1. TRANSPORTATION

Mom and my sister are super ready for the snow!

Our train arrived. I wore about 5 layers underneath my coat. Fight!

Delicate tone. My kind of train!

Sneaking to the exit door when the train departed. The perfect spot for taking any melancholic-looking pictures :)

This is my second Shinkansen experience, but I always interested to see the toilet. This train got a massive one, I had to take pictures of it.

Warm closet with modern water system ("bide" and everything), child-friendly, and clean as always.

2. DESTINATION : HOSHINO RESORT AREA

View from the bus : the quiet road and mountains.

3. LUNCH

4. STROLL AROUND 

5. Haruniré Terrace

Wooden grey stores. My kind of tone, again.

♬ Christmas is still around the corners... ♬

This cafe is just. The. Best. Ever. (More about it later)

And this two lovely women... ♥

A little trail heading to one of the shop inside the Terrace.

Mom used to work full-time, even in holidays, so we didn't get time to go for a trip together. Happy to finally get her on board with me after she resigned. She's just too wonderful. I love spending time with her.

More and more coffeeshops!

Sisters's bonding-time in the back part of the Terrace. It's a blurred picture, but I loved the moment.

Japanese style Victory-sign, obligatory for tourist!

6. SOUVENIRS

7. MARUYAMA COFFEE

Little library room inside the cafe. Everyone is just so quiet.

Sneaking inside the library while nobody's around...

A cup of warm coffee for the soul.

And drink outside, actually, dare yourself.

8. KARUIZAWA PRINCE SHOPPING PLAZA OUTLETMALL

Window lights are the best!

SUPERMOM. Suki da!

Personal opinion : Karuizawa is the right place to go with your loved ones - friends, family or lovers. 

I recommend this for anyone who loves nature and enjoy forest more than beach (like me), especially if you come to Japan for business-related work and needs to sneak out from the stressful routines. It's serene and peaceful, very relaxing for holiday. 

ITINERARY DETAILS

Destination : Hoshino Area, Karuizawa, Nagano

1. Depart from Tokyo Station by Train - Asama515 (10.24 AM) → Karuizawa Station (11.27 AM)

2. At Karuizawa Station, exit at the South Entrance, then we took the 11:40 Bus to Hoshino Area (20 minutes) 

Total Trip Time : (approximately) 1,5 hours.

TIPS FOR FIRST-TIMER

• To refresh your mind about this trip, please read this post first: WHAT IS TOKYO RAIL DAYS?

• Tokyo Rail Days Tour is EASY TO GET. You can purchase from LOCAL TOUR AGENTS in your country (in Indonesia, most established Travel Agents have provided the tour, so you can ask them for the available tour packages (based on the season) and they will help you to plan and reserve the tickets.

• You can check the promotion and offered package on TOKYO RAIL DAYS WEBSITE (click on the link), then consult with your agents about how you can buy the packages. You can also try to make online itinerary and set the date/time/etc via the website. Payment can be done online or via tour agent. EASY TO BUY!

• The tour packages are cheaper and only available for non-Japanese tourist. So it's a very good deal for us. EASY TRY!

• Tokyo Rail Days is a flexible tour, so you can pick your own schedule and train time by yourself. No need to hire a private guide at all (that can cost A LOT).

• The train is clean, convenient and easy to get in. Most staff in the station also understand English, so there's no need to be worried about not getting helped. The train is also available in direct routes, so don't worry about changing trains. EASY GO!

And a little note about Japan....

• Japan is a highly safe, modern, tourist-friendly place for tourist. You don't have to worry about getting lost and everything. A little knowledge about Japanese Language will help, though (buy a Japanese Guide book!).

• For Moslem Tourist : Japan use porks in many of their cookings (and cakes too), so please be careful! I can eat anything so it's easy for me, but one of my Moslem friend got trouble finding Halal foods. I think it's important. It's much safer to order food in more modern restaurants (with English menu), so you can tell which one contains pork.

• Japan is worth to visit. Literally. So plan your trip now!

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TOKYO RAIL DAYS TOUR PACKAGE, SHOT ME AN EMAIL OR CLICK HERE!

♥