As you walk around Karuizawa, you will notice the town has many jam stores. Why? Because Karuizawa is jam’s birthplace in Japan. As the town received many foreign visitors, especially in summer, the method of making delicious jams was passed to the locals. But many shops and cafes in Karuizawa sell homemade jams, so deciding which shop to buy from can be hard. If you are unsure which shop to visit, below are a couple of the most popular jam specialists on Old Karuizawa Ginza Street. You will likely find some unusual flavors in some of them!
The Recommended Jam and Dips Stores on Old Karuizawa Ginza Street
The above jam stores are listed according to their distance from Karuizawa Station.
Nakayama’s Jam (中山のジャム)
Nakayama’s Jam is a well-known jam-maker in Karuizawa. Just like Sawaya, the Nakayama family’s business had something to do with vegetables and fruits before they started making jams. The family had a large farm at the beginning of the 20th century. After they learnt the authentic jam-making method from a missionary, “Nakayama Jam” was commercialized in 1905. At the time, it was just a stall on Old Karuizawa Gina Street, but it was soon developed into a proper jam store that sells juice and pickles too.
Following the recipe gained from the missionary in the 20th century, each of the jars in the shop has the deliciousness of fresh fruit condensed in them. For example, while its strawberry jam doesn’t contain large fruit pieces like Sawaya, it has the perfect balance of sourness, aroma, and sweetness.
Besides the typical jam flavors, there are also rare ones like chestnut and cowberry. We even found a watermelon jam (refer to the 5th photo in the IG post)! So, how about trying them out with the free bread provided and then bringing a few jars back to broaden your jam collections at home?
Nakayama’s Jam’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Nakayama’s Jam is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm.
- It opens from 10 am to 5 pm in winter.
- The shop is around a 25-minute walk from Karuizawa Station and a 5-minute walk from the Kyu Karuizawa bus stop.
Sawaya (沢屋)
Amongst all the jam shops in Karuizawa, Sawaya is one of the best places to buy jams. The shop was originally a fruit shop in 1952. Then at the customer’s request, Sawaya started making additive-free, low-sugar handmade jams using freshly harvested fruits. And at some point, it was reborn as a jam specialty store. While the ingredients are simple, the jams sold there will likely be one of the best jams you will ever have!
Including seasonal flavors, Sawaya makes almost 60 different jam flavors each year. The signatory item at Sawaya is strawberry jams. Made from only large strawberries freshly harvested and sugar, sizable strawberry pieces are contained in the jam!
Instead of putting the strawberry jam on your toast, how about also adding it to unsweetened yogurt?
Moreover, a special jam that is found in Sawaya is rhubarb jam. While rhubarb is a vegetable, the jam made from crushed rhubarb somehow has a fruity taste. As it goes really well with berries, you can fix it with strawberry or raspberry jams.
Furthermore, Sawaya also sells flower-based jams. For example, the rose jam (ばらの花のジャム) is not only used as a bread spread, but it can also be used to make a nice cup of tea!
In addition, you will also find 100% juice and dressing at Sawaya. The jam shop also has a small cafe space.
Tips:
☛ You can book a jam-making workshop with Sawaya. Refer to HERE for more information. Note that the workshop is held at Mori no Naka no Restaurant Kodou (森の中のレストラン こどう).
☛ Sawaya also has a shop on Karuizawa Station’s 3rd floor. You can also find the jam in department stores in big cities. For a list of stores that sell Sawaya’s jam, refer to HERE and translate it into English.
Sawaya’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Sawaya is open daily from 9:15 am to 6 pm.
- The shop may have extended opening hours in the summer.
- The shop is around a 25-minute walk from Karuizawa Station and a 5-minute walk from the Kyu Karuizawa bus stop.
Cerfeuil Karuizawa (グロッサリーコートセルフィユ)
If you are after something more special than the typical flavored jams, Cerfeuil Karizawa, located diagonally opposite Nakayama’s Jam, can fulfil your request. In addition to fruit jams, unique jams, dips, and fresh sweets can also be found there.
For example, have you ever heard of Sweet Pudding Jam (スイートプリンジャム)? Made from almost the same ingredients as pudding, it has the rich aroma of vanilla beans. The taste of the bread with Sweet Pudding Jam spread on it is just amazing! You can refer to the 2nd and the 3rd photo in the Instagram post. These best sellers were placed on the most obvious spot in the shop!
Another recommended item sold at Cerfeuil Karuizawa is Shinshu Apple Butter (信州林檎バター). The spread made from the region’s apple goes on perfectly with pancakes or toast!
If you eat eggs, there are also various flavored mayonnaise for you to try!
Tip: While samples are not provided for all jams/dips, remember to ask for them before you buy!
Cerfeuil Karuizawa’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Cerfeuil Karuizawa is open daily from 9:30 am to 6 pm.
- The shop is around a 25-minute walk from Karuizawa Station and a 5-minute walk from the Kyu Karuizawa bus stop.
Discover the Best Cafes and Interesting Spots on Old Karuizawa Gina Street
Obviously jam shops are not the only shop category on Old Karuizawa Gina Street. The 750-meter-long street is lined with trendy cafes, confectionary shops, tasty restaurants and a lot more!
So refer to our Guide to Old Karuizawa Gina Street for more ideas of where to stop by when you visit Karuizawa!
