Karuizawa Plateau Church in Japan – A Mysterious and Romantic “Treasury of Love”

▲ Next to the Plateau Church in Karuizawa, Japan, lies a mysterious and romantic “Treasury of Love.”

Reported and photographed by Chen Ziying / Japan

Most people’s impression of overseas weddings involves blue skies, white sandy beaches, and a glass-built church. But in Karuizawa, Japan’s premier wedding destination, the churches stand elegantly amid lush green forests, blending harmoniously with nature to form a beautiful scene. Couples getting married here feel as if they are stepping into a painting. Next to the church, there is also a mysterious and romantic “Treasury of Love.”

Backlit by sunlight and surrounded by the emerald-green woods of early summer, the solemn “Plateau Church” leaves the first impression. Its dark brown solid wood structure carries countless stories of enduring love. Built in 1921, the Karuizawa Plateau Church has a history of over 90 years. The first Japanese couple to wed in Western-style wedding attire in a church held their ceremony here, giving it a significance that convinces engaged couples that choosing to marry here will bring lifelong blessings.

The air is filled with the subtle fragrance of wood, and sunlight streams in through the large glass windows facing the entrance, guiding the newlyweds as they slowly walk down the “Path of the Couple” from the center of the church toward the minister who witnesses their union. Accompanied by harp music welcoming the newlyweds, the atmosphere is warm yet dignified. The charm of the Plateau Church can be deeply felt simply by attending a wedding here. In summer, the Plateau Church is hidden among verdant greenery, but in autumn, it is dyed red by a sea of maple leaves, and in winter, it becomes a pristine white world—truly a different sight in every season.


▲ The wooden Plateau Church exudes a subtle, elegant fragrance.

 
▲ Left: The couple enters through the wooden door and steps onto the “Path of the Couple.” Right: The triangular stained-glass window above guides the couple toward happiness.

Hoshino Resorts Hotel Bleston Court’s overseas wedding coordinator, Uchuyan Shao, explains that the Plateau Church was originally the “Hoshino Educational Institute,” built by cultural figures such as Uchimura Kanzo, Kitahara Hakushu, and Shimazaki Toson within the HOSHINOYA Karuizawa resort area. It was designed to allow children at the time to learn through play. It was later relocated to its current site and became the “Plateau Church.” To preserve this history, the words “Hoshino Educational Institute” can still be seen at the entrance of the Plateau Church.

   
▲ Left and right: To the right of the Plateau Church is the pastor’s residence, which houses the Treasury of Love.

The Plateau Church has been holding weddings for 40 years, and what brings even more joy and beauty is the fact that the adjacent “Pastor’s Residence” actually contains a “romantic Treasury of Love.” This description is not without reason. Upon entering the residence, one finds row upon row of stunning wedding photos that nearly fill the bookshelves. Each photo is accompanied by simple words expressing “happiness.”


▲ One wedding photo after another fills the space with an overwhelming sense of sweetness.

  
▲ The abundance of wedding photos showcases the joy that couples wish to “share.”

Regarding being so overwhelmed by this happiness, the pastor of the Plateau Church, Yuho Kakiyama, said: “Originally, the pastor’s residence was merely a place for formal worship and the pastor’s work. Many couples who held their weddings here would bring their wedding photos back. That’s when we came up with the idea to open the pastor’s residence for them to store their memories. Aside from providing a place to display their photos, it also allows them to meet the pastor again and relive the joy of their wedding day. The exact number of weddings held here is unknown, and the photos displayed here are just a small part.”

  
▲ %Couples who have married here return year after year with their families to take new photos.



At the churches in Karuizawa, one can see the fusion of Western Christian culture with Japanese culture. Pastor Kakiyama also said, “The Western faith, combined with the Japanese people’s joy in sharing and the indescribable emotional bonds they share with family and friends, are all things we value.” Among the photos, there are even couples where both parents and children have gotten married here.

 
▲ Left and right: Many people return to the place where their parents got married to hold their own weddings.


▲ The location where the first Japanese couple wed in Western-style wedding attire in a church was the Plateau Church.

  
▲ Left: A couple getting married in the church during autumn. Right: Karuizawa covered in snow has a unique charm.

▲ Newlyweds can take their first post-wedding photo here to be placed in the “romantic Treasury of Love” in the pastor’s residence.

Located in Karuizawa, the Hoshino Resort Hotel Bleston Court is a popular Japanese holiday destination. It houses two churches: the “Plateau Church” and the “Stone Church,” which is built from stone. Both are highly sought-after by many couples because getting married here offers not just a witness to love but also a sense of “passing on happiness.”

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