Old Karuizawa Ginza Street 旧軽井沢銀座商店街

Variety and retro ambiance

Old Karuizawa Ginza is about a 25-minute walk north of Karuizawa Station. If you can spare the time, it's a pleasant, tree-lined route. By bus, it's about 10 minutes. It's refreshing to see this line of shops, some modern, some retro, and nearly all independent. The only chains I noticed were a few convenience stores. The shops carry boutique items, and one standout is a housewares shop with Karuizawa bori, the woodcarving tradition, adorning furniture. You can splurge here, of course, as it's an upscale tourism attraction. But it's also got reasonably priced dining and cafe options.