The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route (立山黒部アルペンルート) is a scenic route that traverses the Japanese Northern Alps, connecting Toyama and Nagano Prefectures. Known as the Roof of Japan, Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route opens on April 15 and closes on November 30 each year. This spectacular route is renowned for its magnificent 20-meter snow wall at the […]
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Kusatsu Onsen is undoubtedly one of Japan’s most famous hot spring towns. But it would be a waste if your trip to Gunma Prefecture ended at Kusatsu Onsen only, as there are many amazing destinations in the surrounding areas that may interest you!
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If you are a history and architecture buff, visit the Former Mikasa Hotel (旧三笠ホテル) when you travel to Karuizawa. It is a purely Western-style wooden hotel designed and completed in 1905 by only the Japanese. The hotel, equipped with the finest facility and furniture at the time, was loved by those with high social status
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Besides Kids’ Ninja Village, Togakushi Ninja Museum and Ninja Trick Mansion (戸隠流忍法資料館 忍者からくり屋敷), close to the starting point of Togakushi Oku-sha Approach, is another ninja-related attraction in Togakushi. A ninja’s home is often filled with traps that help them get a leg up on their adversaries. If you are interested in visiting one of these
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If you love naan bread, the best restaurant in Matsumoto to visit is Asian Station (松本アジアンステーション). Using a tandoor, the naan bread served in the restaurant will easily top the most delicious naan spots you might have been to. The place, run by Nepalese, also has vegan and halal options, making it suitable for people
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While many scenic natural spots are not usually close to a train station, Kumoba Pond (雲場池) in Karuizawa is just a 20-minute walk from Karuizawa Station! The spot that was nicknamed Swan Lake (スワンレイク) by Westerners is a place with a very calm atmosphere that you will surely love!
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Compared to the neighborhood around Karuizawa Station, the Naka-Karuizawa area is less commercialized, so you might be worried about not being able to find vegetarian/vegan food there. Surprisingly, there are a couple of good options in Naka-Karuizawa. Although getting to them requires a degree of effort as they aren’t located close to the train station, the food
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Just a station away from Karuizawa Station, Naka-Karuizawa has been gaining tourists’ attention! The area has abundant nature along the Yu River (湯川). But that doesn’t mean that heading into the wild is the only thing you can do there. In fact, it is the opposite! Starting with HARUNIRE Terrace, a modern commercial complex for
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Remaining unknown to many, the old post town, Oiwake-Shuku (追分宿), is just two stations away from Karuizawa Station. The area is filled with many historical buildings, so it is a perfect spot to escape from the crowd in Karuizawa‘s town center for a calm and traditional ambiance.
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In addition to Uchimura Kanzō Memorial Stone Church (石の教会 内村鑑三記念堂), another church that can excite architectural buffs is Karuizawa St. Paul’s Catholic Church (軽井沢聖パウロカトリック教会). Designed by the famous American architect Antonin Raymond, the church is another landmark in Karuizawa. It was where the first Christian wedding for non-Christians was held in Japan, and nowadays, a
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