Karuizawa's Stone Church

Spiraling wooden benches emikariley (Atlas Obscura User)

One stop away from Karuizawa’s main shopping center on the local train, tucked away in the tranquil alpine forests is a striking stone church. Two spiraling stone walls lead to the entrance of the church where great, ascending stone arches are separated by glass panes that strategically let in natural light.

Kendrick Bangs Kellogg, an American modern architect known for incorporating natural elements into his works, especially stone, designed this church as a memorial to Japanese Christian leader Uchimura Kanzo.

While Karuizawa has many beautiful churches, the unique modern architecture surrounded by a serene forest gives the stone church a magical fairytale-like charm. The stone structure has a medieval appearance, which is a rare style in Japan. It is no wonder why this enchanting space is such a popular wedding location. Just across from the church is a much smaller, triangular, wooden church with pathways weaving through the forest where couples can often be seen taking wedding photos.

Know Before You Go

Karuizawa, a popular vacation place in Nagano for Japanese locals (including the current emperor’s family), is just one hour away from Tokyo by Shinkansen (bullet train). It is the perfect place for skiing in winter and for hiking and escaping the Tokyo heat in summer. Karuizawa was made internationally famous as John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s favorite holiday spot and is the serene backdrop for the latest season of Japanese reality series Terrace House. The stone church is best accessed by car but can be reached via a twenty-minute walk down tree-lined streets from Naka-karuizawa station. Visiting hours for the church are from 9am-6pm Monday-Thursday and 7:30am-8:30am Friday-Sunday but it’s best to check on the day you visit—the church is often booked out for weddings.