Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza sets fourth straight sales record
- Adam German
- 17 hours ago
- 1 min read
On April 13th, the Nikkei Shimbun reported that the Karuizawa Prince Shopping Plaza posted record annual sales of ¥60.3 billion in fiscal 2025, surpassing the ¥60 billion mark for the first time since opening in 1995.
Seibu Real Estate Property Management, based in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, said sales at the outlet mall and retail complex in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, rose 2.2% from the previous fiscal year. It was the fourth consecutive year that the shopping centre set a new sales record.
According to the company, visitor numbers, measured by the number of paying customers at registers, were slightly lower than in fiscal 2024 but remained broadly in line with the previous year.
Inbound demand was softer. The number of foreign visitors to Japan shopping at the complex fell 7.2% year on year, while average spending slipped 0.4%. The company attributed the decline partly to fewer Chinese tourists amid worsening Japan-China relations.
Despite weaker inbound traffic, higher spending by customers overall helped lift sales to a new high. Stores expanded their product lineups and held events, contributing to an increase in average spending per customer.
The shopping centre also added a new water activity area to mark its 30th anniversary. Events including a collaboration with the U.S. children’s program Sesame Street also helped attract visitors.
Winter had previously been a softer season for the mall, as icy road conditions discouraged some visitors from the Greater Tokyo Area. The company said that pattern has begun to shift as more customers travel by Shinkansen, helping sales in February and March 2026 reach record monthly highs.
Source:
Nikkei Shimbun (Japanese only; paywalled)
