Shady groves of fragrant trees, crisp alpine breezes and charming European-style villas — heat-addled Tokyoites hardly need more reasons to visit Karuizawa in the summer; this quiet town in Nagano Prefecture has long been a popular holiday destination for those looking for an escape from the intensity of the city. But for two weeks this August, from the 20th to the 31st, the Cu-Cal food festival will give Tokyo gourmands an extra incentive to make the 70-minute bullet train trip to Karuizawa.

The event, now in its sixth year, dubs itself as a celebration of Japanese ingredients, transformed into gourmet fare by noted chefs from around the country. The festival features around 20 chefs and consists of a series of special lunches and dinners held in a temporary restaurant space, where the chefs take turns staging cooking demonstrations in front of diners.

"Every year we do something a little different," says co-organizer Rikuo Nishimori. "The first year, we created an atmosphere that resembled a food court. From the second year, we began borrowing unused restaurant spaces and developed the idea of the Chef's Counter, where the chefs could interact with the audience."