Local Guide
In search of the best of the best. Go to Karuizawa's sweets store

Karuizawa is home to many famous Japanese and Western sweets stores, including long-established stores that have been part of Karuizawa's villa culture. From traditional gems that have remained unchanged since the establishment of the shop to seasonal delicacies lavishly using fruit from Shinshu, there is something for everyone. Here are some of the best Japanese and Western sweets that will captivate even the most discerning vacationers.

French sweets loved by local regular customers.

Regalin 480 yen, Mont Blanc 470 yen, Napoleon 590 yen, etc.
Regalin 480 yen, Mont Blanc 470 yen, Napoleon 590 yen, etc.

This is a long-established French pastry store located near the Old Karuizawa roundabout. Lined up in the showcase are about 25 varieties of fresh pastries. All of them, including "Napoleon," which is the ultimate in crisp pie texture, and "Regalin," which has a rich flavor of two layers of chocolate dough with a hint of liqueur, are inevitably sold out by evening. Seasonal cakes using Shinshu fruits, such as apricot pie, tart marron, and red bean apple pie, are also popular.

Delicious on the high street. Cakes from the famous store as souvenirs!

Many people stop to look at the showcase facing the street.
Many people stop to look at the showcase facing the street.

The chef's taste is based on the authentic French pastries that he learned from a French patissier when he was training in Tokyo. He has made arrangements to suit the Japanese palate, and pursues a full-bodied taste with a moderate sweetness. For souvenirs, baked sweets such as moist brandy cake and pound cake filled with nuts are also recommended.

Local Guide Comment
The nostalgic atmosphere of the shop draws you in. The sweets are simple but delicious and reasonably priced.
Le Regalin
  • Address 1-13 Karuizawa, Karuizawa-cho, Kitasaku-gun, Nagano MAP
  • Direction 20 minutes walk from Karuizawa Station
  • Direction 2 min. walk from "Kyu-Karuizawa" bus stop on the town circulation bus (east/minami-mawari (inner route)) from Karuizawa Station.
  • Business hours 11:30-17:00 *Seasonal change
  • Closed Mon (Closed in winter from January to mid-March)
  • TEL 0267-42-7955
  • Parking None

Chimoto Mochi, a specialty with rich brown sugar and walnut flavor

Chimoto Mochi 260 yen per piece
Chimoto Mochi 260 yen per piece

Founded in Ginza, Tokyo as a green tea confectionery, this sweet shop opened in Karuizawa in 1948 and has been bustling with local customers and tourists ever since. The specialty is the "Chimoto Mochi," which has been a tradition since the establishment of the shop. It has a soft texture and is gently sweetened with brown sugar. The texture of roasted walnuts adds a savory accent. The dumplings are served in a rustic bamboo wrapping for take-out, making them a great souvenir.

Local Guide Comment
The "Chimoto Mochi" is a convincing gem that shows the quality of the ingredients just by its simplicity.

Freshly baked dumplings and shaved ice made from natural ice are also popular.

Yakidango (baked dumplings) 180 yen
Yakidango (baked dumplings) 180 yen

The aroma of soy sauce used to bake the dumplings wafts through the air at the store, whetting the appetite. The freshly baked "yaki dango" is a deliciously sticky treat, and "soba dango," made with buckwheat flour from Shinshu and wrapped in a sweet bean paste, is also readily available at the store. Shaved ice can also be enjoyed at the store, regardless of the season, in an atmospheric folk art style. The shaved ice is made from natural ice in Karuizawa's icehouse, and the secret of its popularity is its fluffy texture that does not give you a headache.

Chimoto General Store
  • Address 691-4 Karuizawa, Karuizawa-cho, Kitasaku-gun, Nagano MAP
  • Direction From Karuizawa Station, take the town bus bound for East or South (inward) and get off at "Kyu-Karuizawa" bus stop. 7 minutes walk from the bus stop.
  • Business hours 10:00-17:00, summer 9:30-18:00, spring and fall 10:00-16:00 (closing hours may vary)
  • Closed Closed on weekends and holidays
  • TEL 0267-42-2860
  • Parking None

Seasonal cakes made with the finest ingredients

Fig tart 650 yen, tea 550 yen
Fig tart 650 yen, tea 550 yen

This quiet café is nestled in the woods. The showcase is lined with about 10 kinds of fresh pastries. In addition to standard cakes such as tarte fromage, mocha rolls, and sachertorte, seasonal cakes using Shinshu fruits such as peach and blueberry in summer, chestnut and apple in fall and winter, and strawberry in spring delight the eye and palate. Fig tart is a popular menu item from summer to autumn. The moist almond dough is covered with a gently sweet custard cream, and the fresh figs on top are lush and fresh.

Local Guide Comment
It is not a pretentious cake, but rather a nostalgic cake with a moderate sweetness.

A house café with a comfortable terrace

A relaxing space wrapped in the warmth of wood
A relaxing space wrapped in the warmth of wood

Walking up the stairs surrounded by greenery and entering the high-ceilinged store, you are greeted by a comfortable space with plenty of wood. Cakes can be taken to-go, but we recommend you enjoy them in the store with tea or coffee. On sunny days, it is also nice to sit on the terrace. Scones, madeleines, and freshly baked tarts make great Karuizawa souvenirs.

Petit Lapin
  • Address 97-18 Ooaza-Oiwake, Karuizawa-cho, Kitasaku-gun, Nagano MAP
  • Bus Direction From Shinano Oiwake Station, take the west course of the town circulation bus, get off at Asama Sunline Iriguchi (Asama Sunline Entrance), and walk about 3 minutes.
  • Business hours 10:00-18:30 (closes when all cakes are gone)
  • Closed Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
  • TEL 0267-46-8022
  • Parking Free of charge

Fresh gelato using plenty of fresh fruits

Summer Strawberry
Summer Strawberry" and "Obuse Milk" (W size) 750 yen

Livisco is a popular handmade gelato store in Karuizawa. Freshly prepared every morning, there are always 8-10 types of gelato available. The standard items include "obuse milk," a sweet and rich milk from Obuse-machi, Nagano Prefecture, "raw chocolate," and "caramel latte. Fruits are made with the true flavor of the fruit. Golden peaches, Kawanakajima white peaches, watermelons. Kyoho grapes, Shinano Gold (apples), and other seasonal fruits from Shinshu are used sparingly. You can enjoy gelato full of freshness.

Local Guide Comment
It is as if you are really eating the fruit itself! The seasonal menu is also exciting.

Relax on the open-air rooftop terrace

Sofas and benches are laid out on the terrace
Sofas and benches are laid out on the terrace

The store is marked by a three-dimensional sign for gelato. In addition to the first floor, which consists of woody benches and counter seating overlooking the street, there is also terrace seating on the second floor. Visitors can relax and enjoy freshly made gelato while looking out over the bustling tennis court.

Rebisco Karuizawa
  • Address 746-4 Karuizawa, Karuizawa-cho, Kitasaku-gun, Nagano MAP
  • Direction From Karuizawa Station, take the town circulation bus (east or south bound) and get off at "Kyu-Karuizawa" bus stop. 5 min. walk from the bus stop.
  • Business hours 10:30-16:30 (subject to change)
  • Closed No holidays
  • TEL 0267-42-9113
  • Parking None

American pies, a favorite of villagers

Fresh Peach Pie 750 yen, Banana Cream Pie 550 yen, Coffee 500 yen
Fresh Peach Pie 750 yen, Banana Cream Pie 550 yen, Coffee 500 yen

This American pie specialty store stands along Route 18. When you see an American flag flying on the street, it is a sign that the store is open for business. The pies, which are made by the owner's aunt who lives in the U.S., are homemade from the crispy texture of the dough. Handmade every morning, they are a delightful taste of American home. The most popular item is the banana cream pie, which is a perfect combination of custard cream and bananas. It is a simple and refreshingly sweet dish that has many male fans as well.

Local Guide Comment
The pie crust is very thin and filled with cream and bananas! The cream is not too sweet, so you can eat it easily.

Seasonal pies surrounded by antique furniture

Comfortable wood deck terrace seating is also available
Comfortable wood deck terrace seating is also available

Popular from July to August is the fresh peach pie, made by peeling and cutting peaches, dusting them with sugar, wrapping them in pie crust, and baking them. The fresh aroma, sweetness, and tartness are exquisite because peaches are used in their raw state, and the secret to the deliciousness of apple pie, which appears from mid-September to December, is to use uncooked apples as well. Some vacationers and tourists come back year after year for the five or six seasonal varieties of pies, including pumpkin, La France, Obuse chestnut, and cherry pies. The store is cozy with antique furniture, and visitors can relax and enjoy the view of the greenery.

Rolling Pin
  • Address 798 Nagakura, Karuizawa-cho, Kitasaku-gun, Nagano MAP
  • Direction From Karuizawa Station, take the east or south bound bus (inward or outward) and get off at Shiozawa intersection. 5 minutes walk.
  • Business hours Open 11:00-17:00
  • Closed (Wed), (Mon), (Thu) (Closed in winter in February) *Closed seasonally.
  • TEL 0267-45-3081
  • Parking Free of charge

Smooth and aromatic mocha soft serve

Mikado Coffee's Mocha Soft®, 700 yen. Take-out is 520 yen.
Mikado Coffee's Mocha Soft®, 700 yen. Take-out is 520 yen.

Mikado Coffee, a long-established coffee shop, is famous for its mocha soft serve. It was created in 1969 to allow children who cannot drink coffee to enjoy the taste of coffee. The smooth texture, rich aroma, and bittersweet richness fill the mouth and are a favorite of both adults and children. The topping of prunes in syrup is also a special touch when ordering a glass in the store.

Local Guide Comment
The mocha soft serve is made with specially blended beans. The aroma and bitterness of the coffee is perfectly balanced with the sweetness of the milk.

Enjoy the feeling of a summer resort in the lodge-style restaurant

All seats are in a pleasant terrace-like space
All seats are in a pleasant terrace-like space

Mikado Coffee" is an in-house roasting coffee shop established in Nihonbashi, Tokyo in 1948. Since many of its regular customers had vacation homes, it was only four years later that it opened its first store in Karuizawa. At the time, it had the atmosphere of a stately salon. The current store was built in 1981, a short distance from there, and is a two-story structure made entirely of cypress. The veranda overlooking the Old Karuizawa Ginza Street, of course, makes every seat in the restaurant a comfortable place to sit.

Mikado Coffee Karuizawa Old Road Store
  • Address 786-2 Karuizawa, Karuizawa-cho, Kitasaku-gun, Nagano MAP
  • Direction From Karuizawa Station, take the town circulation bus bound for East or South and get off at Kyu-Karuizawa intersection. 3 minutes walk from the bus stop.
  • Business hours 11:00-16:30(L.O.16:00) *Closed seasonally
  • Closed Open daily (check website for year-end and New Year holidays)
  • TEL 0267-42-2453
  • Parking None

A wide variety of original Western-style dorayaki

Chocolate Banana Dorayaki 300 yen, Japanese sweets Peach and Red Dragonfly 200 yen each (available in summer)
Chocolate Banana Dorayaki 300 yen, Japanese sweets Peach and Red Dragonfly 200 yen each (available in summer)

The most popular item at Wa, a Japanese-style confectionery near Nakakaruizawa Station, is the "dorayaki" (Japanese pancakes), which are available in about 20 varieties. The shop offers westernized versions of dorayaki, such as cheese, milk (milk cream), apple, green tea, and tiramisu, in hopes of making it easier for younger customers to enjoy Japanese sweets. All of them feature our signature homemade bean paste combined with cream and fruit, and the unexpected combination is a delicious surprise. The Choco Banana Dorayaki is a popular item that combines bananas, whipped cream, crispy chocolate boards, and grains of sweet bean paste in perfect harmony.

Eat-in service is also available. Enjoy seasonal flavors!

Dorayaki
Dorayaki" and Japanese sweets line the showcase.

The simple dorayaki dough with honey is soft and fluffy. The sweet bean paste is sandwiched between the dough and the dough. Dorayaki made with seasonal fruits such as mango and fresh grapes can be enjoyed inside the store or at a table on the terrace. In addition, there is a wide selection of more than 10 varieties of seasonal fresh confections.

Local Guide Comment
A wide variety of dorayaki, from cream cheese and chestnuts to those made with seasonal ingredients, are slightly sweet and addictive.
Japanese Sweets Shop Wa
  • Address 1-9 Nakakaruizawa, Karuizawa-cho, Kitasaku-gun, Nagano MAP
  • Direction 3 minutes walk from Nakakaruizawa Station
  • Business hours 10:00-18:30
  • Closed Every Sunday, every other Wednesday
  • TEL 0267-45-1003
  • Parking Free of charge

MAP

Hoshino Resorts facilities nearby
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The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.