Karuizawa Commongrounds, a community facility that fosters local exchange in the forests of Karuizawa.

Local community facility in lush Karuizawa

On March 1, 2023, we held the grand opening of "Karuizawa Commongrounds" (Karuizawa Common Grounds), a community facility that proposes a lifestyle for the future of Karuizawa and fosters community interaction.

Karuizawa has been well known by many as one of the world's leading highland resorts surrounded by lush green nature. Recently, Karuizawa has been attracting an increasing number of immigrants and dual-location residents due to its unique educational facilities and educational policies.

The Karuizawa Commongrounds is an approximately 3,500-square-meter complex with the Karuizawa Bookstore Nakakaruizawa at its core and eight other facilities, including an international school, wine store, sundry goods store, and deli, scattered throughout. The property was formerly used as the Nakakaruizawa Dormitory of Aoyama Gakuin Women's Junior College, and the trees typical of Karuizawa were left untouched as much as possible, allowing visitors to enjoy the tranquility of a forest.

BOOK & CAFE "Karuizawa Bookstore Nakakaruizawa" with co-working space

Karuizawa Bookstore Nakakaruizawa was renovated from a building that used to be a Nakakaruizawa dormitory. The original beams and staircase have been retained, giving the building a historical feel while allowing light to stream in, creating an open and cozy space.

The first floor features a wide selection of books on the theme of "lifelong learning," including art, architecture, design, and natural science, as well as a variety of genres to enhance daily life, such as food and children's books. Children’s books are selected by teachers from the facility's international school and are mainly children's books that are read in English-speaking countries during childhood.

The store also serves as the core of the local community, with art exhibits to bring art closer to the public and sales of sundry goods and food products by local artists.

The second floor is a coworking space that offers a variety of work styles, including a space where one can concentrate on work alone while enjoying the view of lush greenery and Mount Asama, and a space where multiple people can hold meetings around a table.

The entire bookstore can also be used as a BOOK & CAFE where customers can enjoy books with coffee from SHOZO COFFEE and spend their favorite time in a calm and cozy space.

A variety of tenants that are close to the lifestyle of Karuizawa.

"Karuizawa Commongrounds" welcomes a variety of tenants that can be enjoyed by local residents and tourists alike, including "OSOBAR," which serves authentic Shinshu soba noodles in a standing style, "RK DAYS," which offers prepared foods made from seasonal ingredients and fresh vegetables delivered from contract farmers, and sundries carefully selected by the staff, and "aVin bio wine shop karuizawa," which offers delicious wines grown in healthy land and brewed with wild yeast from grapes. The "aVin bio wine shop karuizawa" offers delicious wines brewed with wild yeast from grapes grown in healthy lands.

Creating sustainable communities through co-creation with local residents and partner companies

To realize the use of sustainable renewable energy for a decarbonized society, we will engage in energy sharing, in which electricity generated by solar power installed on the roof will be stored in EVs and supplied to the facility and adjacent properties. We will also deploy local composting and fields to implement a food circulation model within the community and a hands-on food education program for children.

"Karuizawa Commongrounds" aims to become a community hub that enriches the lifestyle and life in Karuizawa in the future as a place where a diverse range of people, including residents, workers, and visitors to Karuizawa, gather to foster cultural exchange and cultural liveliness that transcends generations.