Promotional Council for Karuizawa, International City of Arts and Culture (KIAC)

Karuizawa attracts eight million tourists annually, which is the second largest in number as a tourist spot in Japan, next to Kyoto. In the event of the opening of a bullet-train line from Toyama to Kansai area (Hokuriku Shinkansen/Nagano Shinkansen), which is due complete after next year, the number of the trourists to Karuizawa is expected to exceed Kyoto.

The Act on “the Construction of Karuizawa as a City of International Goodwill, Culture and Tourism”, was established on 15th of August in 1951, and the first article stipulates the following;

“Karuizawa possesses extraordinary beauty of natural plateau and it is historically known as a land of fine resort. Given the town had contributed to the internationl friendship in the past years, the Act is aimed to further develop the town of Karuizawa to a City of International Goodwill, Culture and Tourism with an aim of achieving the world’s lasting peace and attracting more foreign tourists by developing more tourist facilities, and consequently help contributing to the nation’s economic reconstruction. “

In the succeeding years after the enactment, the nation restored to its former state and achieved the status of economic giant in the world. We believes that Japan in the 21st century is in a position to lead the world in cultural direction, and KIAC’s mission is to help attractting more cultural institutions (including musems) & tourists to the city of Karuizawa, and contribute to the development of the city as a hub for arts and culture, to worth the name of its title.