Karuizawa, Nagano

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Karuizawa (軽井沢町, -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.

1 Geography
- 1.1 Surrounding Municipalities
2 History
- 2.1 Timeline
3 Sister Cities
4 Education
5 Geography
6 Attractions
7 External links

[edit] Geography

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

[edit] Surrounding Municipalities

Nagano Prefecture
- Saku
- Kitasaku District: Miyota
Gunma Prefecture

[edit] History

During Edo Period - Serves as a post-station town on Nakasendo
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

[edit] Timeline

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.