IHG Hotels & Resorts operates 20 hotel brands with more than 6,800 hotels in more than 100 countries. In Japan, the company currently operates about 60 hotels under 10 brands from Hokkaido to Okinawa (as of November 2025). For this interview, we asked Mr. Masaru Kamiyama, general manager of ANA Holiday Inn Resort Karuizawa, about the attractions around the hotel.
Name: ANA Holiday Inn Resort Karuizawa
Location: 2032-16 Kitakaruizawa, Naganohara-cho, Gunma
–How did you come to work at ANA Holiday Inn Resort Karuizawa?
My first visit to Kita-Karuizawa was over a year ago. From the moment I stepped foot in the area, I was truly moved by the feeling of being enveloped by the quiet forest and deeply immersed in nature. As I experienced firsthand the changing seasons here, I was completely drawn to its charms. From now on, I am delighted to be able to share this excitement with many guests.
–What kind of hotel is it?
ANA Holiday Inn Resort Karuizawa is a mountain resort nestled at an altitude of 1300 meters on the foot of Mount Asama. A refreshing highland breeze blows through the air, keeping you cool and comfortable even in summer, and if you listen carefully, you can hear the whispering of trees and the chirping of birds.
The hotel is fully equipped with a restaurant, gym, hot spring bath, sauna, indoor swimming pool, dog cottage, and dog hotel, as well as convenient access to the adjacent Nature Hills Karuizawa Country Club (formerly President’s Country Club Karuizawa) and Karuizawa Snow Park. Karuizawa Snow Park. This all-season resort hotel is equipped with all the services you need during your stay.
–What is the unique experience of ANA Holiday Inn Resort Karuizawa?
The “casual and friendly” atmosphere allows everyone to feel at ease and to be themselves. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, we offer golf, skiing, retreats, kid- and dog-friendly activities, and a variety of other ways to enjoy your “colorful journey”.
–please let me know if you have any personal favorites tourist spots or restaurants in the vicinity of the hotel.
In the Mt. Asama North Foothills Geopark, there are many places where you can enjoy nature and history. At Onishidashien, you can feel the energy of the earth as you walk through the powerful lava fields, and at the Kamahara Kannondo Temple and Tsumagoi Local History Museum, you can learn about the history of the eruption and the progress of people’s recovery.
–What restaurant menu do you recommend?
At Fodge Forest Dining, our all-day dining restaurant, you can enjoy “natural cuisine” prepared by a chef with a background in French cuisine, making the most of the local ingredients nurtured in the rich natural environment of Kita-Karuizawa. The “Roast Beef of Jyoshu Beef,” a world-class brand of beef, is aged for a long time and carefully roasted according to the meat quality and climate of the day, and then served in its most delicious state.
–What souvenirs do you recommend?
The “Iwata Farm’s Corn Soup” served in our restaurant is a dish made from sweet corn grown in the rich land of Kita-Karuizawa, carefully pureed with only corn. The soup is characterized by a gentle, clear flavor that brings out the natural sweetness and aroma of the ingredients, and we hope you will enjoy it (available for purchase online).
We also recommend the sake manju from Asama Sake Brewery, which boasts a history of about 150 years in Naganohara, Gunma Prefecture. The yeast used to make amazake (sweet sake) is kneaded into the dough, giving it a soft texture and mellow aroma. They are available at the Asama Sake Brewery Tourism Center.
© Source travel watch