駅直結の新名所…ホテル・温浴・グルメが集結　駅施設跡地に新たな賑わい「軽井沢T-SITE」いよいよ始動（abnステーション　2026.03.16）

A new commercial facility, "Karuizawa T-SITE," directly connected to Karuizawa Station, will open tomorrow on the north side of the station. It aims to become a new gateway to Shinshu (Nagano Prefecture). ■Reporter's Report "The entrance to the facility is right by the Shinkansen (bullet train) exit. Beyond the stairs are a hotel, shops, and further inside, a shared lounge and a hot spring facility." "Karuizawa T-SITE," opening on the 17th, is located on the north side of Karuizawa Station and is directly connected to the station's free passage. It will house 17 stores, including restaurants (some making their first appearance in the Koshinetsu region), a hotel, and a hot spring facility. ■Mr. Kei Senoo, Urban Development Department, Mitsubishi Estate "We created this with a strong image of it being on land owned by Shinano Railway. We planned to incorporate the shape of the original platform roof building into this new structure." Mitsubishi Estate leased approximately 13,000 square meters of vacant land, including the former station site, from Shinano Railway and has been developing the project since 2019. ■Aqua Ignis, Tetsuya Tachibana, Representative "Hotel HACIENDA KARUIZAWA has only 9 rooms, but each room is spacious, ranging from 50 to 70 square meters." The facility includes not only a hotel but also a shared lounge. With over 200 seats available, it aims to enhance the station's waiting area function. A 150-space parking lot is also attached, serving as a hub for the community. The hot spring facility, "AQUAIGNIS GARDENSPA," features a wood-burning sauna in the open-air bath. The indoor bath also has another sauna, and guests can enjoy a cold bath and a herbal bath containing locally sourced medicinal herbs. ■Reporter's Report "It seems you could even buy and eat donuts while waiting for a train." This is a popular donut shop with branches in Tokyo and New York. ■I'm donut? Public Relations Representative "Our standard products are located at the entrance. 'Imdout? Plain' is our standard raw donut product." We also sell donuts with a soft texture, exclusively available in Shinshu. Popular sushi and Japanese restaurants from Tokyo, as well as a shop where you can make your own original dashi (broth), line the street. On the other hand, there are also shops where you can experience Shinshu, such as a wine shop selling locally produced wines and a standing-room-only soba noodle shop. This is a proposal for a new way to spend time at the station. We anticipate use by a wide range of customers, including tourists and local residents.