Exclusive private and small-group tours in Karuizawa and Japan

Let’s discover and explore the secrets of
Karuizawa and Japan together

Professional tour guide Andrew Gele— an expert in Japanese culture, living in Japan for more than twenty years, including eight years in the luxury resort town of Karuizawa.

Get in touch with me, and together we’ll create the travel itinerary that suits you best.

Discover Karuizawa — Japan’s Timeless Mountain Escape

Karuizawa offers to you

  • Nature & Outdoor – hiking, cycling, skiing, waterfalls, bird sanctuary
  • Culture & History – churches, museums, art galleries, Ueda Castle, temples
  • Food & Drink – local soba, bakery cafés, craft beer, wine valley
  • Relaxation & Wellness – onsen, spas, forest walks
  • Shopping & Lifestyle – outlet mall, vintage shops, markets

Travel Tips for Karuizawa – A Practical Guide

This article explains how to get to Karuizawa, best seasons to visit, tells about weather and what to wear, where to get around. Article also introducet TOP 10 things to do in Karuizawa

Located in the highlands of Nagano Prefecture, Karuizawa has long been regarded as one of Japan’s most refined resort towns. Since the late nineteenth century, it has attracted travelers seeking clean air, cooler temperatures, and a slower pace of life than Japan’s major cities. Even today, Karuizawa remains a place where travel feels gentle rather than rushed. Understanding how to get there, when to visit, what kind of weather to expect, and how to move around locally will help you experience the town as it was intended: calm, comfortable, and unhurried.

Stone Church(石の教会) Spiritual Masterpiece of Nature and Philosophy

Stone Church (Uchimura Kanzō Memorial) is one of the most extraordinary landmarks in Karuizawa, celebrated not only for its striking architecture but also for the profound philosophy embedded in its design. Located in the tranquil Hoshino Area, the church stands apart from conventional religious buildings, offering an immersive space where faith, nature, and modern thought merge seamlessly.

Mount Asama (浅間山) – The Living Volcano That Shaped Karuizawa

Mount Asama is the powerful natural force behind Karuizawa its landscape, climate, and history. Rising to 2,568 meters, Asama is one of Japan’s most active volcanoes, not a distant backdrop but a living presence that has shaped the region for thousands of years. For visitors, Mount Asama explains much of what makes Karuizawa distinctive: the cool air, fertile forests, clear spring water, and scenery that feels both raw and refined.

Why travel together with me?

01.

Many years of experience

I have been living in Japan since the early years of this century. Not only have I lived here, but I have also studied, worked for a major corporation, and visited more than a hundred schools in Tokyo. My experience is therefore deep and spans many different fields. Traveling with a guide who follows the country’s daily developments, stays informed across various areas, and lives this reality every day gives a journey an entirely different level of quality.

02.

Personalized travel itineraries

Out of Japan’s 47 prefectures, I have visited nearly forty. I have traveled both for personal and professional reasons, from Hokkaido in the north to the tropical islands of Okinawa in the south. As a result, I have personally visited not only all the destinations popular with travelers, but many lesser-known places as well.

03.

The option to travel by car

Typically, tourist trips in Japan follow routes that are easily accessible by high-speed trains. However, if you want to see the real Japan and visit the most interesting yet hard-to-reach places in the Karuizawa region, I offer travel by car. I drive a Nissan Serena, which allows me to organize exclusive, comfortable car-based itineraries for up to five travelers. This way of traveling opens up locations and experiences that are simply not possible to reach by train, making the journey more flexible, personal, and authentic.

04.

Good price offer

Guiding is not my main or only occupation, so taking my experience and competencies into account, I am able to offer an excellent balance between price and service quality. I simply enjoy meeting travelers, sharing my knowledge, and helping others discover Japan in a deeper, more meaningful way

Ueda Wine Valley – Nagano’s Quiet Revolution in Cool-Climate Winemaking

Ueda Wine Valley is one of Japan’s most exciting yet understated wine regions, a place where mountain climate, volcanic soils, and small-scale craftsmanship are quietly redefining what Japanese wine can be. Spread across the hills and river terraces surrounding Ueda, this emerging area offers travelers a refined, local alternative to more famous and crowded food

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Unique experiences / consultations / guided tours / dinners in Karuizawa and Nagano region

Karuizawa luxury resort town, Asamayama volcano, Ueda castle, Komoro and other famous places in Nagana.

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Tips on what to see for first-time visitors to Karuizawa