Karuizawa
Hello! I’m excited to share a post from my 2016 blog that captures a beautiful memory, and I thought it deserved a revival here. Enjoy! :)
This entry is about my trip to Karuizawa, Japan (a mountain resort town) back in May of 2016.
While living in Tokyo with my roommates, four of us decided to escape for a weekend getaway to the delightful town of Karuizawa. I had never heard of it before, but I was thrilled when they mentioned visiting an onsen (hot springs bath).
Being students, we were keen to keep costs down. We discovered a bus route that would take us close to the town, and then we planned to hop on the local train from there. One of my roommates found a cozy and affordable Airbnb for our stay.
The bus ride to Karuizawa was absolutely stunning, weaving through picturesque mountains. However, we ended up a bit lost between the bus and train transfers, arriving in the town later than expected. Karuizawa is quite small, and by the time we got there, most shops and restaurants had already closed.
As we walked away from the station, the streets grew darker and more desolate. We joked about it feeling like a ghost town, but I think we were all actually terrified and ready to get to our Airbnb ASAP. Using our iPhone flashlights, we embarked on a twenty-minute trek up a pitch-black hill to find our place.
The old Japanese house loomed before us, reminiscent of a scene from a horror film. We even sent our closest friends our locations, just in case we were to “get killed.”
When we finally rang the doorbell, a friendly young man welcomed us in and explained the house rules. He showed us to our room upstairs, and we were all ready to collapse from exhaustion.
The next morning, we woke up to bright sunlight flooding our room, and we quickly realized just how charming the place was. What had felt ominous the night before transformed completely with the light of day.
We took countless pictures, soaking in the cozy, peaceful atmosphere that felt worlds away from the bustling city of Tokyo we had come from.
After getting ready, we set out early in the day. As we were leaving the house, we spotted the owner tending to his garden. We approached him and learned he grew his own herbs, and he eagerly shared his gardening tips with us.
The exterior of the house looked entirely different in the daylight, as well- so enchanting, and the weather was just perfect.
We headed to Hoshino Onsen for our hot bath experience. I managed to take a quick Snapchat photo of the sign, but cameras weren’t allowed in the baths for obvious reasons.
Yes, we all saw each other nakey LOL. Although we were shy and giggly at first, our concerns faded away in the peaceful atmosphere around us. The baths were absolutely stunning and incredibly relaxing; we ended up spending several hours there. I captured these images just outside the onsen building.
Afterward, we strolled through the town and discovered some cute shops and cafes. I only have a few low-quality Snapchat photos to share since I had put my camera away by then, but I did spot some of my favorite characters—Little My from Moomin and Totoro from Tonari No Totoro!
It was one of my favorite little trips, and the experience will always hold a special place in my memory. I’ve heard that Karuizawa is also renowned for its winter sports, but we visited in the heart of summer.
Fun fact: a season of Terrace House was filmed in Karuizawa!
I hope you enjoyed reading about my adventure, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask!
♡ Remi
