【Tokyo Disneyland New Year's Free Travel】Karuizawa Short Trip × New Year's Fireworks Dream × Kimono Experience × Mount Fuji Day Trip

Trip Overview This trip was actually planned because of Ann's dream—celebrating New Year's at Disneyland. Since we've both been to central Tokyo before, this time we're focusing mainly on areas near Tokyo: Karuizawa, experiencing a kimono at Asakusa, a day trip to Mount Fuji, and finally, the main event is of course the New Year's countdown and fireworks at Disneyland. 🗓 Itinerary: Day 1: Arrive in Tokyo → Head to Karuizawa → Soak in hot springs at Hoshino Onsen Day 2: Walk around Yuniba Pond in Karuizawa → Tokyo Disneyland New Year's countdown Day 3: Asakusa Kimono Experience → Sensoji Temple → Tokyo Skytree Day 4: KKday Mt. Fuji One-Day Tour (Lake Kawaguchi, Fuji World Heritage Center, Oshino Hakkai) Day 5: Breakfast in Tokyo → Flight back to Taiwan Day 1 | Tokyo → Karuizawa: A Warm-Up Journey Through the Quiet Snow Country After arriving in Tokyo, we took the NEX Narita Express and then transferred to the Shinkansen bound directly for Karuizawa.Lunch was just a simple station bento, but honestly, Japanese bentos always bring a little happiness, and eating it made me feel like my trip was officially beginning.

Just stepping out of Karuizawa Station, I felt the air was exceptionally fresh, and the winter atmosphere naturally made me slow my pace. The kyu Karuizawa HOTEL where I was staying was some distance from the station. After dragging my luggage for 20 minutes, I gradually transitioned from the bustling shopping streets into the quiet suburbs, as if slowly stepping into an entirely different world.

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

Day 2 | Half-day exploration of Karuizawa × Welcoming the New Year at the Disney of my dreams After enjoying a hearty breakfast at the hotel in the morning, we headed to Yuba Pond. The weather was so beautifully clear that it was dazzling, with the water's surface mirroring the blue sky. Winter in Karuizawa was peaceful and lovely. On the way back, we picked up the famous local pudding, and when we took a bite, it was truly so rich and amazingly delicious!

However, accommodation in Karuizawa really isn't cheap—a three-star hotel costs nearly NT$10,000 a night, and with transportation costs added on, I secretly felt in my heart, "It's beautiful, sure, but not necessarily a must-visit." In the afternoon we went back to Tokyo, getting ready to head into Tokyo Disneyland for New Year's Eve. This is the only day of the year you can stay overnight inside the park, so I was really excited to be able to join. After arriving at Disneyland, the crowd split into two streams: one was the group properly enjoying Disney's magic as the very last day of the year was about to slip away, and the other was the group who had bought special tickets and were preparing to end the year inside the Fantasyland.

After entering the park, the first stop was of course the souvenir shop, which was packed with people. An was all smiles trying on all sorts of hats, while I was in charge of taking photos the whole time (haha).

In the evening, everyone gathered in the square waiting for the countdown, when word came that the wind was too strong and the fireworks might be canceled — the whole crowd grew uneasy. We sat on the ground, our hearts also unsettled.

Finally, the countdown sounded, and fireworks burst into the night sky! That moment was truly so moving, An's dream came true, and I also felt that all the hard work was worthwhile. Day 3 | Asakusa Kimono Experience × Tokyo Skytree Excursion Today's highlight is the kimono experience. We booked "Asakusa Miu Kimono," where the girls need professional staff to dress them layer by layer, while the guys get it done in just a few minutes (laughs).

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

Actually, by the end of the shoot I was really tired, but looking back, walking down the old street in a kimono, whether taking selfies or being captured by passersby, every shot looked like a postcard — totally worth it. At the end, the shop owner even helped take photos of us together, and their professional direction made the pictures look so much more natural and beautiful. I highly recommend this shop! For dinner, we had originally picked two restaurants we wanted to try (fried beef steak or pufferfish), but after a full day of activities we were just too exhausted~ After a small snack, we decided to turn in early — tomorrow we're off to Mt. Fuji! Day 4 | Mt. Fuji Day Tour: Lake Kawaguchi × World Heritage Center × Oshino Hakkai Today we joined KKday's Mt. Fuji day tour, which is basically the top choice for lazy travelers: Lake Kawaguchi: First we tried matcha, then stepped outside and saw the magnificent Mt. Fuji — no matter how you photograph it, it's beautiful.

World Heritage Exhibition Hall: Displays the history and culture of Mount Fuji. Although it's not large, you can quietly appreciate Mount Fuji here.

Oshino Hakkai: A picturesque destination with crystal-clear spring waters and charming villages, but unfortunately crowded with tourists.

Overall, it's convenient and hassle-free, especially worth a visit for people with limited time who want to capture beautiful photos of Mount Fuji. Day 5 | Tokyo Breakfast Finale × Return Journey On the last day, we had an afternoon flight. After checking out in the morning, we went to February Cafe for brunch, marking the end of this Tokyo New Year's trip. Looking back, while the Tokyo city center was already quite familiar to me, visiting the suburban areas of Karuizawa and Mount Fuji this time added much more depth to the journey. Most importantly, Disney's New Year's Eve fireworks were truly unforgettable—a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Trip Summary & Reflections This New Year's Tokyo Disneyland free-and-easy trip had it all: the dreamy New Year's Eve fireworks, the quiet stillness of Karuizawa, a kimono experience in Asakusa, and finally getting to see Mount Fuji with my own eyes. Though accommodation and transportation weren't cheap, and staying up all night for the countdown was truly exhausting, being able to fulfill this dream and create these memories made it all so worth it. ✨ Recommended for: People who want to fulfill their dream of a Disney New Year's countdown Travelers who love short trips to the outskirts of Tokyo Visitors who want to experience wearing a kimono while photographing Mount Fuji