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Smoke from Mt. Asama hangs over Karuizawa Heights. At 1,000 meters above sea level and the average summer temperature being about 22 degrees Celsius, Karuizawa is one of the best places to escape during the hot season. As of 1996 there are approximately 6,000 permanent resident households in the area. The number of summer residences, on the other hand, is estimated at 12,600, or 13,000 including student and company dormitories. And with roughly 200 accommodation facilities such as hotels and B&B's, population between the months of June and August swells to ten times the amount of other months.
The most popular strip lined with trendy shops and restaurants is the Kyu Karuizawa Ginza which is only a five-minute drive from Karuizawa station. During the summer months the fashionable street is packed with visitors, creating a sight similar to the crowded Takeshita Dori in Harajuku, Tokyo. But one step off the Kyu Karuizawa Ginza strip and the sudden change of scenery is striking. Rows of stores are replaced by an endless spread of trees and the noise of the crowd is absorbed by the deep woods. You may spot little churches and western-style houses peaking through the woods.
Photographs provided by: Karuizawa Council Tourist Section /0267-45-8111
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