More Than a Day Trip: 10 Popular Tourist Spots in Kofu

If you are planning a trip to Kofu, autumn is especially recommended for its beautiful fall colors.
The mountains surrounding Kofu turn brilliant shades of red and gold, creating spectacular scenery.
At Shosenkyo in particular, a famous autumn foliage spot, you can enjoy stunning landscapes where colorful leaves blend with unusual rock formations and waterfalls.
It is also the season when the air is clear, making Mt. Fuji look even more beautiful.

Kofu is Approx. 1 hour and 30 minutes from Tokyo by limited express train.
It is also accessible from Nagano and Shizuoka in up to 2 hours by limited express.
From Osaka, the journey takes around 4 hours and 30 minutes using the shinkansen and a limited express train.

Located in northern Kofu City, Shosenkyo is often called “the most beautiful gorge in Japan.”
Here you can see granite cliffs, unusual rock formations, and striking stones shaped over many years, along with the clear, abundant flow of water.
There is a well-maintained walking path along the gorge, making it easy to enjoy its beautiful scenery in every season.

Kofu Castle is one of Japan’s Top 100 Castles and was built by order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi after the fall of the Takeda clan.
Today, part of the castle ruins is designated as a National Historic Site, and the area is also widely known as Maizuru Castle Park.
Maizuru Castle is one of the alternate names of Kofu Castle, referring to its appearance of overlapping white walls like a crane spreading its wings.

This famous temple was founded in 1558 by Takeda Shingen, the Sengoku-period lord of Kai, present-day Yamanashi Prefecture.
It began when Takeda Shingen, fearing that Zenkoji Temple in Nagano would be destroyed in the Battles of Kawanakajima, moved its principal image of Amida Nyorai and many Buddhist treasures to Kofu. Even after the fall of the Takeda clan, the temple continued to receive strong protection from figures such as Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Takeda Shrine enshrines Takeda Shingen, the famed warlord of the Sengoku period. It is said to bring blessings for prosperous business, good fortune, success, and protection from misfortune.
It is especially famous for blessings related to victory, as well as the strength to overcome yourself.
The shrine grounds stand on the former site of Tsutsujigasaki Residence, home of three generations of the Kai Takeda clan, Nobutora, Shingen, and Katsuyori, where you can still see moats, earthen ramparts, and wells from the Sengoku period.

Since opening in 1978, the Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art has been affectionately known as “the museum of Millet.”
The museum houses 70 works by Jean-François Millet.
In addition to Millet, its valuable collection of around 10,000 works includes pieces by Barbizon school painters known for naturalistic landscapes and scenes of rural life, works by Yokoyama Taikan, and modern and contemporary Japanese art including pieces by artists connected to Yamanashi Prefecture.

Takeda Shingen was one of the leading warlords of the Sengoku period and remains an essential figure in Japanese history. He ruled Kai Province, present-day Yamanashi Prefecture, and left behind many legends and stories.
The statue was erected in 1969 through the passionate efforts of local citizens who wanted to honor his achievements. Since then, it has been cherished as a symbol of the city, and every December it is even carefully cleaned during a year-end washing.

Yamanashi Prefectural Science Museum is a fun place to learn about the mysteries of space and nature. Its unique exterior, which looks like a spaceship, makes it easy to spot.
Inside, there is a wide range of exhibits covering themes such as space, Earth, and life.
One highlight is the planetarium “Space Theater,” which updated its seats in 2024.
You can experience beautiful starry skies and the mysteries of the universe recreated with the latest digital technology, making you feel almost as if you are traveling through space.

Deep in Shosenkyo, one of Yamanashi’s most scenic areas, Kanazakura Shrine is an ancient shrine with a history of Approx. 2,000 years. Mount Kinpu is worshipped as its sacred object, and crystals mined in this area, known as “fire jewels” and “water jewels,” are enshrined here.
The sacred tree on the grounds, called Ukonzakura, is a type of cherry tree that blooms with golden flowers in spring and has long been cherished as a “money tree.”
Its full bloom from late April to early May continues to captivate visitors.

Shosenkyo is one of Yamanashi’s most famous scenic spots, and deep within it lies Senga Falls, selected as one of Japan’s Top 100 Waterfalls.
The name comes from Joga, the celestial maiden said to live on the moon in Chinese mythology, expressing the meaning of “a waterfall as beautiful as the moon.”
The water drops from a fault created by crustal movement from a height of Approx. 30 meters. Roaring as it cuts through the rock face and sending spray into the air, the sight is truly impressive.

Kofu City in Yamanashi Prefecture once flourished as a source of crystal mining, and thanks to its advanced polishing and processing techniques, it developed into a city of gemstones.
You can experience that history at the Crystal Museum, where rare gemstone rough stones and crystal glass from around the world are on display.
On the first floor, rough stones such as crystal and amethyst line the exhibits with a mysterious glow. On the second floor, brilliant crystal glass pieces including Swarovski are displayed, allowing you to admire their dazzling beauty up close.

Founded in 1913, this long-established restaurant serves handmade soba and Kofu specialties.
It is also famous as the birthplace of Kofu torimotsuni, one of Kofu’s best-known local dishes.
Unlike typical motsuni, Kofu torimotsuni is not simmered for a long time. Instead, chicken liver, heart, gizzard, and laid eggs are coated in a sweet and savory sauce made mainly with sugar and soy sauce.
It is a perfect dish both with rice and with drinks.

If you visit Yamanashi Prefecture, one dish you should definitely try is hoto. This local specialty features thick, flat noodles simmered with plenty of vegetables in a miso-based soup. It is even said to have been loved by the Sengoku warlord Takeda Shingen.
Kosaku Kofu Ekimae Branch is a great place to enjoy hoto in a relaxed atmosphere. This popular local restaurant offers spacious tatami seating where you can take your time and enjoy the meal.

Founded in 1917, the long-established Sadoya Winery is located around a 5-minute walk from Kofu Station.
Along with winery and underground cellar tours and the Sadoya Shop where you can buy Kofu wine, it also has the restaurant Real d’Or on site.
You can enjoy dishes unique to Sadoya Winery, carefully created to pair well with Koshu wine.

Koshu Yume Koji was created as a new landmark in Yamanashi.
It recreates the castle town of Kofu from the Meiji era to the early Showa period and is full of nostalgic old-town charm. Its appeal lies in retro streetscapes with relocated traditional houses, buildings inspired by historic architectural styles, stone-paved roads, and waterways.
The bell tower called Toki no Kane, newly built in 2013 in the image of a bell tower that had been used for 200 years from the Edo period to the early Meiji period, is a symbolic landmark in front of Kofu Station.

Directly connected to JR Kofu Station, this five-story shopping mall is easy to stop by even on rainy days without getting wet. It supports local life with fashion, daily goods, cosmetics, and foods for the table.
At the restaurants inside, you can casually enjoy Yamanashi specialties.
Options include hoto, the local dish of noodles, mushrooms, and seasonal vegetables simmered in miso, Yoshida udon known for its extra-firm texture, and soft serve topped with Kikyo Shingen Mochi, one of Yamanashi’s classic souvenir sweets.

This hotel stands in front of JR Kofu Station on the former grounds of Kofu Castle.
It offers many thoughtful touches that make it much more than just a hotel built on a historic site.
For example, on the same level as the height of the former castle keep, there is an observation area called Historia Lounge Yudono, where you can enjoy panoramic views of Takeda Shrine and Koshu Yume Koji while imagining life as the lord of Kofu Castle.

Kofu Kinenbi Hotel is located in Yumura Onsen, one of Kofu City’s hot spring areas.
In addition to soaking in the large public bath, one of its attractions is the panoramic view of Mt. Fuji and the Kofu Basin from the 11th-floor suite rooms.
The hotel also offers a variety of restaurants, including the teppanyaki restaurant KEYAKI, where you can enjoy dishes made with fresh local ingredients along with Yamanashi wines.
With its extensive facilities and services and the heartfelt hospitality of the staff, a stay at Kofu Kinenbi Hotel is sure to feel like a special occasion.

Located in central Kofu, Konaya Hotel is about an 8-minute walk from Kofu Station.
It offers hospitality shaped by a history of more than 100 years.
The hotel has six types of relaxing guest rooms, from single rooms to spacious junior suites, meeting a wide range of needs.
One recommended option is the Japanese-style room with an open-air bath. Relax in a space filled with traditional Japanese atmosphere and soothe your travel fatigue.
It also features restaurants serving authentic Western and Chinese cuisine, as well as a lounge where you can enjoy seasonal charm and a refined atmosphere.