Livability Report
KaruizawaLivability Score
Nagano·Pop. 18,483
Karuizawa lies at the eastern edge of Nagano Prefecture on the border with Gunma, a highland town at 900 to 1,000 metres on the south-east slope of Mount Asama. Ringed by mountains and hills, it has forest to the north and grassland and farmland to the south, with winters cold enough for the town to issue yearly warnings about frozen pipes. An Edo-period post town on the Nakasendo, it was opened as a summer resort in the Meiji era and villas spread through the forest. The Hokuriku Shinkansen links it to Tokyo, and the town keeps its own rules for protecting nature and scenery.
Published 2026-03-23 · Article updated 2026-10-09 · Data updated 2026-10-20
Where in Japan
Overall Score
42.1
46.2
55.3
50.9
68.2- ※ Retail and restaurant figures are per resident and include shops serving tourists
- ※ Fewer people actually live here than are registered, so the population may vary widely by season
* These scores are based on statistical analysis of public data and do not represent a definitive assessment of any area. Actual livability varies depending on individual values and lifestyle.
5-axis scores
Safety42.1Cost46.2Convenience55.3Welfare50.9Economy68.2Basic Information
Population
18,483
Prefecture
Nagano
Q&A with Kai
Alex, Yuki, and Kai discuss what it's really like to live here.
From post town to summer resort
Yuki
I only know it as a villa area. Did people live here long before that?
Alex
Is the Kyu-Karuizawa area that tourists crowd today where that post town was?
Yuki
How did a post town become a summer resort?
Kai
They did. When the Nakasendo highway was laid out in the Edo period, the three post towns of Karuizawa, Kutsukake and Oiwake prospered as the Asama Sanshuku. Karuizawa was the stop at the western entrance to the difficult Usui Pass, where travellers stayed before or after the crossing, and inns lined the road.
Safety
Alex
If I live in a villa area, how should I think about security?
Yuki
Why would the rate come out high in a town with so few people?
Alex
Honestly, bears worry me more than crime. What does the town do?
Kai
Start with the crime rate. Based on Nagano Prefectural Police figures by municipality, recorded penal code offenses in 2025 came to 6.93 per 1,000 residents, higher than the median for Japan's larger municipalities. The figure counts offenses recorded by the police and excludes traffic accidents and harm that never reached them.
Cost of living
Alex
If I buy land and build, what price should I expect and which rules apply?
Yuki
Why does the town regulate things in such detail?
Alex
What about renting?
Kai
The 2026 official land price average for residential sites is 71,283 yen per square metre, an average level among Japan's larger municipalities. With few survey points, local differences do not show in the average. As for rules, building, felling trees or reshaping land inside a scenic (fuchi) district needs the mayor's permission, so check the rules for any plot with the town.
Convenience
Alex
How do people get around the town and commute?
Yuki
Are there many shops for the size of the population?
Kai
The statistics cover commuting. In the 2020 Census, 7.8% of commuters and students used rail or bus, an average level among Japan's larger municipalities, and the figure says nothing about everyday trips. Public transport in the town consists of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, Shinano Railway, the town loop bus and private bus lines, plus the on-demand shared ride service Karumo.
Welfare
Alex
If I suddenly fall ill, is there a hospital in town?
Yuki
What schools are there in the town?
Kai
Yes, the town-run Karuizawa Hospital, which functions as a secondary emergency hospital. The 2023 Survey of Medical Institutions found 11.90 hospitals and clinics per 10,000 residents, higher than the median for larger municipalities. Density alone does not show whether the departments you need are there or how easy they are to reach, so check that separately on the hospital website.
Economy
Yuki
What is the income level of residents in a tourist town?
Alex
Is the population growing or shrinking?
Yuki
For a town this size, how big a movement is that?
Kai
In the FY2025 municipal tax survey, taxable income per taxpayer was 6,086,615 yen, higher than the median for Japan's larger municipalities. The town describes itself as a year-round resort, but the figure averages people registered and taxed here. It does not describe local wages or how income is spread among residents.
Share of people who actually live here
Yuki
I have never seen the term residency rate. What is it a share of?
Alex
What can we learn from that gap?
Yuki
So how should I read the per-capita figures?
Kai
It is a ratio of two population counts, used as a supplementary indicator rather than an axis: the 2025 Census population divided by the Basic Resident Register population as of 1 January 2026. Karuizawa's figure is 84.7%. The Census counts people living in a place, the register counts registrations, so timing and method differ. It is lower than the median for larger municipalities.
Who this city suits
Families with children
Town school lunches are free, and the town also announces a scheme that waives children's medical co-payments; check eligibility and start dates on the town pages. Catchment areas for elementary and junior high schools depend on the district, so confirm the pairing of district and school first.
Young singles
Average rent is an average level among Japan's larger municipalities, and so is the share of people commuting by rail or bus. Getting around means checking, address by address, which of Shinano Railway, the loop bus, private bus lines and the on-demand Karumo service you can use.
Seniors
Town-run Karuizawa Hospital provides secondary emergency care, and hospitals and clinics per head are higher than the median. Winters bring yearly warnings about frozen pipes, so insulating and draining pipes are part of living here.
Remote workers
The Shinkansen connects to Tokyo, while bear rules such as keeping food waste indoors apply. The residency rate is lower than the median, so read per-capita statistics knowing the two population counts differ. The income average covers people registered here and is separate from local wages.
Disaster risk and hazard maps
Mount Asama is the centre of the town's disaster information. The Mount Asama volcano disaster council produced a map summarising alert levels and expected phenomena, and the town says a map assuming a large eruption was completed in March 2018. In winter, pyroclastic flows melting snow can produce volcanic mudflows expected to reach villa and housing areas in a short time. The flood hazard map shows inundation areas from the Yu, Nigori and Doro rivers under maximum-scale rainfall and states that uncoloured areas can also flood. Sediment disaster warning areas were designated in March 2015 and steep-slope sites were added in March 2026. Check address-level assumptions on the official maps when choosing a home.
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Detailed Data
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Crime Rate (per 1,000) | 6.93 | 2025 |
| Avg. Land Price (¥/m²) | 71,283 | 2026 |
| Avg. Rent (¥) | 54,609 | 2023 |
| Public Transit Usage (%) | 7.8 | 2020 |
| Retail Establishments | 506 | 2021 |
| Retail Establishments (per 1,000) | 27.38 | 2021 |
| Restaurant Establishments | 276 | 2021 |
| Restaurant Establishments (per 1,000) | 14.93 | 2021 |
| Residency Rate (%, census ÷ resident register) | 84.7 | 2025 |
| Medical Facilities (per 10,000, hospitals + clinics) | 11.90 | 2023 |
| Hospitals | 1 | 2023 |
| Hospitals (per 10,000) | 0.54 | 2023 |
| Clinics | 21 | 2023 |
| Clinics (per 10,000) | 11.36 | 2023 |
| Schools (elementary + junior high + high) | 6 | 2024 |
| Schools (per 1,000) | 0.325 | 2024 |
| Schools (per habitable km²) | 0.149 | 2024 |
| Taxable Income per Capita (¥) | 6,086,615 | 2025 |
| Net Migration | 92 | 2025 |
| Net Migration Rate (%) | 0.50 | 2025 |
| Total Population | 18,483 | 2025 |
| crime_count | 128 | 2025 |
| crime_count_pref | 8,085 | 2025 |
| crime_rate_pref_per_1000 | 4 | 2025 |
| habitable_area_km2 | 40 | 2024 |
| resident_registry_population | 21,812 | 2026 |
- ※ Retail and restaurant figures are per resident and include shops serving tourists
- ※ Fewer people actually live here than are registered, so the population may vary widely by season
Data sources
| Indicator | Source | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Population | 2025 Population CensusStatistics Bureau of Japan | 2025 | |
| Crime Rate (per 1,000) | Reported penal code offenses by municipalityNagano Prefectural Police | 2025 | Counted where offenses occur; per 1,000 uses the 2025 census population |
| Avg. Land Price (¥/m²) | Official land prices (National Land Numerical Information L01)Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism | 2026 | Residential sites only; simple average of sites |
| Avg. Rent (¥) | 2023 Housing and Land SurveyStatistics Bureau of Japan | 2023 | Monthly rent of rented housing; next survey in 2028 |
| Public Transit Usage (%) | 2020 Population Census (means of commuting)Statistics Bureau of Japan | 2020 | To be updated when the 2025 census commuting tables are published |
| Retail Establishments (per 1,000) | 2021 Economic Census for Business ActivityMIC and METI | 2021 | Next survey in 2026 |
| Restaurant Establishments (per 1,000) | 2021 Economic Census for Business ActivityMIC and METI | 2021 | Next survey in 2026 |
| Medical Facilities (per 10,000, hospitals + clinics) | Survey of Medical Institutions (System of Social and Demographic Statistics)Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare | 2023 | Hospitals and clinics combined |
| Schools (per habitable km²) | School Basic Survey and habitable area (System of Social and Demographic Statistics)MEXT and Statistics Bureau of Japan | 2024 | Elementary, junior high and high schools per habitable km² |
| Taxable Income per Capita (¥) | Survey on municipal tax assessmentMinistry of Internal Affairs and Communications | 2025 | Taxable income per taxpayer |
| Net Migration Rate (%) | Report on Internal MigrationStatistics Bureau of Japan | 2025 | |
| Residency Rate (%, census ÷ resident register) | Census population ÷ resident register populationMinistry of Internal Affairs and Communications | 2025 | Resident register population as of January 1, 2026 |
Sources (35)
- 軽井沢町 位置・地勢
- 軽井沢町 軽井沢観光情報
- 軽井沢町 民泊施設の設置は認めません
- 軽井沢町 軽井沢町の建築規制
- 軽井沢町 自然保護対策要綱 概要
- 軽井沢町 自然環境と景観を守るための宣言
- 軽井沢町 町内の公共交通の路線図
- 軽井沢町 AI乗合デマンド交通「かる～も」
- 軽井沢病院 病院概要
- 軽井沢町 小中学校通学区
- 軽井沢町 町立小中学校の学校給食について
- 軽井沢町 こどもの医療費の自己負担が無料になります
- 軽井沢町 軽井沢町のツキノワグマ対策事業
- 軽井沢町 かるいざわツキノワグマゾーニングマップ
- 軽井沢町 クマに注意をしましょう
- 軽井沢町 水道管の凍結防止対策を
- 軽井沢町 浅間山火山防災マップ
- 軽井沢町 洪水ハザードマップ
- 軽井沢町 土砂災害警戒区域の追加指定
- Nagano Prefectural Police: statistics
- Nagano Prefectural Police: penal code offenses by municipality, 2025 final (PDF)
- Wikipedia 軽井沢町
- Wikipedia 軽井沢宿
- Wikipedia 旧軽井沢
- e-Stat: 2025 Population Census, basic tabulation (table 0004065881)
- e-Stat: 2023 Housing and Land Survey, monthly rent of rented housing (table 0004021452)
- e-Stat: 2020 Population Census, means of commuting (table 0003454513)
- e-Stat: 2021 Economic Census for Business Activity, establishments by industry (table 0004005684)
- e-Stat: System of Social and Demographic Statistics, schools (table 0000020205)
- e-Stat: System of Social and Demographic Statistics, medical facilities (table 0000020209)
- e-Stat: Basic Resident Register migration report, net migration (table 0003419945)
- MLIT National Land Numerical Information: official land prices L01 (2026)
- MIC: municipal tax survey, FY2025
- MIC: population based on the Basic Resident Register, 2026
- 国土地理院 重ねるハザードマップ
Data years: mainly 2025 (2020–2026 by indicator)
Published 2026-03-23 · Article updated 2026-10-09 · Data updated 2026-10-20