【Tokyo Disney New Year's Independent Travel】Karuizawa Short Trip × New Year's Fireworks Dream Realization × Kimono Experience × Mt. Fuji Day Trip

Trip Overview This trip was actually inspired by one of An's dreams — celebrating New Year's Eve at Disney. We've both already been to downtown Tokyo, so this time the plan focuses mainly on Karuizawa near Tokyo, a kimono experience in Asakusa, and a day trip to Mt. Fuji, with the grand finale of course being the Disney New Year's Eve countdown and fireworks. 🗓 Itinerary: Day 1: Arrive in Tokyo → Head to Karuizawa → Soak in Hoshino hot springs Day 2: Stroll around Kumoba Pond in Karuizawa → Tokyo Disney New Year's Eve countdown Day 3: Asakusa Kimono Experience → Senso-ji Temple → Tokyo Skytree Day 4: KKday Mount Fuji One-Day Tour (Lake Kawaguchi, Fuji-Q Highland Museum of World Heritage, Oshino Hakkai) Day 5: Breakfast in Tokyo → Flight back to Taiwan Day 1 | Tokyo → Karuizawa: A Warm-Up Journey into the Quiet Snow Country After arriving in Tokyo, we took the NEX Narita Express and then transferred to the Shinkansen heading straight for Karuizawa.Lunch was just a simple station bento, but honestly, Japanese bentos always bring little moments of happiness, and eating one made it feel like the trip was officially starting.

As soon as I stepped out of Karuizawa Station, I noticed the air felt especially fresh, and the winter atmosphere made me slow my pace without even realizing it. The kyu Karuizawa HOTEL where I was staying was quite a walk from the station, so I dragged my luggage for 20 minutes, gradually moving from the bustling streets into a quiet suburban area, as if slowly stepping into another world.

In the evening, we took a shuttle bus to Hoshino Onsen, and for dinner we chose "Village Dining Hall" — the pork cutlet and cold noodles were both really good. After dinner we soaked in the hot spring; it wasn't crowded, so we could quietly enjoy it. Washing away the fatigue of a whole day's travel in the warm steam, I thought, "Ah, this is what vacation is supposed to feel like!

After enjoying a hearty breakfast at the hotel in the morning, we set off for Kumoba Pond. The weather was so beautiful it was almost dazzling, with the water reflecting the blue sky — Karuizawa in winter is quiet and gorgeous. On the way back, we bought some of the area's famous pudding, and the very first bite was so rich and creamy it truly amazed us.

However, accommodation in Karuizawa is really not cheap—a three-star hotel costs almost NT$10,000 a night, and with transportation costs added on top, I secretly thought to myself, "It's beautiful, sure, but not necessarily a must-visit." In the afternoon I went back to Tokyo, getting ready to head into Tokyo Disneyland for New Year's Eve. This is the only day of the year when you can stay overnight inside the park, so I was really excited to be able to take part. After arriving at Disneyland, the crowd split into two streams—one was the crowd fully enjoying Disney's magic on the very last day of the year, about to depart; the other was the crowd who had bought special tickets and were preparing to end the year in the Magic Kingdom.

After entering the park, our first stop was naturally the souvenir shop, packed with people. An tried on all sorts of hats and laughed so happily the whole time, while I was busy taking photos (laughs).

In the evening, everyone gathered at the plaza waiting for the countdown. At that time, news came that the wind was too strong and the fireworks might be cancelled, which made the atmosphere uneasy. We sat on the ground, and our hearts were also restless with anxiety.

Finally, the countdown sounds rang out, and fireworks still bloomed in the night sky! That moment was truly so touching, An's dream came true, and I felt all the hard work was worth it. Day 3 | Asakusa Kimono Experience × Tokyo Skytree Little Trip Today's highlight is the kimono experience. We booked 'Asakusa Miu Kimono', where the girls need to be dressed layer by layer by professional staff, while the guys get it done in no time (haha).

I put on a kimono and walked into Sensoji Temple, snacking on street food from the temple fair stalls as I strolled around, and even drew an omikuji fortune slip to pray for good luck. Finally, I went down to the riverside to gaze at the Tokyo Skytree from afar, taking lots of memorial photos under the clear winter sky.

Honestly, by the end of the photoshoot I was pretty tired, but looking back, walking down the old street in a kimono was so worth it — whether it was a selfie or a shot caught by a passerby, every picture looked like a postcard. At the end, the shop owner even helped take a group photo with us, and their professional guidance made the pictures look even more natural and beautiful. Highly recommend this shop! For dinner, I had originally picked two restaurants I wanted to try (fried beef steak or pufferfish), but after a whole day of activities I was just too exhausted~ After grabbing a small snack, I decided to turn in early — tomorrow we head to Mount Fuji! Day 4 | Mount Fuji Day Trip: Lake Kawaguchi × World Heritage Center × Oshino Hakkai Today I joined KKday's Mount Fuji day tour, which is basically the top pick for lazy travelers: Lake Kawaguchi: First we tried matcha, then stepped outside to see the magnificent Mount Fuji — it looked gorgeous no matter how you photographed it.

World Heritage Exhibition Hall: Showcases the history and culture of Mount Fuji. Although small, it offers a quiet place to appreciate Mount Fuji.

Oshino Hakkai: a beautiful landscape formed by clear spring water and a small village — unfortunately, it's packed with tourists.

Overall, it's convenient and worry-free, especially for people with limited time who still want to get beautiful photos of Mt. Fuji—definitely worth a visit. Day 5 | Tokyo Breakfast Finale × Heading Home We had a midday flight on the last day, so after checking out in the morning we went to February Cafe for brunch, wrapping up this New Year's trip to Tokyo. Looking back, downtown Tokyo already felt very familiar to us, but this time the suburban trips to Karuizawa and Mt. Fuji gave the journey more depth. Most importantly, the New Year's fireworks at Disney were truly a once-in-a-lifetime unforgettable moment.

Trip Summary and Reflections This Tokyo Disneyland New Year's trip brought magical New Year's fireworks, the tranquility of Karuizawa, the kimono experience in Asakusa, and finally, a chance to see Mount Fuji with my own eyes. While accommodation and transportation costs were not cheap, and the late nights for the New Year's celebration were really tiring, being able to make this dream come true and create these precious memories made it all worthwhile. ✨ Recommended for: People who want to fulfill their Tokyo Disneyland New Year's dream Travelers who enjoy small trips around Tokyo's outskirts Visitors who want to experience wearing kimono and taking photos with Mount Fuji