Official Tourism Website of Mount Fuji in Yamanashi Prefecture "Home of Mt.Fuji, Yamanashi" > Recommended Routes by Area > Isawa Area
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Isawa Area
The Isawa area is located in the east of the Kofu basin and boasts the highest peach and grape production in Japan.
In spring, this area, called Togenkyo , is covered in a sea of pink peach blossoms. From August to October you can enjoy fruit picking.
The region is also known for its wine production, and every year a mellow tasting wine is created from the grapes which are painstakingly grown at the local wineries. There is also a line-up of original wines and you can enjoy tours of the wineries.
Fuefuki City is known for its two hot spring villages of Isawa and Kasugai, and is counted as one of the best tourist spots in Japan. In the center of the hot spring area, the cherry blossom trees that line the river color the four seasons, and hot spring tourists can be seen enjoying themselves under their full bloom in spring.
It could be said that enjoying a soak in a hot spring after viewing cherry blossom in spring or fruit picking from summer to autumn is a luxury only to be found in this area.
Access
It takes approximately 1 hour 30 minutes by train (JR Chuo Line) from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo to Isawa-Onsen Station. By car it is 5-10 minutes from Katsunuma I.C. or Ichinomiya-Misaka I.C. on the Chuo Expressway.
From Isawa Onsen-Kyo Hot Spring Village it takes 20 minutes by car or 15 minutes by train (JR Chuo Line) to the Kofu area in which Takeda-jinja Shrine and Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art are located.
It takes 50 minutes by car or 1 hour by train (JR Chuo Line) to the Kiyosato/Yatsugatake area.
To the Fujikawaguchiko area it takes 1 hour by car or 1 hour 10 minutes by train from Otsuki Station (JR Chuo Line) on the Fuji Kyuko Line.
Recommended Route
Yamanashi Fuefukigawa Fruit Park
A fruit-themed city park.
The fruit park stands on a plateau and commands views of Mt. Fuji to the front and the mountains of The Southern Alps in the distance. At night the star-filled sky and the view across Kofu Basin is particularly stunning, and the view has been named as one of the new three major night views in Japan.
60 min. by car
A national park famous for its beautiful gorge.
You will never tire of the waterfalls, pools and other sights that appear one after the other as soon as you step into the gorge. Many hikers visit in late spring and autumn when the seasons undergo dramatic changes. The hiking course follows the river and the views on the trail are some of the highlights of the gorge.
40 min. by car
This temple was established by the monk Muso Kokushi in 1330 and is the family temple of Takeda Shingen. The main sights are the grand main hall and the red four-legged temple gate which is a designated Important Cultural Property.
The strolling garden with a pond at the rear of the main hall is also well-known.
The beauty of the garden can be admired on two tiers – the dry garden style, kare-sansui, of the upper level and the Shin-ji ike (a pond shaped like the Kanji character for heart) and the miniature hill, tsukiyama, garden on the lower level.
20 min. by car
Budo-no-Oka Wine Center and Tenku-no-Yu
The underground wine cave holds around 20,000 bottles of approximately 180 brands of wine.
Looking our over the panoramic views of the Kofu Basin and The Southern Alps from the hilltop outdoor bath, Tenku-no-Yu, is just like looking down from the sky.