Shimobe / Minobu / Hayakawa

Top Things to do

• Lake Motosu

  Yamanashi Pref. Minamitsurugunfujikawaguchikomachi Motosu

  Lake Motosu is the deepest lake of the Fuji Five Lakes boasting a maximum depth of about 122 meters. The lake water is so transparent you can see an upside down Mt. Fuji like that printed on the back of the 1,000 yen note. The lake is also famous for being a place where you can see the Diamond Fuji phenomenon which is when the rising sun on the New Year’s Day aligns perfectly with the peak of Mt. Fuji. Windsurfing and bass fishing are also popular things to do on the lake with many windsurfers and anglers visiting especially during the summer.

• Kouan Camp

  Yamanashi Pref. Minamikomagunminobuchou Nakanokura 2926

  Located at a beautiful site with the grand Mt. Fuji right in front, sitting over the extremely clear Lake Motosu-the deepest of Fuji Five Lakes-Kouan Campsite offers you two choices for staying, a tent site or a cabin. Since the campsite is located on the northern bank of Lake Motosu, you can see the front face of Mt. Fuji directly.

• Minobusan Kuonji Temple

  Yamanashi Pref. Minamikomagunminobuchou Minobu 3567

  High Priest Nichiren entered Kuonji Temple at Mt. Minobu where he remained for his entire life teaching his disciples. This sacred place where Nichiren devoted his life to reciting the Lotus Sutra draws many worshipers as the head temple of the Nichiren sect. Many annual events are also held here. The Setsubun Ritual held in February attracts tens of thousands of people. In the grounds of the temple are drooping trees said to be 400 years old. The place is well known as a cherry blossom viewing spot with beautiful pale pink flowers showing their full glory during the spring.

• Roadside Station Fujikawa

  Yamanashi Pref. Minamikomagunfujikawachou Aoyagimachi 1655-3

  This roadside station located in Fujikawa Town, Minamikoma County, Yamanashi Prefecture features a tourist information area offering information on roads and tourist sites, a farmer's market, a restaurant, and more. The farmer's market offers a variety of locally-harvest fruits and vegetables including tomatoes and yuzu citrus. The station's restaurant, Fujikawa Kitchen, is notable for its large menu featuring dishes that leverage seasonal ingredients and traditional flavors.

• Roadside Station Tomizawa

  Yamanashi Pref. Minamikomagunnambuchou Fukushi 28507-1

  This roadside station in Nanbu Town, Minamikoma County, Yamanashi Prefecture has a giant statue of a bamboo shoot as a landmark. Located at the border of Southwest Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefecture, the facility is a key hub for stimulating the region's economy and life. The farmer's market offers the town's specialties, locally-harvested seasonal vegetables, and more. The food court's takenoko gohan (rice cooked along with bamboo shoots) and seasonal soba noodles are quite popular with visitors.

• Shibireko Suimeisou

  Yamanashi Pref. Nishiyatsushirogunichikawamisatochou Yamaho 3378

  Lake Shibire, which has been designated as a Yamanashi Prefectural Natural Park, is a beautiful mountain lake located at an altitude of 850 meters. It is one of the Fuji Eight Lakes a group of sacred lakes and marshes that surround Mt. Fuji. This camping ground allows campers to pitch tents on the lake shore or hang a hammock in the forest. The tent site cannot be accessed by car, so you have to carry your luggage by wheelbarrow.

• Lake Shibire

  Yamanashi Prefecture Nishiyachiyo-gun Ichikawa Misato-cho Yamaeya Four Tail Unit

  This small natural mountaintop lake in located in Ichikawamisato Town, Nishiyatsushiro County, Yamanashi Prefecture. Legend has it that this mystical lake was the site of rainmaking rituals. The lake shore features a campground and a rental boat dock. You can enjoy the colors of the cherry blossoms in spring and the autumn foliage in the fall.

• Roadside Station Shimobe

  Yamanashi Pref. Minamikomagunminobuchou Furuseki 4321

  This roadside station, part of Shimobe Noson Culture Park, is nestled in a quiet spot in the mountains. Its attractions include a barbequing square, a relocated folk home, a grassy square, a soba noodle restaurant, and a shop offering local specialties. It also has a firefly dome where visitors can learn about fireflies. From December to February, visitors can try their hand at making Shimobe miso paste with soy beans grown in Minobu Town, a very popular activity.

• Yamanashi Fujikawa Craft Park

  Yamanashi Pref. Minamikomagunminobuchou Shimoyama 159

  This large 53-hectare park is located in Kyonan area, the southern part of Yamanashi Prefecture. The well-equipped park's facilities include large grassy spaces, a fort-style playground with a large playset, a massive hedge and tree maze, a large flower bed, a large splash pad, a dog park, a barbequing area, and a canoeing pool. The park also features a roadside station and an art museum, making it a great place to spend a day.