Winter Tale #1 2025 Christmas Season Part 1

December 12, Friday night

🎄Karuizawa Kogen Church ⛪️Stone Church 🏨Hotel Bleston Court

I went to the "Karuizawa Kogen Church Christmas in the Starry Forest."

It was an exceptionally cold day. Just as the night sky is clear and beautiful in the cold season, I think the illuminations on a cold day look especially beautiful. It was a beautiful and wonderful night.

Admission to the illumination area and Kogen Church is by reservation only. You make a date and time reservation in advance on your smartphone. Before entering, staff checked the reservation email, and I was given an admission ticket bookmark.

The Stone Church is not illuminated, but you can enter freely without a reservation. It is located at the back of the parking lot. The Stone Church at night was fantastical and even more solemn than during the day.

The Stone Church is a church that gently draws close to the human heart. When you enter, you feel as if your heart is being purified.

The church has an attached Kanzo Uchimura Memorial Hall.

Photography is prohibited inside the church, but I was able to receive a pamphlet at the exit.

"Organic architecture excludes nothing; it has no walls that divide people or nature, so to speak, it is 'non-architecture'."
These are the words written in the pamphlet.
This church, which seems to be a part of nature, stands quietly in this place as a living piece of architecture.

This is Karuizawa Kogen Church.
It is a church with the warmth of wood.
I heard that performances were held irregularly during this period, but there were none at the time I visited.
I have participated in music services and New Year's Day services held at this church before.

Both the Stone Church and Kogen Church are popular wedding venues.

A large tree in the candle night area. It was a large, sparkling tree fitting for Christmas.

A large wreath was shining at the hotel entrance.

The interior of the Bleston Court hotel was also decorated with a Christmas atmosphere.

I had a hot drink called "Strawberry Shortcake."
Since I had been outside in the freezing cold and my body was chilled to the bone, the hot drink brought me relief and warmed both my body and soul.

It was a cold night, but visiting a place where I could truly feel the Christmas season filled my heart, and I headed home feeling warm and satisfied.

✡ ✡ ✡
I am not a Christian. However, I am truly grateful that because of Christmas, the cold and gloomy streets of December are decorated with illuminations, Christmas trees and wreaths are displayed everywhere, Christmas songs are playing, and everything becomes joyful.
Once, when I was mentally cornered, I kept a Bible by my side, and reading it helped calm my feelings and saved me.
Since Christmas is a special period, I intend to open the Bible and read a few chapters during this time.

Thank you for staying with me until the end of this somewhat disorganized writing.

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas 🎄
May God bless you.