KARUIZAWA, JAPAN - Excitement builds in Car 8 as the Shinkansen (bullet train) rumbles out of Tokyo Station. The usually reserved elderly Japanese are in a festive mood; lively chatter and laughter fills the car as the high-speed train whizzes past the lush rice fields that dominate the countryside just outside the capital.

Anticipation hits a fever pitch when, about an hour later, the conductor announces we’re approaching Karuizawa, the fairytale town in Nagano Prefecture where mountains spit fire, boiling water seeps from rocks and emperors fall in love.

Ask anyone in Japan about Karuizawa and their eyes twinkle and a smile quickly parts their lips. This is a place revered for many reasons:

• It sits at the base of an active volcano, Mt. Asama;

• The town’a onsen (hot springs) have been a source of soothing pleasure for centuries;

• Karuizawa is where the Emperor and Empress first met and fell in love;

• It’s the main holiday retreat for Tokyo’s well-healed elite;

• And most importantly, it’s the home of one of Japan’s most treasured resorts, the Hoshinoya Karuizawa.

There are many resorts in this town, which was first established as a holiday retreat by Canadian missionary Croft Shaw in 1886, but none come close to what Hoshinoya Karuizawa offers vacationers — especially those looking to experience the more traditional Japanese lifestyle.

Above: The Garden of Eden setting that Hoshinoya Karuizawa is built around is quite stunning.

Hoshino Resorts, which manages the unique Hoshinoya Karuizawa and two others (one in Okinawa and the other in fabled Kyoto), is renowned for building resorts in the ryokan (traditional inn) style where vacationers trade their modern garb for kimonos and slippers and allow themselves to drift back to a much simpler time.

The company’s three Hoshinoya properties differ from other ryokans in that they offer modern conveniences (bathrooms and bedrooms) and are set in serene locations like fabled Karuizawa.

After hailing a cab at Karuizawa rail station, we drive through the small village and pass the Shaw Memorial Chapel where a bronze bust of the Canadian honours his contributions here.

We’re welcomed at the entrance of the Hoshinoya Karuizawa by a tall, handsome young man who speaks impeccable English.

“I actually lived in Canada when my father worked in Toronto for the Honda Motor Company,” says the young man who offers us some Wagashi (Japanese sweets) before driving us through the resort’s main gate and into a tranquil world where song birds softly trumpet our arrival.

The small car pulls up in front of a two storey building where we climb some stairs to the entrance of our villa and for the first time get an uninterrupted view of the entire Hoshinoya Karuizawa property.

We’re awestruck.

Spread out before us is a wonderland of tall, pencil straight trees rising out of a valley filled with gurgling brooks that spill into ponds where the property’s larger waterside villas are reflected.

The young man ushers us into our villa — there’s 77 in total — and we’re instantly impressed with the sophisticated good looks of the room’s contemporary Japanese design. There’s no TV — a Bose radio and a desk stacked with some Japanese literature and poetry will serve as our entertainment. The living room drifts onto a large open balcony where the area’s natural brilliance can truly be appreciated. The bathroom offers a large soaking tub surrounded by large windows and a wooden bucket and stool sit off to the side, ready for those who wish to enjoy a traditional Japanese bath.

Above: The resort's onsen spa and its rooms look out on a fairy tale setting.

Because of our late arrival, the young man suggests we change quickly into our “happy coats” (pyjamas), which every guest is encouraged to wear during their stay, and get ready for dinner in the main lodge.

The walk across slow moving streams filled with ducks takes just a few minutes before we reach the entrance to Kasuke, the resort’s famed restaurant ruled by Head Chef Eiji Inake. The banquet-style meals served in the multi-tiered room feature local seasonal ingredients prepared using time-honoured techniques and traditions of the region.

To start us off, our charming server delivers a vegetable appetizer called Shinshu and then presents us with a delicate soup highlighted with grilled eel and egg tofu.

The Sashimi that follows, made with a smoked carp caught earlier in the day in the local Yukawa River and accompanied with Napa cabbage, egg yolk and beans electrifies our taste buds.

Above: Guests are treated like royalty and the food they are serve is traditional Japanese with a modern twist.

Next: Shiizakana — an eggplant wrapped in a oyaki (bread) crust that when opened and sampled is simply delicious. It’s the highlight of the meal!

Six more courses follow: Hashi-Yasume, a tomato dish is simply awesome; the assorted small bites course of ayu fish, Kobe beef, deep fried crab, sweet potatoes flavoured with lemon syrup and corn tofu is divine; the squid and scallop dumpling (Takiawase) is surprisingly good; the Gohan (ginger rice) is yummy; and the dessert of seasonal fruits and apple ice cream is the exclamation mark on this amazing meal.

On the way back to our villa, we notice lanterns have been lit and are floating on the resort’s ponds under a clear sky filled with twinkling stars. The scene is simply magical.

Up early the next morning after enjoying a deep sleep, we head to the resort’s Onsen where guests can enjoy a meditation bath in a pool of mineral rich water fed by the thermal thermal hot springs that originate at the local volcano.

The Onsen is split into two sections — the Hikari bath offers lots of natural light to stimulate the senses while the Yami bath is conducted in a darkened room that promotes relaxation. The Yami bath is a Zen experience like none other. In the darkness, alone with your thoughts, you become totally relaxed and it becomes my favourite hideaway during my short visit here.

The Onsen is open 24/7 and you can usually find someone using the facility no matter the time of day. While the Onsen is exclusive to Hoshinoya Karuizawa guests, a public bath known as Tombo-no-yu sits just at the entrance of the resort and can be used for a small charge by anyone.

The resort’s spa is recognized by international groups and magazines as the best in Japan and after one treatment with a therapist whose skill level is off the charts, we totally agree.

Treatments are usually done in one of the quiet pond-side villas but some guests like to be pampered in their own rooms and spa staff are only too happy to oblige.

The spa menu is packed with a variety of traditional Japanese treatments and the essential oils used feature many local ingredients. For more exotic treatments, cypress and ginger oils along with a wide range of oriental herbs are employed.

The spa also offers a course called “Yojo Sojourn” which is designed to restore “body and soul to their original capacities” but guests are required to stay for longer periods — between 2 and 7 days — to get the full benefits of the program.

Because of its location and dedication to well being, Hoshinoya Karuizawa is an eco-resort like non other. Guests are encouraged to take long walks along trails that snake through a property filled with waterfalls, rare birds and tranquil forest outcrops where you can reflect on life. The resort also supplies guided eco tours and afterwards guests gather in the Chaya (tea room) to compare notes.

Above: The resort is beautiful in all seasons but when fall arrives it's especially stunning.

For those who need an injection of modern life, the resort offers shuttle service to the nearby Harunine Terrace where shops sell local souvenirs, regional treats and the best ice cream in Asia.

Across the street from Hoshinoya Karuizawa is the Bleston Court Hotel, which is also managed by Hoshino Resorts, where Western-style meals are made to perfection in true French style by Bocuse d’Or honoured Chef Noriyuki Hamada, who rules the hotel’s Yukawatan restaurant.

Hoshino Resorts makes it possible to experience ancient Japan without leaving the modern world thanks to the Hoshinoya Karuizawa.