Mampei Hotel to undergo 18-month refurbishment

The historic Mampei Hotel in Karuizawa will temporarily close from January 2023 to undergo an 18-month restoration and refurbishment. It is scheduled to re-open in 2024 to mark its 130-year anniversary.

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Karuizawa resort condos sell out

On November 29, real estate company ES-CON JAPAN announced that all 37 resort-style apartments developed in conjunction with Ost Development G.K. in Karuizawa had sold out prior to completion.

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Historic home matching service for Karuizawa

In an effort to save the historic holiday villas of Karuizawa, a matching-service has been set up by the Karuizawa Cultural Heritage Preservation Association.

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Karuizawa home of Nobel Prize winner demolished

The historic holiday home of Nobel Prize for Literature winner Yasunari Kawabata in Karuizawa has been demolished this month. The town had petitioned the current owner to allow the structure to be relocated but was unable to obtain their approval.

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Soon you can rent Kisho Kurokawa’s capsule holiday home

Back in 1973, iconic modernist architect and a founder of the Metabolist Movement, Kisho Kurokawa, built a personal holiday home in the summer resort area of Karuizawa. Now, a crowdfunding venture is underway to raise funds to restore the unique home and make it available for holiday rentals.

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120-yr old Mitsui Besso in Karuizawa at risk of demolition

The recent sale of the original Karuizawa holiday home of Saburosuke Mitsui (1850-1912) to a buyer from an offshore tax haven has locals worried the historic house may soon be demolished.

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Japan’s first Hilton Curio Collection hotel to open in Karuizawa

Tokyu Land Corporation has entered into a franchise agreement with Hilton Hotels & Resorts to open Japan’s first Curio Collection by Hilton hotel in Karuizawa.

KYUKARUIZAWA KIKYO, Curio Collection by Hilton is the rebrand of the former Kyu-Karuizawa Hotel that was acquired by Tokyu in March 2017. It is scheduled to re-open in spring of 2018. The 39-year old hotel sits on a 5,800 sqm site located 1.2km north of Karuizawa Station. Almost 90% of the 50 rooms are over 40 sqm (430 sq ft) in size.Read more