Karuizawa Day Trip from Tokyo: Waterfalls, Old Karuizawa and Kumobaike Pond

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Researched guide · Checked on Oct 20, 2026

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Karuizawa is a cool highland resort about 70 minutes from Tokyo Station by Shinkansen. Sitting on a plateau around 1,000 meters above sea level, it has been a summer retreat since the first villa was built in 1888. It is easy to do as a day trip: forest walks, a quiet pond, an old shopping street, a waterfall, and a huge outlet mall right by the station.

Why visit Karuizawa

Karuizawa lies in Joshinetsu Kogen National Park, below Mount Asama. In the Meiji era, the Canadian missionary Alexander Croft Shaw was impressed by its nature and climate, and the area became popular with foreign residents as a summer resort. Missionaries called it a “hospital without a roof”. Today it mixes forests, lakes and waterfalls with Western-style buildings, bakeries, cafes and luxury hotels.

A one-day route by bus

The Karuizawa Tourist Association suggests this day route using local buses from Karuizawa Station. Check bus times on the day, as timetables change.

Stop	What it is	Getting there
Shiraito Falls	A waterfall 3 m high and 70 m wide, where underground water falls like white threads over the rocks	Bus from Karuizawa Station, about 23 min
Shaw Memorial Chapel	Karuizawa’s oldest church, with Shaw’s restored villa next to it	Bus to Kyu-Karuizawa, then about 8 min on foot
Old Karuizawa Ginza Street	The 750-meter main street of Old Karuizawa, with long-established bakeries, cafes and souvenir shops	About 5 min walk from the chapel
Kumobaike Pond	A small pond nicknamed “Swan Lake”, with a 1 km walking path. Famous for autumn reflections	About 15 min from Old Karuizawa Ginza
Harunire Terrace	Nine buildings with about 16 shops and restaurants, linked by wooden decks along a stream	Bus to Hoshino Onsen, about 14 min

Shopping by the station

Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza, next to Karuizawa Station, has about 200 stores, including outlet stores of well-known brands, interior goods, and sports and outdoor gear. It is an easy last stop before the Shinkansen home.

How to get there

• Shinkansen: the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo Station takes about 1 hour 10 minutes. It is covered by the Japan Rail Pass. See our Tokyo Station guide for finding the platform.
• Highway bus: there are buses from the Ikebukuro, Shinjuku and Shibuya areas to Karuizawa Station.
• In town: local buses run from Karuizawa Station to Old Karuizawa, Shiraito Falls and Hoshino Onsen. Taxis can be called with the GO app, but there are not many.

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