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Karuizawa (軽井沢町, Karuizawa-machi^?) is a town located in Kitasaku District, Nagano, Japan.

As of January 1, 2006, the town has an estimated population of 18,281 and has a total area of 156.05 km².

Karuizawa is known throughout Japan as a popular tourist spot. Many couples and families from Tokyo will travel to Karuizawa to get away from the city especially in summer. There is a Shinkansen station as well as a large outlet store shopping mall. It is also known for its historic shopping street known as "Ginza dōri" or "Kyū-dō" (Ginza Street, or the Old Road).

Karuizawa hosted equestrian events in the 1964 Summer Olympics. The town also hosted curling in the 1998 Winter Olympics. To date, it is the only city in the world having hosted both Summer and Winter Olympic events.

Contents 1 Geography 1.1 Surrounding Municipalities 2 History 2.1 Timeline 3 Sister Cities 4 Education 5 Geography 6 Attractions 7 References in anime and manga 8 Trivia 9 External links

• Highest Altitude: 2,568m (8,425 ft) (Top of Mt. Asama)
• Lowest Altitide: 798.7m (2,620 ft)

• Nagano Prefecture
  • Saku
  • Kitasaku District: Miyota
• Gunma Prefecture
  • Takasaki
  • Annaka
  • Kanra District: Shimonita
  • Agatsuma District: Naganohara, Tsumagoi

• Edo Period - Served as a post station town on Nakasendō, called Karuisawa-shuku at that time.
• 1886 - Canadian Priest Alexander Kroft Shaw introduced Karuizawa as a getaway spot.
• 1922 - Gained town status. The village of Higashinagakura becomes the town of Karuizawa.
• 1951 - Selected as International Cultural and Tourism City.
• 1964 - 1964 Summer Olympics (Equestrian)
• October 1, 1997 - Nagano Shinkansen opens
• 1998 - 1998 Winter Olympics (Curling)
• 2004 - Mount Asama erupts

• 1872 - The village Usuitoge from Saku District, Nagano merged into the village of Karuizawa.
• 1873 - The town of Usuitoge broke off from the village of Karuizawa.
• August 2, 1876 - The villages of Kutsukake, Shiozawanitta, Karijuku, Narusawanitta, and Yui merged to form the village of Nagakura. The village of Hatsuji in Saku District absorbed the village of Matorikaya.
• January 14, 1879 - Kitasaku District Government enforced, and the town of Usuitoge, and the villages of Karuizawa, Nagakura, Oiwake belongs to Kitasaku District.
• April 1, 1889 - The city, town, and village status enforced. The town of Usuitoge, and the villages of Karuizawa, and the areas of the former villages of Kutsukake, Shiozawanitta, and Karijuku from the village of Nagakura merged to form the village of Higashinagakura in Kitasaku District, and the areas of the former villages of Narusawanitta and Yui in the village of Nagakura, and the villages of Hatsuji and Oiwake merged to form the village of Nishinagakura in Kitasaku District.
• August 1, 1923 - The village of Higashinagakura gained town status to become the town of Karuizawa. (※The pre-town areas before gaining the town status is known as Kyu-Karuizawa.)
• May 8, 1942 - The village of Nishinagakura merged into the town.
• February 1, 1957 - The town absorbed Serizawa area from the former village of Goga, which was absorbed by the town of Miyoda.
• April 1, 1959 - Kajikazawa area from the former village of Oiwake broke off and went to the town of Miyoda.

• Campos do Jordão (São Paulo, Brazil)
• Whistler (British Columbia, Canada)

• Karuizawa High School (長野県軽井沢高等学校)

• Mount Asama(浅間山)
• Usui Pass(碓氷峠)

For those seeking a "white wedding" Karuizawa is a popular Japanese wedding destination, with St. Paul's Church (San Paulo Kyoukai) off Ginza-dori a picturesque spot. Other historical places in Karuizawa include the 100 year old Karuizawa Union Church (founded in 1906), Mikasa Hotel, and Mampei Hotel.

• Karuizawa was featured in episodes 15 and 16 of the 2006 Bones anime series, Ouran High School Host Club.
• Karuizawa was also featured in episode 24 and 25 of the 2004 Pierrot anime series, Detective School Q.
• Karuizawa was mentioned in episode 1 of the anime series Haunted Junction (Mitsuki Asahina is going to wish for a condo there).
• Karuizawa was mentioned briefly in episode 35 of Death Note as the destination Mello and Takada were heading towards.
• Karuizawa was also featured in episodes 106-114 of The Prince of Tennis, when the Seigaku regulars go on a training camp there.
• Karuizawa was also featured in volume 7 and 8 of the manga Genshiken.

• The current rulers, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko met playing tennis in Karuizawa in 1957.^{[citation needed]} Michiko Shoda was the first commoner to be married into the Japanese imperial family, although as the daughter of a prominent flour milling family she was among the elite.

• John Lennon and Yoko Ono spent several summers in Karuizawa in the 1970s as Yoko Ono's family owned a bessou (summer house) there.^{[citation needed]}

• Official site (at Nagano) (Japanese)
• Karuizawa De Mall
• Karuizawa Internet

Coordinates: 36°20′54″N, 138°35′49″E