EXPERIENCE YAMANASHI AND MORE _ EXPLORE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Views of the Kofu Basin and Mount Fuji from the observation point of Takeda-no-Mori Health Park in the city of Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan.

Takeda-no-Mori Health Park, Kofu, Yamanashi, 11/30/2025

This is an amazing instant-ramen package with the print of The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai. Ramen is a Japanese noodle dish consisting of Chinese-style wheat noodles in a flavorful broth, topped with ingredients like sliced pork, seaweed, and green onions. Instant ramen is a precooked and dried noodle product with flavoring powder and/or seasoning oil.

The Great Wave off Kanagawa, also known as Kanagawa oki nami ura or The Great Wave, is a Japanese ukiyo-e print by Katsushika Hokusai. It features a large, cresting wave with Mount Fuji in the background.

https://hokusai-miyage.com/hokusai-ramen0002/; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa

Ukiyo-e: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukiyo-e; Katsushika Hokusai^[: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokusai

Confederate rose (Hibiscus mutabilis): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus_mutabilis

Capsules of Confederate rose plants, Maple Mountain Garden, Sumpu Castle Park, Shizuoka-city, Shizuoka, 11/24/2025

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsule_(fruit)

https://sumpu-castlepark.com/en/; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunpu_Castle

Mount Fuji and Aokigahara Woodland, Narusawa-village, Yamanashi, 11/20/2025

Red-belted conk (Fomitopsis pinicola): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fomitopsis_pinicola

Red-belted conk, Narusawa-village, Yamanashi, 11/20/2025

Arisaema serratum (Arisaema serratum): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arisaema_serratum, similar to Japanese cobra lily (Arisaema ringens): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arisaema_ringens

Arisaema serratum, Narusawa-village, Yamanashi, 11/20/2025

Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larix_kaempferi

Japanese larch, Narusawa-village, Yamanashi, 11/20/2025

Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamaecyparis_obtusa

Japanese cypress, Narusawa-village, Yamanashi, 11/20/2025

For the Koyodai part of the Tokai Nature Trail, please visit the site: https://www.narusawa-kanko.jp/pdf/koyodai_trekking_english.pdf and for the entire Tokai Nature Trail, please visit the site: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C5%8Dkai_Nature_Trail.

The Koyodai Observatory is located on the top of Koyodai Resthouse. A 360-degree panoramic view from the observatory on a clear day is breathtakingly specutacular.

https://www.narusawa-kanko.jp/koyodai.html; https://www.narusawa-kanko.jp/pdf/koyodai_trekking_english.pdf

Mount Fuji, Aokigahara Jukai (Sea of trees or Woodland), Lake Motosu, and Lake Sai, Narusawa-village, Yamanashi, 11/17/2025

For the entire Tōkai Nature Trail, please visit the site:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C5%8Dkai_Nature_Trail.

Kosuge Village is located in the northeastern corner of Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. The village had a population of 588 in April, 2025. The source of the Tama River is believed to be located in the village. The trailhead for Mount Mitsugo is located behind a bus stop not far from Kosuge Roadside Station. The elevation of Mount Mitsugo is 846 meters. The mountain seemed dominated by oak forests with  jolcham oak (Quercus serrata) and Japanese oak (Quercus crispula).

Views from the top of Mount Mitsugo, Kosuge-village, Yamanashi, 11/16/2025

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosuge; https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/english/recover/kosuge-village.html; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tama_River; https://npokosuge.jp/en/kosuge-village

CMIC Yatsugatake Medical Plant Garden: (In Japanese) https://yatsu-garden.sakura.ne.jp/index.html; CMIC HOLDINGS Co., LTD.: https://en.cmicgroup.com/?cl=navi

Ginkgo leaves, CMIC Yatsugatake Medical Plant Garden, Kobuchisawa, Hokuto, Yamanashi, 11/13/2025

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginkgo_biloba

Japanese emperor oak (Quercus dentata), CMIC Yatsugatake Medical Plant Garden, Kobuchisawa, Hokuto, Yamanashi, 11/13/2025

Japanese emperor oak (Quercus dentata): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus_dentata

Japanese silverberry, CMIC Yatsugatake Medical Plant Garden, Kobuchisawa, Hokuto, Yamanashi, 11/13/2025

Japanese silverberry (Elaeagnus umbellata): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaeagnus_umbellata

Nikko fir (Abies homolepis), CMIC Yatsugatake Medical Plant Garden, Kobuchisawa, Hokuto, Yamanashi, 11/13/2025

Nikko fir (Abies homolepis): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abies_homolepis

Northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis), CMIC Yatsugatake Medical Plant Garden, Kobuchisawa, Hokuto, Yamanashi, 11/13/2025

Northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thuja_occidentalis

Norway spruce (Picea abies), CMIC Yatsugatake Medical Plant Garden, Kobuchisawa, Hokuto, Yamanashi, 11/13/2025

Norway spruce (Picea abies): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picea_abies

Flaky juniper (Juniperus squamata), CMIC Yatsugatake Medical Plant Garden, Kobuchisawa, Hokuto, Yamanashi, 11/13/2025

Flaky juniper (Juniperus squamata): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniperus_squamata

Ebisu-sama is a Japanese deity of good fortune, often depicted with a fishing rod in his right hand and a sea bream under his left arm. He is a prominent member of the Seven Lucky Gods (Shichifukujin) and is worshipped by fishermen and merchants for providing a bountiful catch and prosperous business. In the city of Kofu in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, there will be the Kofu Ebisu-sama (or ko) Festival organized by the Kofu Chamber of Commerce & Industry on November 23, 2025.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebisu_(mythology); Shichifukujin: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Lucky_Gods;

A statue of Ebisu-sama (ko), Kofu Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Kofu, Yamanashi, 11/14/2025

(In Japanese) https://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/kofu/event/ebisu.html; https://kofucci.or.jp/upload/file/0/000007020/ccifile.pdf; https://kofucci.or.jp/upload/file/9/000007019/ccifile.pdf

Chinese quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis) is a small tree and has smooth, serrated leaves and single flowers, while Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica or Chaenomeles speciosa) is a thorny shrub and has glossy leaves and often has thorny branches with clustered flowers. Both fruits are aromatic and must be cooked, but the Chinese quince fruit resembles a true quince more closely, while the smaller Japanese quince fruit has a stronger, more sour flavor. 

Chinese quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudocydonia; https://specialtyproduce.com/produce/Chinese_Quince_24437.php; https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/pseudocydonia-sinensis/

Chinese quince, CMIC Yatsugatake Medical Plant Garden, Kobuchisawa, Hokuto, Yamanashi, 11/13&11/2025

Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaenomeles_japonica

Japanese quince, CMIC Yatsugatake Medical Plant Garden, Kobuchisawa, Hokuto, Yamanashi, 11/13/2025

CMIC HOLDINGS Co., LTD. https://en.cmicgroup.com/?cl=navi, CMIC Yatsugatake Medical Plant Garden (In Japanese) https://yatsu-garden.sakura.ne.jp/index.html

FYI: Quince (Cydonia oblonga) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quince

Mount Konara is located in the region of Makiokacho in the city of Yamanashi in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. It is a popular hiking destination with well-maintained trails. The name implies and is well-known for the abundance of oak trees. The elevation of Mount Konara is 1,713 meters.

Jolcham oak (Quercus serrata): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus_serrata; Japanese oak (Quercus crispula): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus_crispula; (In Japanese) https://yamanashi-hiking100.jp/course/detail/58

Top of Mount Konara, Makiokacho, Yamanashi-city, Yamanashi, 11/08/2025

Jizo statues for childbirth, Yakeyama Pass, Yamanashi-city, Yamanashi, 11/08/2025

 Jolcham oak (Quercus serrata) or Japanese oak (Quercus crispula), Mount Konara, Yamanashi-city, Yamanashi, 11/08/2025

 Maple (Acer), Mount Konara, Yamanashi-city, Yamanashi, 11/08/2025

Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi), Mount Konara, Yamanashi-city, Yamanashi, 11/08/2025

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larix_kaempferi

Tigertail spruce (Picea polita), Mount Konara, Yamanashi-city, Yamanashi, 11/08/2025

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picea_polita

Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor), Mount Konara, Yamanashi-city, Yamanashi, 11/08/2025

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trametes_versicolor