Yamanashi Hidden Gems
20 spots
Mt. Fuji Yoshida Trail — Climbing Japan's Sacred Peak
The Yoshida Trail is the most popular of the four official Mt. Fuji climbing routes, accounting for over 60% of all summ…
Chureito Pagoda — Iconic Mt. Fuji Viewpoint
The Chureito Pagoda, a five-story vermillion structure perched on the hillside above Fujiyoshida City, offers the postca…
Lake Kawaguchiko — Mt. Fuji's Mirror Lake
Lake Kawaguchiko is the most accessible and developed of the Fuji Five Lakes, offering the clearest reflection views of…
Lake Yamanakako — Largest of Fuji Five Lakes
Lake Yamanakako, the largest and highest-elevation (980m) of the Fuji Five Lakes, stretches 6.8km east-west with the sou…
Shosenkyo Gorge — Granite Walls and Waterfalls
Shosenkyo Gorge, carved by the Arakawa River through the granite mountains north of Kofu, stretches 5km through vertical…
Kofu Wine Wineries — Japan's Oldest Wine Region
Kofu Basin in central Yamanashi is Japan's premier wine-producing region, responsible for 40% of domestic wine productio…
Takeda Shingen Historical Sites — Legacy of the Warring States
Takeda Shingen (1521–1573) was one of the most formidable daimyo of Japan's Warring States period, ruling Kai Province (…
Hoto Noodles — Yamanashi's Hearty Soul Food
Hoto is Yamanashi's signature comfort dish — thick, flat wheat noodles simmered in a miso-based broth with kabocha squas…
Isawa Onsen — Fruit Valley Hot Springs
Isawa Onsen, located in the Fuefuki Valley surrounded by peach and grape orchards, is Yamanashi's largest hot spring res…
Yamanashi Fruit Picking — Peaches, Grapes, and Cherries
Yamanashi Prefecture is Japan's fruit basket — the nation's top producer of grapes and peaches, and second for cherries.…
Aokigahara Forest — Sea of Trees at Fuji's Base
Aokigahara, also known as the 'Sea of Trees' (樹海, Jukai), is a dense virgin forest that spreads across 30 square kilomet…
Oshino Hakkai — Eight Sacred Ponds of Fuji Spring Water
Oshino Hakkai is a collection of eight crystal-clear ponds fed by snowmelt from Mt. Fuji that has filtered through under…
Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum — European Garden and Mt. Fuji
The Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum is a European-style garden and music box museum set against the backdrop of Mt. Fuji…
Lake Saiko Bat Cave and Forest — Fuji's Hidden Lake
Lake Saiko, the fourth-largest of the Fuji Five Lakes, remains the quietest and least developed — no lakeshore hotels, m…
Maizuru Castle Park — Cherry Blossoms and Kofu Views
Maizuru Castle Park occupies the grounds of historic Kofu Castle (舞鶴城), built in 1583 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi's vassal and…
Momiji Kairo Maple Corridor — Autumn Foliage Tunnel
The Momiji Kairo (紅葉回廊, 'Maple Corridor') is a 150-meter pathway along the northern shore of Lake Kawaguchiko lined with…
Lake Shojiko and Lake Motosuko — Smallest and Deepest Fuji Lakes
Lake Shojiko (西湖) and Lake Motosuko (本栖湖) are the westernmost of the Fuji Five Lakes, connected by a 2km walking path th…
Erin-ji Temple — Takeda Clan Temple and Rock Garden
Erin-ji Temple, located in the mountains east of Kofu, served as the family temple of the Takeda clan during the Warring…
Daizenji Taisekiji Temple — Grapes and Autumn Temple
Daizenji Taisekiji Temple, nestled in the Katsunuma wine valley, has an unusual claim: it houses a 1,200-year-old wooden…
Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine — Gateway to Mt. Fuji Climb
Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine has served as the traditional starting point for Mt. Fuji pilgrimages via the Yoshida…