Pond (Kumoba-ike). It will take you around 20 minutes. As you may have already guessed, this small lake reaches its peak beauty in fall, when the red and yellow leaves double up with their reflection on the water surface. This gorgeous view will make the perfect cover for your Karuizawa travel photobook!

Due to the resemblance with a sequence of thin white threads dangling from the rocks, there are several waterfalls named "Shiraito" ("white thread" in Japanese) throughout Japan. Although, very few of them are as welcomingly large, beautifully arched, and easy to access as these ones in Karuizawa! Stretching out for 70m and gushing out of 3m-tall bare rocks, these waterfalls offer a different view each time of the year, so whenever you visit Karuizawa, save some time to see them!

Grab your camera and go take a panoramic shot from Former Usuitouge View Point (Kyu Usui-toge Miharashidai), located at the border between Nagano and Gunma. Whether you take the bus or climb up there, for sunrise or sunset, the view of all those mountaintops, among which Mt. Asama and the Yatsugatake volcanic group, will leave you absolutely breathless!

Ever heard of "shinrin-yoku"? Recently trending on the web, this expression literally translates to "bathing in the forest", meant as a form of nature therapy. If you feel like trying that, head to Sengataki Fall (Sengataki), whose 20m make it the tallest drop waterfall in Karuizawa. Enjoy a light hike in the valley surrounded by water streams and vibrant ferns, through which blows a pleasant fresh wind.

Surrounded by a freshwater lake, this is a huge natural garden comprising 8 different areas and a whole lot of beautiful flowers and plants! In particular, head there in June to admire its many roses in full bloom, but know that the garden has so many species that it's beautiful and unique every other time of the year!

If you're after a place for wildlife encounters and bird-watching, Yacho no Mori (literally "wild birds' forest") is strongly recommended. There you can take a 2.5km hike through mountain streams, swamps, larches and acorns, with birds chirping as your background music.

A jaw-dropping architectural wonder nestled in Karuizawa's vibrant nature. Composed by an alternate sequence of stone and glass arches of increasing size, through which the sunlight creates a solemn atmosphere, this uniquely designed structure will go down in history as a rare example of organic architecture, a building style that prioritizes balance with the surrounding nature. It's the perfect venue for weddings and other ceremonies, although the church has no religious symbols like crosses or altars. Kanzo Uchimura was a Japanese Christian philosopher and this place was dedicated to him by American architect Kendrick Kellogg.

Another marvellous church in Karuizawa surrounded by nature. Here, your Christian ceremony can be made even more unique and evocative thanks to a phenomenon known as "komorebi", which refers to when the sunlight filters through the trees creating a warm and soothing atmosphere.

This small wooden church in the old town was established in 1935 by a British priest and belongs to the Catholic Diocese of Yokohama. Designed by the architect Antonin Raymond, it has the typical triangular roof of chapels and churches of the Alps. Take a peek inside and you'll be amazed at the peaceful and warm atmosphere given by the wood interiors! If you're lucky enough, you may even witness a beautiful wedding.

Keeping with the church theme, another one you shouldn't miss is the Shaw Memorial, which is an Anglican Church of the Diocese of Chubu. It sits in a tranquil grove of verdant trees you can get to through the lively Kyu-Karuizawa Ginza-Dori (Kyu-Karuizawa Ginza Street). The church was established in 1895 by Alexander Croft Shaw, a minister of the Anglican Church of Canada, and other than a statue of him, the premises also include his residence. The cozy wooden interiors and the crypt's stained-glass portraying sceneries of Karuizawa are just lovely!

Buildings like these are not something you see every day in Japan! That's why this lovely wooden structure, which used to be a hotel, was designated Important Cultural Property. Despite its pure western architectural style, it was entirely designed and built by Japanese hands in the late Meiji Era (1868 - 1912).

Time for some shopping! This huge outlet area offers a large variety of brands that could keep you busy a whole day, or even 2. In fact, this is so much more than just a shopping center! First of all, the facilities are all new and fancy, scattered around a large area with a nice green lawn and a lake. Other than an extensive food court, with restaurants and cafes of all kinds, there's also a spa and other services exclusively for pets! Plus, it's super easy to access by train or bus!

One of the main attractions of Hoshino area is a wooden deck built in the middle of a forest of over 100 Japanese elms ("harunire") growing wild by the stream. Get some fresh air by strolling around 15 modern-style facilities, including a gallery, stylish restaurants, and shops!

The old town of Karuizawa is best represented by this lovely shopping area known as Kyu-Karuizawa Ginza Street. A lineup of historical shops and delicious restaurants makes the perfect destination for an afternoon stroll, as well as some souvenir shopping! Visited by millions of tourists every year, this is a key spot if you're interested in Karuizawa's past, both in terms of lifestyle and architecture.

Despite its somewhat misleading name, Church Street is simply another shopping arcade. It owes its name to the fact that it leads to St. Paul, the most important church in Karuizawa, so it's recommended for a coffee or shopping break on your way to/from the church. It's a nice way to experience the contrast between the sacred and the non-sacred sides of Karuizawa. The 2-storied arcade hosts around 20 different stores selling food, fashion and miscellaneous goods.

Another great idea if the weather doesn't cooperate: museums! In case you're not familiar with him, Hiroshi Senju is a world-famous Japanese artist, and he designed this museum himself in collaboration with the architect Ryue Nishizawa as a representation of the harmony between art and nature in Karuizawa.

"Museums are for the human society what stick insects are for the ecosystem." This is how Sezon Museum of Modern Art chose to introduce itself, to point out how art contributes to develop a peaceful society, just like stick insects help the trees grow new leaves by eating the old ones.