The villas at Hoshinoya Karuizawa in the Fall
Find your bliss in the Highlands of Japan
In November I traveled with some friends to Tokyo, a bustling city with so much to do and so many people, that after a week I felt like I needed a break. The solution was easy: A short trip to a traditional Japanese ryokan resort and hot springs spa in the Karuizawa Highlands.
It's name is Hoshinoya Karuizawa. I call it the antidote to civilization.
Even if you don't visit Tokyo first, the resort alone is worth the fourteen-hour flight from Newark. One of twenty-eight properties operating under the brand name Hoshinoya, it's a popular escape for Tokyoites and just over an hour's ride on the Shinkansen Bullet Train northwest of Tokyo.
Built to resemble the spacious second homes of Karuizawa town, you'll think you're in the Pacific Northwest when you arrive at the resort. But as you enter the main building, the dulcet sound of Japanese music soothes you. Between the music and the zen-like atmosphere, you'll know you're in Japan.
I visited in November as Autumn painted the trees in rich shades of ruby, amber and tangerine. Located at the foot of active volcano Mt. Asama, the setting is pure natural forest, a magical place where birdsong keeps you company as you amble through the grounds. At night, you sit on your villa's patio beneath an indigo sky, watching Japanese lanterns float lazily by on the Yukawa River.
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