Discovering the many aspects of Hoshinoya Karuizawa left us delighted, surprised, and, at times, with the feeling that we had joined an exclusive club. This hotel isn’t popular with Western guests, but it should be! Its dedication to luxury, serenity, and Japanese culinary experiences had us wanting to stay longer and explore more. It provided the perfect cultural immersion in just three days and gave us a new appreciation for Japanese culture.
Where is Hoshinoya Karuizawa
Located southeast of Nagano and 1.5 hours from central Tokyo by Shinkansen, Hoshinoya Karuizawa is a perfect city escape and Japanese cultural experience. We decided to stay here to get a taste of rural Japan as well as staying in a busy city like Tokyo. Getting out of the city is something we highly recommended, as Japan is about much, much more than Tokyo.
Hoshinoya Karuizawa is designed so guests can indulge and rejuvenate in a setting surrounded by forest, water, and architecture. The resort is styled to resemble a village, with accommodation scattered along the valley’s natural contours. There are 77 guest rooms spread across the secluded village layout, featuring three main room types. These pavilions are designed to blend with the landscape, with many offering river, mountain, and garden views.
Getting to Hoshinoya Karuizawa
Arriving from bustling Tokyo, we were immediately aware of the quiet and serenity of the town of Karuizawa and the chill of the mountain air. As we soon discovered, this area is 1,000 metres above sea level and a nature lover’s paradise, with birdwatching, flying squirrels, and eco tours all on offer. It was much, much cooler than nearby Tokyo, so pack accordingly.
There are ways to get to the resort. You can drive or take the Shinkansen and then connect to a local train for one station which takes you closer to Hoshinoya Karuizawa. From there, there is a complimentary resort bus transfer. Alternatively, you can take a taxi from either the Shinkansen station or the local train station. We opted for the taxi from the main Shinkansen station as it was much quicker and we were keen to explore the resort and its surrounding area.
Arriving at Hoshinoya Karuizawa
Arriving at the door to Hoshinoya Karuizawa left us both scratching our heads as there was no grand entryway or rotating doors. It was upon entering the hotel itself that we appreciated the resort’s grand yet understated and striking design. The main building, which houses reception, a boutique, restaurant, lounge, and library, is a stunning piece of architecture. With a seamless blend of woods, rock walls, soft furnishings, and innovative rock sculptures, the design embraced Japanese art, craft, and design in a modern yet classic style that made us excited to explore the rest of the resort. There was no doubt we were in Japan! We loved how the resort’s design highlighted the natural beauty outside without overshadowing it.
After a seamless reception experience, we were guided to our room via the restaurant and the library and lounge, which also housed a 24/7 coffee, tea, and refreshment corner. This area also served complimentary afternoon tea, which consisted of Japanese sweets and bottles of sweet cider to be enjoyed either in the lounge area or the terraced outdoor area by the gardens and stream just outside. We weren’t fans of the Japanese sweets, but the local cider was lovely. Very fresh, not too sweet, and perfect to enjoy with a few crunchy complimentary snacks.
Hoshinoya Karuizawa accommodation
After crossing a tiny bridge, we were presented with our Mizunami room on the second level overlooking the river and resort. The beautifully designed room was in keeping with the resort’s overall artistic and understated Japanese design, with a vaulted wooden ceiling, heated floors, and a classic yet modern layout featuring a king futon bed and a large lounge and dining area.
Details like handmade washi paper on the walls and lighting added to the overall impressiveness of the room. The bathroom was also of note and consisted of an all-wood bath and shower room with automatic buttons for filling the bathtub and heated fans to keep temperatures to our liking. This was handy as it got quite chilly at night. The only thing we had to remember if we got up in the middle of the night was that our bed was on the ground!
Stepping into our room’s spacious lounging area had me mesmerised by the resort, river, and mountain views. I thought about watching the changing seasons from here and could see why many guests chose to return on a regular basis. On our visit, the season was just coming out of winter, so all the branches were stark and bare. This was beautiful in its own way, but it would have been amazing to see the resort in bloom in spring or covered in autumn colours.
Hoshinoya Karuizawa provides pyjamas
After exploring our room and surroundings, we our complimentary blue Hoshinoya bags (a gift that you can also take home) and neatly folded sets of indoor and outdoor pyjamas that are supplied for all guests. This was a non-mandatory set of clothing that is changed daily, so we received a fresh pair of PJs to wear each day, which was much better than having to do laundry.
The outdoor pyjamas consisted of very comfortable matching blue pants and a button-up top. There was also a warm matching overcoat that my wife and I dubbed “the doona”. This was great as the weather was unseasonably and we would have been chilly without it.
Wearing the provided outfit around the hotel took a bit of getting used to for a couple of Westerners like us, but after less than a day we were sold on the idea. I wished resort hotels in Australia had outfits like this — they were so relaxing and comfortable.
Things to do at Hoshinoya Karuizawa
Looking through the resort’s compendium, we discovered that the activities and opportunities on offer were varied and immersive, catering to all tastes, fitness levels, and imaginations. We were particularly interested in the complimentary morning stretch class and the add-on birdwatching and evening flying squirrel tours. From guided walks to highland horse riding, giant squirrel spotting, and stargazing, there was plenty to keep us occupied. We liked how you could stay at the hotel and the surrounding area and have everything you needed for a great stay either at the resort or within walking distance.
As we were keen to relax, we chose to embrace the historic adjoining Tonbo-no-yu Hot Spring Onsen too. This large onsen was available free to resort guests, with an exclusive session for an hour each morning. It is a must-do experience. I was determined not to visit an onsen before we left Australia as I wasn’t comfortable with the idea. However, this onsen was so beautiful, surrounded by forest and quiet during the exclusive guest-only resort hours, that I decided to try it. It was a very special experience and not uncomfortable at all. My wife and I also indulged in the onsite spa with a hot stone massage just before bed and slept really well afterwards.
Hoshinoya Karuizawa restaurants
When it was time to dine, the main restaurant Kasuke served seasonal Alpine kaiseki cuisine with local produce such as freshwater fish, game, and mountain mushrooms. This was a very traditional Japanese dining experience, with a large variety of flavours, textures, and opportunities to broaden our culinary tastes. It was good to have a set menu as it meant we tried food we wouldn’t normally have ordered ourselves.
A few things stood out at this restaurant aside from the meals we ate. Kasuke was very thorough when it came to addressing our ‘no seafood’ dietary requirement, which was impressive. If you have a food allergy or particular food preferences, you are in safe hands here. The other thing that stood out was the exceptional level of service, which was both personal and charming. Staff went out of their way to make us feel comfortable and gently help us settle into Japanese ways without feeling silly or unsure.
Hoshinoya Karuizawa offers much more than just a hotel
One thing we didn’t realise before we arrived is Hoshinoya Karuizawa isn’t just a hotel. It is part of an entire resort area that encompasses a large assortment of dining and shopping options as well. There were a few other hotels too, but we highly recommend Hoshinoya Karuizawa as the top choice as it provided an instant and comfortable introduction to Japanese culture.
With a supplied map of the area, we planned lots of excursions, taking in forest walks, different restaurants, and even stargazing. If we wanted to go anywhere, there was a complimentary shuttle bus around the resort, or the staff gave us a lift using the resort’s fleet of cute electric cars. Here are some of our favourite must do experiences:
1. Bleston Court Yukawatan
This Japanese-French fusion restaurant alone is worth a journey to Karuizawa and was a culinary highlight of our stay. The dining experience began with a selection of tasting dishes before the main event: a culinary journey in the intimate dining room. Based on a seven-course degustation menu, guests could add dishes to their liking to create their own full-course meal. A wine pairing curated by the in-house sommelier was, in our opinion, also a must and did not disappoint. One look at the photos below should show why we were so impressed.
2. Tonbo-no-yu – Hot Spring Onsen
This historic onsen is a major drawcard for many Japanese travellers and has been beautifully designed to embrace Hoshinoya’s natural beauty and changing seasons. Flowing from the mountains, all of the indoor and outdoor baths at Tonbo-no-Yu are fed by natural hot spring water. The acclaimed soft water is said to be “water for beautiful skin” so hopefully it worked its magic on us. As proof that the hot spring water is fresh, there is also a tap for drinking the water that feeds the onsen. Men and women are separated, no swimwear is allowed, and silence and quiet enjoyment is encouraged while bathing. This is a must-experience activity and should be part of your Japanese cultural journey, even if you are a little shy like me.
3. Harunire Terrace
This beautifully designed and curated shopping area is modelled on a small town in the forest, with the assorted buildings layered throughout a grove of Japanese elms set along the clear Yukawa River. Connected by wooden decks, you can explore the shops and restaurants one by one to seek out treasures and delicious delights. We enjoyed buying something to eat and then joining the locals on the seating alongside the river. It was very peaceful and lovely listening to the water.
Our top picks include Sawamura Bakery & Restaurant, which served great coffee, tea, and amazing baked treats — especially the cinnamon buns. Sekireibashi Kawakamian was another standout, specialising in the area’s famed soba noodles. The must-order other dish was the tempura selection, closely followed by the fried chicken, which was sadly only available for dinner. There was almost always a queue out the door, but it moves fairly quickly.
4. Picchio nature experiences
Picchio, a dedicated onsite nature tour hub, embraces everything the Hoshinoya area is famous for, from the Karuizawa Wild Bird Forest to flying squirrel watching, photography tours, and more. Highly trained bilingual guides take guests exploring through the area’s natural wonders.
We spent a very chilly evening searching for Japan’s nocturnal giant flying squirrels, and watching them glide through the trees. We also did a nature walk with Odin, an expert nature guide, who showed us smoke puffing out of a distant volcano, loads of birds, and even a serow, which looked like a cross between a deer and a goat. This is Japan’s national animal, and we were so lucky to spot one!
Is Hoshinoya Karuizawa worth it
Overall, Hoshinoya Karuizawa is not just worth it, but a must-visit for Western travellers to Japan seeking deep cultural immersion in a comfortable and authentic setting. The charming staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome, and the resort was easy to reach from Tokyo. We found it hard to believe how affordable the room rates were compared to what Australians and New Zealanders could expect to pay for a comparable nature resort experience back home.
Disclosure: The writers stayed as guests of Hoshinoya Karuizawa and would not have hesitated to return to the resort at their own expense. Highly recommended!
