EXPERIENCE YAMANASHI AND MORE _ EXPLORE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

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, Lake Sai, Fujikawaguchiko-town, Yamanashi, 7/07/2026

Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station: 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.

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, Kawaguchiko-town, Yamanashi, 7/24/2026

Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora), Lake Shoji, Kawaguchiko-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

Japanese knotweed, Narusawa-village, Yamanashi, 7/18/2026

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

A photography exhibition titled “Kittens” by Mitsuaki Iwago has been held at The Nanbu Town Museum of Art, Memorial of Koichiro Kondo in the town of Nanbu in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, from June 20 to August 27, 2026.

Saion Temple, belonging to the Rinzai school of Japanese Buddhism, is located in the town of Nanbu in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan.

Rinzai-shu: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rinzai_school; Saion Temple: (In Japanese) https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9C%80%E6%81%A9%E5%AF%BA

Saion Temple, Nanbu-cho, Yamanashi, 7/12/2026

A tea field, Nanbu-cho, Yamanashi, 7/12/2026

The town of Nanbu is the southernmost town in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan.

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

In Yamanashi Prefecture, where about 80% of the land is mountainous, the town of Nanbu is a unique exception. With a low elevation of under 150 meters, the area enjoys a mild climate and abundant rainfall. This area is known for the cultivation of green tea “Nanbu-cha.” Nanbu-cha benefits from gentle sunlight and the abundant waters of the Fuji River basin. The tea is celebrated for its sweet, mellow umami flavor and elegant aroma, and also known by the unified brand name of Yamanashi Prefecture’s teas, “Kai no Midori.”

Nanbu-cha: https://www.maff.go.jp/e/policies/market/dento_syoku/menu/nanbu_cha.html; JA Yamanashi-mirai: (In Japanese) https://www.y-mirai.or.jp/archives/product/tea/

Japanese walnut (Juglans ailantifolia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juglans_ailantifolia; https://note.com/jbcde_2019/n/n3ce2150ca79e?hl=en

Japanese walnut, Aokigahara Forest, Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi, 7/04/2026

Purpletop vervain (Verbena bonariensis): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbena_bonariensis; https://www.nies.go.jp/biodiversity/invasive/DB/detail/81250e.html; https://www.gardenia.net/plant/verbena-bonariensis-tall-verbena

Purpletop vervain growing on the roadside, Kofu, Yamanashi, 6/29/2026

Mount Daibosatsu (Great Bodhisattva), located in Yamanashi Prefecture, is one of the 100 Famous Mountains of Japan. Standing at an elevation of 2,057 meters, it is highly celebrated for its spectacular, unobstructed ridge-line views of Mount Fuji and the Southern Alps. However, unfortunately it was cloudy today and I could not get a further distance view.

100 Famous Japanese Mountains: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_Famous_Japanese_Mountains

Peak of Mount Daibosatsu, 2,057 meters (6,749 ft) high, Enzan, Koshu-city, Yamanashi, 7/01/2026

Daibosatsu Trail, Enzan, Koshu-city, Yamanashi, 7/01/2026

Daibosatsu Trail, Enzan, Koshu-city, Yamanashi, 7/01/2026

Daibosatsu Pass, 1,897 meters (6,224 ft) high, Enzan, Koshu-city, Yamanashi, 7/01/2026

Lichens, Daibosatsu Trail, Enzan, Koshu-city, Yamanashi, 7/01/2026

ITINERARY

(START) Kamihikawa Pass Parking Lot – Kaminari Rock – Mount Daibosatsu – Kaminari Rock – Mount Daibosatsu Pass – Kaizan Lodge – Kamihikawa Pass Parking Lot (GOAL)

Time: 4h 16min (Rest: 43 min), Distance: 7.6 km, Ascend: 554 m, Descend: 556 m

Also, please read the article “Hiking Mount Daibosatsu” on September 15, 2025: https://yamanashietsuo.net/wp-admin/post.php?post=6596&action=edit

A model route: (In Japanese) https://yamap.com/model-courses/209