Karuizawa Day Trip from Tokyo: My 1-Day Itinerary, Experience & Recommendations

This Japan itinerary offers solo travelers an easy day trip from Tokyo to Karuizawa.

Whenever I visit Tokyo, I always leave a day or two in my itinerary to take a few day trips outside the busy city.

Karuizawa is a well-known area for escaping into nature and relaxing — and it’s only about an hour or two out from Tokyo by train (depending on where you’re coming from).

The notably cooler temps (compared to Tokyo) make it the perfect spot to beat the heat in the summer, while Karuizawa’s premier ski resorts are very popular vacation spots in the winter.

If you have room in your schedule, I recommend staying for a night or two to fully slow down and enjoy all the area has to offer.

However, it is 100% possible to visit Karuizawa comfortably as a quick day trip from Tokyo. (I didn’t have to rush at all!)

This guide shares my exact Karuizawa day itinerary, as shown in the vlog below.

This itinerary is especially for solo travelers who want to explore Karuizawa with confidence and ease.

Inside this guide, you’ll find:

A step-by-step 1-day itinerary for Karuizawa
Solo travel tips for Karuizawa (safety, pacing, and planning)
My personal experience at each stop (what to expect + why it’s worth visiting)
Cafes, shops, and cultural spots that are easy and welcoming to visit alone
Optional add-ons if you want to linger longer or shorten your day

Whether you’re planning your first solo trip to Japan or simply craving a softer side of Japan, I hope this guide helps you create a day that feels calm, cozy, and uniquely yours.

➡️ I know how chaotic planning a trip can be! So, I created a simple “Japan Travel Checklist” to help you keep track of everything!

Now, let’s dive into how to spend a day in Karuizawa!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. These are all products and services I highly recommend. Please read full disclosure here.

Table of Contents

How to Get to Karuizawa from Tokyo

You can get to Karuizawa in as little as one hour from Tokyo, depending on where you’re coming from.

If you leave directly from Tokyo Station, you’ll get there in an hour via the Hokuriku Shinkansen.

My trip was about 2 hours because I stayed near Shibuya and had to take a train to Omiya Station (where I caught the Shinkansen).

Tips to Purchase Shinkansen Tickets

Reserve your seat at least 48 hours in advance (especially if you’re traveling with oversize luggage or want a specific seat)
Make sure you purchase tickets for both the base fare and the Shinkansen reserved seat.
You can purchase tickets:
- Online through reservation sites like Klook
- Mobile app: SmartEX
- Ticket vending machine at JR stations
- Ticket offices at JR Stations (look for “Shinkansen (or JR) Ticket Office”)

Alternatively, if you’re comfortable renting a car in Japan, it will take about 2-3 hours one-way to get to Karuizawa from Tokyo.

Then, once you’re in Karuizawa, I noticed most of the places I visited had parking lots.

My 1-Day Itinerary in Karuizawa

Morning Departure from Tokyo

Travel Time: 1-2 hrs — Shinkansen Hokuriku from Tokyo

I ended up taking the 8:17 am Hokuriku Shinkansen from Omiya Station to Karuizawa JR Station.

Sawamura Roastery

First things first, coffee! ☕️ Sawamura Roastery is a bakery and coffee shop that originated in Karuizawa. It’s best known for its bread, single-serve coffee, and seasonal foods and drinks.

They currently have two locations in Old Town Karuizawa and five in various Tokyo areas.

Both Karuizawa locations are large, cozy establishments with lots of indoor and outdoor seating available (so good for small or large groups).

I highly recommend you try one of their pastries. The croissant I had was one of the best I’ve ever had (super light and flaky).

➡️ Check out their official website to learn more about Sawamura Roastery.

How to Get to Sawamura Roastery

There’s a bus from Karuizawa Station (a 7 min ride), but we ended up taking a taxi (a 5 min drive) since the bus was packed!

Note: the bus to Old Town Karuizawa looks like a limousine charter vs a regular bus.

Old Town Karuizawa

Just down the street from Sawamura Roastery is the main shopping area of Old Town Karuizawa — a charming little area with a nice mix of Western and Japanese influences.

The area gives off a “resort area vibe,” meaning it feels way more relaxed, with people leisurely strolling around, biding their time until their next onsen soak or meal.

Farther down the road, you’ll find the Karuizawa Shaw Memorial Church — a historical landmark built in 1895. It’s the town’s first church, named after the Canadian missionary, Alexander Croft Shaw.

✨ Fun fact: Shaw is also recognized as the person who established Karuizawa as a summer resort and getaway to beat the heat.

Notable places to visit in Old Town Karuizawa:

French Bakery — known as a favorite of John Lennon & Yoko Ono
Karuizawa Shaw Memorial Church — the first church in Karuizawa
Cresson River Side Story — higher-end eatery and cafe; exterior shown in vlog
Snoopy, Miffy, and Studio Ghibli stores
Art museums and galleries — there are many local galleries located on Old Karuizawa Ginza Street

Overall, I spent about two hours in Old Town Karuizawa.

How to Get to Old Town Karuizawa

Sawamura Roastery is located in Old Town Karuizawa, so you’ll only need to take a short walk to the main shopping areas from the restaurant.
If you’re coming from Karuizawa Station, you can either take the bus or a taxi.

Karuizawa Shiraito Falls

No trip to Karuizawa would be complete without at least one visit to a natural landmark. On this trip, I decided to take a bus out to Shiraito Falls because, although it isn’t very tall, the length of the waterfall’s arch is impressive.

It’s a short walk from the bus and parking lot to the main waterfall, so you don’t need to spend too much time here.

It was at this point that I got hungry, so I grabbed a warm bun from one of the stalls by the parking lot.

How to Get to Shiraito Falls

25-minute bus ride from Old Town Karuizawa
15-minute drive or taxi ride

I took a 12:30 pm bus from Old Town Karuizawa. To use the bus, you receive a ticket number upon entry and then pay at your stop with a card or cash (NO Suica or Pasmo).

The ride up to the falls is really beautiful! So if possible, I recommend grabbing a window seat.

Harunire Terrace

We stopped for lunch at Harunire Terrace, which is located near two of Karuizawa’s famous churches. The outdoor shopping mall is located near a peaceful river and is home to boutique shops and restaurants.

✨ The viral custom ring place in Kyoto, glänta, has a location here!

The terrace had lots of places to sit and rest your feet. Plus a couple of coffee shops, bakeries, and dessert places.

I also recommend taking a little stroll down the riverside pathway.

How to Get to Harunire Terrace

43-minute bus ride from Shiraito Falls
- You hop on the same bus you took from Old Town Karuizawa for one stop.
- Then hop on another bus (Minenochaya to Karuizawa Eki)
- Get off at “Hoshino onsen Tonbo no yu” and walk 3 minutes to Harunire Terrace
20 minutes drive or taxi ride; there’s a parking lot at Harunire Terrace

Note that the roads are really windy on the way down from Shiraito Falls.

Stone Church

By far my favorite stop during this trip was the Karuizawa Stone Church. Its official name is the Uchimura Kanzo Memorial Stone Church, in honor of the Japanese philosopher.

Kanzo Uchimura was the founder of the Non-Church Movement, which held that religion is not building-oriented and that churches are places for prayer.

The building was designed by American architect Kendrick Kellogg, known for creating organic structures that blend with nature.

The Stone Church is not a church but a chapel (above ground) and a memorial hall (below ground).

Things to keep in mind:

No photos are allowed inside the chapel — but you can see them on the Stone Church’s official website.
It’s a popular wedding venue, which may affect whether you can go inside.
The building lights up at night.
There’s a big parking lot located right outside the church grounds.

How to Get to the Stone Church

3-min drive (or taxi ride)
12-min walk (with some of it slightly uphill)

I recommend walking if you’re able to because there’s a beautiful walkway near the river that starts at Harunire Terrace and leads to the main road that you’ll cross for the Stone Church.

If you want to add on to this itinerary…

Karuizawa Kogen Church — another beautifully designed Christian church that’s located between Harunire Terrace & the Stone Church
Visit one of the many day hot springs (onsens) in the Hoshinoya area, like this one at Tonbo-no-yu.

Note: You may want to consider staying overnight in Karuizawa if you plan to add a day onsen to your itinerary.

Here are some hotels nearby that I’d recommend:

Karuizawa Prince Shopping Center

Located right next to Karuizawa Station is the Karuizawa Prince Hotel and Shopping Center. The shopping center is huge and includes outlet stores for big international and Japanese brands.

It also has restaurants and a large food court available.

It was pretty cold at night, so I ended up getting ramen from the food court to warm me up! 🍜

Travel Back to Tokyo

To get back to Tokyo, you’ll hop back on the Shinkansen from Karuizawa Station.

I recommend purchasing your ticket back to Tokyo at the same time as you purchase your ticket to Karuizawa.

I recommend taking the Shinkansen around 6-7 pm.

It’s important to keep in mind that stores at the mall and inside the station close around 7 pm. ✨

Now, if you want to slow down and relax a bit more in Karuizawa, here are a few places I recommend staying.

Places to Stay in Karuizawa

If you’d like to stay walking distance to top spots:

Karuizawa Prince Hotel East — right next to the station
Glamday Style Hotel & Resort Kyu-Karuizawa — near Old Town Karuizawa Street
Tsuruya Ryokan — near Old Town Karuizawa Street

If you’re planning to rent a car and want to treat yourself a bit:

Karuizawa Forest Seasons Villa — located near Harunire Terrace & the Stone Church
Hoshinoya Karuizawa – located near Harunire Terrace & the Stone Church
Hotel Indigo Karuizawa
Karuizawa Asama Prince Hotel

What I Wish I Knew Before Visiting Karuizawa

Wear layers and remember that the temperature here is a lot cooler than Tokyo
Wear comfortable shoes for walking around a lot
Don’t take too late a Shinkansen back to Tokyo — stores at the mall and inside the station close around 7 pm.
Renting a car when you’re in Karuizawa might be a good option for you if you want to explore more of Karuizawa’s natural landmarks (which tend to be off the beaten path)
Eat something apple-flavored! The area is known for apples, so take advantage (because I did not and regretted it! 🥲)
The bus from Karuizawa Station to Old Town Karuizawa is very popular — expect to wait in line or take a taxi (as I did).
The Prince Shopping Center is huge! You could spend an entire day here alone if you wanted to.

Final Thoughts: Is Karuizawa Worth Visiting?

Overall, I loved my time in Karuizawa. It was so cozy, with a good mix of small-town charm, relaxing resort-town vibes, and nature. It’s the perfect place to slow down and escape the busy city.

Traveling here alone, whether by car or public transportation, is not bad at all. There are many options to get to and from places, and all the people I encountered were very friendly and helpful.

I definitely want to go back and spend the night in Karuizawa. It’s definitely a place that feels built for slowing down and wandering leisurely. So, if that sounds good to you, I highly recommend it!

I hope you found this itinerary helpful! Let me know in the comments below if you’ve been to Karuizawa or if you’re planning to go. I’d love to hear what places stand/stood out to you.

Until next time!

Remi