Three Destinations, Three Local Cultures: An Autumn Journey through Karuizawa, Hakone, and Kyoto

As the leaves turn and the weather invites leisurely walks, autumn reveals the culture rooted in each destination through its streetscapes and seasonal flavors. In Karuizawa, international exchange shaped a distinctive food culture; Hakone carries the legacy of the old highway and hot-spring retreats; and Kyoto preserves seasonal traditions in its homes and cuisine. Tasting the harvest, experiencing local festivals, and discovering time-honored ways of preparing for winter can add new depth to a journey. This autumn, explore the history and everyday culture of these three destinations.

Karuizawa’s resort culture is rooted in a long history of welcoming visitors. Once a post town on the Nakasendo during the Edo period, it developed into a summer retreat for foreign residents in the Meiji era. Missionary Alexander Croft Shaw, who visited in 1886 and shared its charms with others, played an important role in establishing its reputation.

Jam offers a familiar reminder of this cultural exchange. Sawaya, founded as a produce shop in 1952, supplied fruit and vegetables to the villas of foreign missionaries and began making jam in response to their requests. Each jar carries a story shaped by visitors and local enterprise.

In autumn, look for seasonal varieties such as Jonathan apple, Kyoho grape, prune, and Japanese chestnut. Sawaya also offers reservation-only jam-making workshops using fresh domestic fruit, with ingredients changing according to the harvest. Making a jar by hand is a memorable way to bring a taste of Karuizawa’s food culture home.

Walking through Hakone’s hot-spring towns brings to mind the travelers who once journeyed along the Tokaido. During the Edo period, Hakone flourished as a key mountain stop, and by the late Edo era, spending a night at the hot springs had become part of the journey. Pilgrims bound for Ise and Mount Fuji also passed through, supported by the area’s inns and baths.

This history comes vividly to life on November 3 with the Hakone Daimyo Procession, scheduled to return to Hakone-Yumoto in 2026. Begun in 1935, the event recreates the processions of feudal lords under the sankin-kotai system. In its early years, local carpenters and inn staff took part, helping preserve the town’s heritage of travel through the generations.

The old Tokaido offers a quieter connection to the past. After following its stone-paved route, stop at the Edo-era Amazake Chaya for sugar-free amazake made from rice and rice koji. A warm cup and a soak in the hot springs amid the cool autumn air offer a taste of Hakone’s enduring culture of travel and hospitality.