A Winter Weekend in Karuizawa

Almost a year ago, I first found my way to this little but pretty town in Nagano, Karuizawa, due to my persistent search for cabins with private baths. I was obsessed with cabins and camping that time. Off the beau and I went and stayed at one and that's the only major thing we did. Read it here. We missed exploring Karuizawa, though. I was fine with it because we went there for a staycation in the first place.

Fast forward early this January, my friends and I were planning for a ski/snowboard trip. After loooong discussions and considerations, we decided to go to Karuizawa. And yup, that's where we went last weekend~

DAY ONE

We rode the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Karuizawa Station. Costed us a fortune but yeah, you can always ride a highway bus for a cheaper price but longer hours. We intended to do that but there were no bus seats available the time we tried booking. TIP: Foreign tourists and non-Japanese passport holders can opt to purchase the JR Tokyo Wide Pass, a 3-day discounted pass for unlimited rides (includes Shinkansen and limited express trains) to and from areas in Tokyo and the surrounding Kanto area.

After an hour, we finally arrived at Karuizawa Station. We ate lunch somewhere in the nearby Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza and off we went to the ski resort ten minutes walk away.

This was where it got soooo expensive. We went to the ski resort operated by Prince Hotel and we had to rent snowboarding stuff and lift passes. A snowboard set (boots and board) will set you back ¥5000, snow wear set for another ¥5000, while additional helmets can be rented for ¥500 each. Luckily for me, I bought my own snowsuit way way back so I didn't have to rent one. The lift pass was overpriced in my opinion,  ¥4500 for four hours or ¥5000 for a 1-day pass. (Niigata had a more reasonable price, ¥500 for a one-time lift or less than ¥5000 for a 1-day pass).

Anyway, we had heaps of fun playing, rolling (lol) with snow so everything was fine.

After getting our snowboarding fix, we went back to the shopping plaza to fill our hungry tummies some dinner, bought drinks, and then rode a taxi to our hotel, Hotel Karuizawa Elegance, which was old (no elevators) but pretty, with really accommodating and kind staff~

+ DAY TWO +

Woke up early for the breakfast buffet and I was very delighted~ I love breakfast food! Moreover, I love yummy breakfast food in a pretty cafe all for ¥1500 ahhhh what a steal!

Around 10AM, we checked out and rode another taxi for some quick sightseeing. First stop was the Stone Church. It's a pretty little chapel made of stones set up in an unusual way. It was small but the details inside were amazing. Good for intimate weddings, I'd say. When we were there, we had to wait for a wedding to finish before we can get in the chapel. Taking pictures inside  weren't allowed so lust over these outdoor photos ha~

We walked towards Harunire Terrace, another pretty place with cafes and restaurants, an onsen, and some shops. Good ambiance ahhhh! We saw an ad for the KERA-IKE Ice Rink (it's a pond in the middle of the forest and freezes in winter, hence the name) and of course, we went! The ¥1800/adult fee did not disappoint! I later learned from my friend that it was the same skating rink shown in the Netflix series Terrace House where Shion and Tsubasa went for a date!

Coffee break cos it was freaking cold~  Look at this kawaii latte art!♥
@Picchio

We ate some late curry lunch at Sajilo Cafe before calling it a day and going back to Tokyo~

Ahhhhh, fun times! It's true what they say, it's lovelier the second time around, especially if you are with good company! See ya next time, Karuizawa!♥