A christian missionary, Mr. Shaw and his family built the second house and lived there every summer.

After Japan started modernization, westernization and industrialization in 1868, many christian missionaries from western countries came to Japan to spread their own sects and some of them established the institutions of higher education based on their beliefs all over Japan. In the summer of 1886, Alexander Croft Shaw from Canada stayed in Karuizawa and he liked the place where it is cool and fresh. He decided to build his second house. Many missionaries, diplomats and businessmen from western countries followed the example and started to possess their own second houses before long. Toward the end of the 19th century, rich Japanese people also started to own their second houses for summer retreat. 
Until 1940, westerners and Japanese people including local people were mingled and socialized in Karuizawa. People who stayed there played tennis, golf and enjoyed hiking, horse-riding. Many Japanese people followed the western culture. That is why Karuizawa was called 'The West within Japan'. The number of second houses has increased to 16,000 recently. People enjoy cool climate and rich nature.

Karuizawa is located 150km northwest of Tokyo and at an altitude of 1,000 meters so the temperature in Karuizawa is 6 degrees Celsius lower than in Tokyo. Now it is easy to access Karuizawa thanks to Shinkansen, Super Express Train or Bullet Train. It takes us directly to Karuizawa from Tokyo only in an hour.

If you come to Japan in the summer season, it might be a good plan to visit Karuizawa. You can choose a western-style classical hotel or a traditional Japanese-style inn according to your preference.

That is MAMPEI HOTEL originated in the late Edo period(1603-1867) as a Japanese-style inn at first. Subsequently. it started operation as a modern western-style hotel in 1894. Mr. Shaw stayed in Karuizawa for the first time at now the MAMPEI HOTEL in 1886. It is also well-known as the hotel at which John Lennon liked staying. He taught the hotel cafe how to make Lennon-style royal milk tea which is a specialty drink along with a piece of apple pie. When I hear the place 'Karuizawa', thick moss carpet on the ground comes to mind. Finally, I would like to show the former famous writer's Japanese-style second house.   All written on September 3, 2024