Gathering a wide range of real-life experiences from “people involved with Karuizawa,” including residents, vacation home owners, commuters, students, and tourists, for future town development.
The Karuizawa Living Research Group (Representatives: Hajime Yoshida, Rumi Kobe; hereinafter “the Research Group”) launched the “Karuizawa Town Co-creation Community Survey (Well-Being Survey)” on Monday, September 28, 2026.This is the first well-being survey ever conducted in Karuizawa Town.
Response form: https://forms.gle/mEpYHsonC9FVHshz8
This survey asks those who live in Karuizawa, own vacation homes, or are involved with the town through commuting, school, or tourism about their feelings regarding daily life.
We ask respondents to share their satisfaction and concerns regarding various themes surrounding daily life, such as medical care, shopping, transportation, child-rearing, nature, and human connections. By analyzing the collected responses as data and applying them to future town development, we aim to improve well-being (happiness levels).
The survey results will be analyzed and published on the Karuizawa Town website and other platforms. Additionally, on Saturday, November 28, 2026, we will hold a “Feedback Meeting” to discuss future town development based on these results, connecting the voices gathered in the survey to future dialogues and activities.
What is a Well-Being Survey? | Viewing the town through the “real experiences” of those who live and engage with it
“Well-Being” is a concept that broadly captures the state of life, including not only feelings of happiness and life satisfaction but also physical and mental health, human connections, and living environments.
When capturing regional well-being, in addition to objective data such as population, facilities, and the economy, the “real experiences” felt by those who live and engage with the area serve as clues to understanding the current state of the region.
In this survey, we will ask about a wide range of items related to daily life in Karuizawa, from living environments such as medical care, shopping, transportation, and child-rearing, to interactions with nature and human connections. We will aggregate and analyze the responses to grasp the current state of life in Karuizawa and use them as basic material for considering future town development.
Town development centered on well-being is spreading nationwide
At the national level, the Digital Agency has positioned the “Regional Well-Being Index,” which quantifies and visualizes citizens’ “ease of living” and “sense of happiness,” as a common indicator for town development and is promoting its use. Movements to incorporate the perspective of well-being into regional policy and town development are spreading, including the implementation of nationwide surveys and support for local governments.
*Source: Digital Agency “Regional Well-Being”
https://www.digital.go.jp/policies/digital_garden_city_nation/well-being
From residents and vacation home owners to commuters, students, and tourists
Karuizawa has people involved with the town in various ways, including those who live here, those who spend time in vacation homes, those who live while traveling back and forth between other regions, those who commute to work or school, and those who visit for tourism.
In this survey, we are calling for responses from a wide range of people, such as the following.
Those who live in Karuizawa Town
Those who own a vacation home in Karuizawa Town
Those who live while traveling between Karuizawa and other regions
Those who commute to Karuizawa Town
Those who attend school in Karuizawa Town
Those who visit Karuizawa for tourism, etc.
The diversity of how people relate to the town—through residence, stays, work, learning, and tourism—is one of Karuizawa’s regional characteristics. Based on this characteristic, this survey targets a wide range of people.
Survey Overview
Survey Name: Karuizawa Town Co-creation Community Survey (Well-Being Survey)
Conducted by: Karuizawa Living Research Group (Contractor for Karuizawa Town’s “Town Development Co-creation Construction Project”)
Response Period: Monday, September 28, 2026 – Friday, October 9, 2026, 23:59 *The period may be extended depending on the number of responses.
Response Method: Web Survey
Target: Residents of Karuizawa Town, vacation home owners, and those involved with the town through commuting, school, or tourism.
Estimated time: About 15 minutes.
Response form: https://forms.gle/mEpYHsonC9FVHshz8
Handling of response data
We will not collect information that identifies individuals, such as names or addresses. Responses will be processed statistically, and will never be published in a way that identifies individuals.
Response data will be managed by the research group, and only the aggregated results will be reported to Karuizawa Town. Furthermore, the content of responses will not be used for any purpose other than this survey.
Participation is voluntary. If there are questions you do not wish to answer, or if you wish to stop responding midway, you may do so at any time.
“Feedback Meeting” to be held on November 28
The survey results will be published on the Karuizawa Town website and other platforms, and we will also provide opportunities to share them with local residents and think about future town development.
On Saturday, November 28, 2026, we will hold a “Feedback Meeting” where participants can discuss the future of Karuizawa’s town development based on the survey results.
Date and Time: Saturday, November 28, 2026, 9:00–12:00
Venue: Karuizawa Town Central Community Center
Participation registration: After completing the survey, you will be provided with the URL for the registration form.
Participation registration is accepted separately from the survey. Your survey responses will not be linked to your participation registration.
By sharing the current state of Karuizawa as revealed by the survey and exchanging opinions with people from various backgrounds, we will apply the results to the next phase of town development.
Bringing every individual’s voice to the future of Karuizawa’s town development
In parallel with this well-being survey, the research group is also conducting interviews with organizations and individuals active in the region.
We will capture the local situation from both the voices collected widely through the survey and the voices heard directly through interviews, and use them to support local activities and create spaces for dialogue to think about the future of Karuizawa.
Karuizawa is a town that will continue to be built by its “people.”
Come, let’s do it together.
We invite everyone who lives in this town, visits it, or is involved in any way to please share your voice.
What is the Karuizawa Living Research Group?
The Karuizawa Living Research Group is an organization that supports local town development, operated by Common Sense Karuizawa, which is contracted for Karuizawa Town’s “Town Development Co-creation Construction Project.”
By collecting voices through interviews with residents and people/organizations active in the region, “Living Coordinators” act as a consultation point and play a role in connecting people, organizations, and the administration. We are also working on providing accompaniment support by experts to advance local activities, and creating spaces for learning and dialogue about town development.
Through these activities, we aim to support existing local initiatives and those taking a new step forward, foster connections between people, and improve the well-being (happiness level) of those living in Karuizawa.
Research Group Overview
Name : Karuizawa Living Research Group
Operation : CommonSense Karuizawa
Address : Nagakura, Karuizawa-machi, Kitasaku-gun, Nagano Prefecture
Representatives : Hajime Yoshida, Rumi Kobe
Activity Area: Inside the Town Development Promotion Office, Karuizawa Town Hall, 2381-1 Nagakura, Karuizawa-machi, Kitasaku-gun, Nagano Prefecture
Research Members: 22 members (including participants from public recruitment, as of September 2026)
Contracted Project: FY2026 Town-funded Town Development Co-creation Promotion System Development Business Outsourcing
Activity Introduction Page: https://www.town.karuizawa.lg.jp/page/20716.html
Inquiries regarding activities: 050-1794-5954 info@karuizawa.life
