EXPERIENCE YAMANASHI AND MORE _ EXPLORE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Fujikawa Ryumon, DRAGONS’ GATE OF FUJIKAWA 2014 by Katsuyuki Shinohara

KUMA’S FACTORY: https://www.kuma-3.com/; https://www.kuma-3.com/permanent_works/work28.php

Fujikawa Ryumon DRAGONS’ GATE OF FUJIKAWA, Roadside Station Fujikawa, Fujikawa town, Yamanashi, 8/25/2026

Fujikawa-cho: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fujikawa,_Yamanashi

The Fuji Motor Museum and Air Museum (widely known as the Kawaguchiko Motor Museum and Air Museum or Hiko Kan) located in the Fujizakura Highland area in the village of Narusawa in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, is exceptionally rare because it is only open for one month out of the entire year in August and houses painstakingly recovered, restored World War II aircraft alongside roughly 100 classic cars. Founded by former race driver Nobuo Harada, it houses a rare private collection of meticulously restored vintage automobiles and World War II aircraft.

Fuji Motor Museum and Air Museum: https://www.car-airmuseum.com/en/index.html

Fuji Motor Museum and Air Museum, Fujizakura Highland, Narusawa village, Yamanashi, 8/18/2026

Fuji Air Museum:

Mitsubishi A6M5 “Zero Fighter” 52, Fuji Air Museum, Fujizakura Highland, Narusawa village, Yamanashi, 8/18/2026

Mitsubishi A6M2 “Zero Fighter” 21, Fuji Air Museum, Fujizakura Highland, Narusawa village, Yamanashi, 8/18/2026

Mitsubishi G4M2 land based attack airplane 22, Fuji Air Museum, Fujizakura Highland, Narusawa village, Yamanashi, 8/18/2026

Nakajima Ki43-1/Ki43-2 “Hayabusa” 1 and 2, Fuji Air Museum, Fujizakura Highland, Narusawa village, Yamanashi, 8/18/2026

Fuji Motor Museum:

Lincoln Continental built by the Ford Motor Company, V8 7500cc-model 1970~1979, Fuji Motor Museum, Fujizakura Highland, Narusawa village, Yamanashi, 8/18/2026

Lincoln Continental: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Continental; Lincoln Town Car: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Town_Car

Tokyo Municipal Electric Bureau’s Omnibus ʻEntaroʼ (Ford TT type), Fuji Motor Museum, Fujizakura Highland, Narusawa village, Yamanashi, 8/18/2026

Tokyo Municipal Electric Bureau’s Omnibus ʻEntaroʼ (Ford TT type): https://www.jsme.or.jp/kikaiisan/heritage_028_en.html

Mechanical organ O-Roll Nickelodeon on display:

Mechanical organ, Fuji Motor Museum, Fujizakura Highland, Narusawa village, Yamanashi, 8/18/2026

Mechanical organ, Fuji Motor Museum, Fujizakura Highland, Narusawa village, Yamanashi, 8/18/2026

Mechanical organ, Fuji Motor Museum, Fujizakura Highland, Narusawa village, Yamanashi, 8/18/2026

Vintage candy store display cases, Fuji Motor Museum, Fujizakura Highland, Narusawa village, Yamanashi, 8/18/2026

It was very clear in the morning, but now it is so foggy at the Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station (Yoshida Trail 5th Station) located in the Kamiyoshida district in the city of Fujiyoshida in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. However, the Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station was heavily crowded with international tourists, day-trippers, and sightseers. The Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station features busy souvenir shops, long lines for photos by landmark signs, and packed tour buses. I vividly remember that I was extremely shocked by the size of multi-story souvenir shops when I first visited the Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station. It was so unreal that I was in the middle of the tallest mountain in Japan. I believe that most people imagine a pristine, quiet mountain trail when thinking of Mount Fuji, so stepping off a bus into what feels like a high-altitude shopping mall is a massive cultural shock.

Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station with a crowd around the plaza in front of the souvenir shops, Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station, Kamiyoshida, Fujiyoshida city, Yamanashi, 8/18, 2026

Bustling Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station, Kamiyoshida, Fujiyoshida city, Yamanashi, 8/18, 2026

Next to the plaza, you can find some horses. They are waiting for customers. So, you can try a horseback ride here.

Horses for horseback riding, Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station, Kamiyoshida, Fujiyoshida city, Yamanashi, 8/18, 2026

Horses for horseback riding, Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station, Kamiyoshida, Fujiyoshida city, Yamanashi, 8/18, 2026

Sign of Mount Fuji Yoshida Trail, Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station, Kamiyoshida, Fujiyoshida city, Yamanashi, 8/18, 2026

Japanese knotweed along roadsides, Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station, Kamiyoshida, Fujiyoshida city, Yamanashi, 8/18, 2026

Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica), formerly Fallopia japonica and widely known in Japan as Itadori, is a large, fast-growing perennial plant native to East Asia. In Western countries, it is a notorious invasive pest, while in Japan, its young shoots are used in local cuisine and traditional medicine. On Mount Fuji, Japanese knotweed acts as a vital pioneer species. It stabilizes loose, shifting scoria and volcanic ash with its deep root (rhizome) networks, and its decomposing organic matter slowly builds rudimentary soil to help other native plants colonize the harsh volcanic slopes.

Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygonaceae; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynoutria_japonica; https://mikawanoyasou.org/data/itadori.htm; Reynoutria japonica Houtt. f. elata (Nakai) Hiyama: https://www.okadanouen.com/zukannormal/beniitadori.html

The common sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is very popular all over the world. This year’s Akeno Sunflower Festival, in the town of the Akeno district in the city of Hokuto, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, has been held during July 18 through August 16, 2026.

Hokuto City Akeno Sunflower Festival 2026: https://www.city.hokuto.yamanashi.jp/docs/sunflowerfes.html#

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_sunflower; https://www.kew.org/plants/sunflower

Sunflower fields in the town of Akeno, Hokuto city, Yamanashi, 8/08/2026

Sunflower fields in the town of Akeno, Hokuto city, Yamanashi, 8/08/2026

Around 3:30 p.m., it rained for about 30 minutes, just a passing shower.

Sunflower fields in the town of Akeno, Hokuto city, Yamanashi, 8/08/2026

Also, please refer to the last year’s event: Hokuto City Akeno Sunflower Festival 2025: https://yamanashietsuo.net/wp-admin/post.php?post=6357&action=edit

Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba: https://saikoiyashinosatonenba.jp/en/

In 1966, an autumn rain front and Typhoon No. 24 (Helen) brought heavy rain to the Lake Sai area, and the following Typhoon No. 26 (Ida) caused the mountainside to give in and finally collapse. The resulting mud and debris flow swept downstream and hit the village of Nenba. Of the 41 thatched-roof houses, 37 were totally or partially destroyed. The village disappeared.

Forty years later in 2006, Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba was established. Twenty thatched-roof houses were built, aiming to restore the beautiful, original landscape of the village. The project also sought to create a new hub for tourism and cultural exchange by leveraging the region’s history, culture, and unique natural environment. Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba is located in the Nenba region in the town of Fujikawaguchiko in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan.

Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba, Lake Sai, Fujikawaguchiko town, Yamanashi, 7/07/2026

Kimono and samurai armor rentals are available at the Hinomiya shop located inside Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba. The experience currently costs 2,000 yen per person plus a 500 yen village entrance fee and lets you walk around the traditional thatched-roof village with Mount Fuji in the background.

Kimono and samurai armor rentals: https://iyashi-hinomiya.stores.jp/reserve/iyashinosato-hinomiya/3849421; https://saikoiyashinosatonenba.jp/shop/hinomiya/

Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6922.html: https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1309/

Komitake Shrine and a sign of an elevation of 2,305 meters (7,562.34 feet) above sea level, Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station, Kamiyoshida, Fujiyoshida city, Yamanashi, 7/07/2026

Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi), Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station, Kamiyoshida, Fujiyoshida city, Yamanashi, 7/07/2026

Japanese larch or karamatsu: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larix_kaempferi

The Panorama Observation Deck (Panoramadai) at Lake Shoji is a scenic mountain viewpoint sitting at an elevation of 1,325 meters, offering an unobstructed view of Mount Fuji, the Aokigahara Sea of Trees, and both Lake Shoji and Lake Motosu. The Panorama Observation Deck is located in the town of Fujikawaguchiko in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan.

Panorama Observation Deck: https://yamanashi–hiking100-jp.translate.goog/course/detail/4?_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en

Panorama Observation Deck and a view of Lake Motosu, Shoji, Fujikawaguchiko town, Yamanashi, 7/24/2026

Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora), Lake Shoji, Fujikawaguchiko town, Yamanashi, 7/24/2026

Japanese red pine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinus_densiflora

The Ochudo Trail is a walking trail that circles roughly halfway up Mount Fuji at an altitude of approximately 2,300 to 2,500 meters (7,500 to 8,200 feet) above sea level. It offers a wonderful opportunity to see a rich variety of plant life and ecosystems of Mount Fuji. On Mount Fuji, forests of larch and Veitch’s fir stretch from the lower slopes up to the subalpine zone.

Ochudo: https://www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db/en/R2-00097.html; https://www.japan.travel/national-parks/parks/fuji-hakone-izu/see-and-do/ochudo-trek-between-heaven-earth-mtfuji-pilgrimage-trail/; Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station: https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1309/

 Alnus viridis subsp. maximowiczii: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alnus_maximowiczii; https://fujisan.umin.jp/plant/alnus01.htm; https://tonysharks.com/Tree_of_life/Eukaryote/Plantae/Land_plants/Miyamahannoki/Miyamahannoki.html

Montane alder (Alnus maximowiczii), Narusawa-village, Yamanashi, 7/18/2026

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynoutria_japonica; https://mikawanoyasou.org/data/itadori.htm

Weyrich’s Knotweed (Aconogonon weyrichii var. alpinum): (In Japanese) https://www.ootk.net/cgi/shikihtml/shiki_1175.htm; https://mikawanoyasou.org/data/ontade.htm; https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%82%BF%E3%83%87

Weyrich’s Knotweed, Narusawa-village, Yamanashi, 7/18/2026

Rhododendron brachycarpum, Narusawa-village, Yamanashi, 7/18/2026

Erman’s birch, Narusawa-village, Yamanashi, 7/18/2026

Northern Japanese hemlock, Narusawa-village, Yamanashi, 7/18/2026

Northern Japanese hemlock (Tsuga diversifolia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsuga_diversifolia

Veitch’s fir, Narusawa-village, Yamanashi, 7/18/2026

Maries’ fir, Narusawa-village, Yamanashi, 7/18/2026

Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi), Narusawa-village, Yamanashi, 7/18/2026

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

Siberian dwarf pine (Pinus pumila), Narusawa-village, Yamanashi, 7/18/2026

Siberian dwarf pine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinus_pumila

Veitch’s fir and Northern Japanese hemlock forest, Narusawa-village, Yamanashi, 7/18/2026

Mount Fuji: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Fuji

Great purple emperor (Sasakia charonda) is native to Japan (from Hokkaido to Kyushu), the Korean Peninsula, China, northern Taiwan and northern Vietnam. S. charonda is the national butterfly of Japan. There is Oomurasaki Center in the town of Nagasaka in Hokuto-city, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, which is dedicated to protecting and researching the great purple emperor butterfly, and you can observe their life cycle throughout the year.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sasakia_charonda; https://stock.adobe.com/jp/search?k=%22sasakia+charonda%22

Oomurasaki Center: https://www.hokuto-kanko.jp/spot/oomurasaki_center/; (In Japanese) https://oomurasaki.net/aboutoomurasaki

Great purple emperor butterflies Female (♀) and Male (♂), Oomurasaki Center, Nagasaka, Yamanashi, 7/10/2026

Great purple emperor butterflies (♀ and ♂), Oomurasaki Center, Nagasaka, Yamanashi, 7/10/2026

Great purple emperor butterflies, Oomurasaki Center, Nagasaka, Yamanashi, 7/10/2026

Great purple emperor butterflies, Oomurasaki Center, Nagasaka, Yamanashi, 7/10/2026

Please read “Great Purple Emperor Butterflies in Nagasaka, Yamanashi” on August 2, 2026 first: https://yamanashietsuo.net/wp-admin/post.php?post=11008&action=edit.

Oomurasaki Center: (In Japanese) https://oomurasaki.net/

Asian lizard’s tail (Saururus chinensis):

Asian lizard’s tail, Oomurasaki Center, Nagasaka-town, Yamanashi, 7/10/2026

 Asian lizard’s tail: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saururus_chinensis

Bulrush (Typha latifolia):

Bulrush: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typha_latifolia

East Asian yellow water-lily (Nuphar japonica):

East Asian yellow water-lily, Oomurasaki Center, Nagasaka-town, Yamanashi, 7/10/2026

East Asian yellow water-lily: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuphar_japonica

Persian silk tree (Albizia julibrissin):

Persian silk tree, Oomurasaki Center, Nagasaka-town, Yamanashi, 7/10/2026

Persian silk tree: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albizia_julibrissin

Chinese plum (Prunus mum):

Chinese plum: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prunus_mume

Goat (Capra hircus):

Hello to Goat, Oomurasaki Center, Nagasaka-town, Yamanashi, 7/10/2026

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

The Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station is a highly popular alpine hub and the most visited sightseeing gateway on Mount Fuji. Sitting at roughly 2,305 meters (7,562 feet) halfway up the mountain, it features a bustling village of restaurants, souvenir shops, and mountain huts, and serves as the starting point for the Yoshida Trail.

Even if you aren’t planning to hike to the summit, the 5th station offers incredible panoramic views of the Fuji Five Lakes and is the closest you can get to the peak by vehicle.

• Komitake Shrine: Located just behind the shops, this historic shrine dates back to 937 and is a revered spot for mountain worship and good fortune.
• Ochudo Trail: A relatively flat, 5-kilometer walking trail that wraps around the mountain, perfect for those wanting to experience the alpine environment without a steep climb.

Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station: https://fujiyoshida.net/en/see-and-do/14; https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6922.html

Mount Fuji wit the moon in the sunset, Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station, Kamiyoshida, Fujiyoshida-city, Yamanashi, 7/20/2026

Erman’s birch (Betula ermanii): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betula_ermanii

Veitch’s fir trees?, Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station, Kamiyoshida, Fujiyoshida-city, Yamanashi, 7/20/2026

Veitch’s fir (Abies veitchii): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abies_veitchii