Month: July 2026

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