Karuizawa (軽井沢ç"º, Karuizawa-machi) is a town in Kitasaku District, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
As of January 1, 2008, the town has an estimated population of 17,833 and has a total area of 156.05 square kilometres (60.25 sq mi).
Karuizawa is a popular tourist spot for people from Tokyo, who travel to Karuizawa to get away from the city especially in summer. The town is accessible via the JR East Nagano Shinkansen, and has a large outlet store shopping mall. It is also known for its historic shopping street known as "Ginza dÅri" or "KyÅ«-dÅ" (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.
Geography
- Mount Asama
- Usui Pass
- Highest elevation: 2,568 metres (8,425Â ft) (Top of Mount Asama)
- Lowest elevation: 798.7 metres (2,620.4Â ft)
Surrounding municipalities
- Nagano Prefecture
- Saku
- Kitasaku District: Miyota
- Gunma Prefecture
- Takasaki
- Annaka
- Kanra District: Shimonita
- Agatsuma District: Naganohara, Tsumagoi
Climate
Karuizawa has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb) with warm summers and cold winters. Precipitation is much heavier in the summer than in the winter.
Notable residents
- E. Herbert Norman (1909-1957), Canadian diplomat and historian
- Kita Norio (novelist)
- Endo Shusaku (novelist)
- Idei Nobuyuki (former Sony Chairman, CEO)
History
- Edo Period: Served as a post station town on NakasendÅ, called Karuisawa-shuku at that time.
- 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.
- 1886: Canadian Anglican missionary Rev. Alexander Croft Shaw and Tokyo Imperial University English professor James Main Dixon introduced Karuizawa as a summer resort.
- 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.
- 1910s: Begins to attract the attention of other expatriates and Japanese.
- 1922: Gained town status. The village of Higashinagakura becomes the town of Karuizawa.
- August 1, 1923: The village of Higashinagakura gains town status to become the town of Karuizawa. (The pre-town areas before gaining the town status is known as Kyu-Karuizawa.)
- 1940s: Site of an internment camp for foreigners and diplomats during World War 2.
- May 8, 1942: The village of Nishinagakura is merged into the town.
- 1951: Selected as International Cultural and Tourism City.
- February 1, 1957: The town absorbed Serizawa area from the former village of Goga, which was absorbed by the town of Miyota.
- April 1, 1959: The Kajikazawa area of the former village of Oiwake was split off and merged with the town of Miyota.
- 1964: 1964 Summer Olympics (Equestrian)
- February 1972: Asama-Sanso incident Police besiege Left-Wing militants holed up in holiday resort after mass killing and hostage taking.
- October 1, 1997: The Nagano Shinkansen opens, serving Karuizawa.
- 1998: 1998 Winter Olympics (Curling)
- 2004: Mount Asama erupts.
Economy
Hoshino Resorts has its headquarters in Karuizawa.
International relations
Karuizawa is twinned with the following cities.
- Campos do Jordão, Brazil
- Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
Education
- Karuizawa High School
- School of Youth Ministries in English SYME
The International School of Asia, Karuizawa is scheduled to open in Karuizawa in 2014.
Transportation
Karuizawa Station is located on the Nagano Shinkansen high-speed rail line, about 40 km from Takasaki Station and 150 km from Tokyo Station. The station is also served by the Shinano Railway Line which runs to Nagano City.
The JÅshin-etsu Expressway runs through the town, but the closest interchange is in neighboring Annaka, Gunma. Japan National Route 18 connects Karuizawa to Takasaki, Nagano and Joetsu.
References
External links
Media related to Karuizawa, Nagano at Wikimedia Commons
- Official site (at Nagano)
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