5 Photogenic Power Spots in Yamanashi

Yamanashi Prefecture is dotted with power spots where mystical scenery spreads out against Mt. Fuji. Stunning vistas that make you forget everyday life, and an atmosphere that seems to purify the heart - here we introduce five places that fulfill both "photogenic" and "healing" at once.

1. Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine (Fujiyoshida City)

A miraculous composition that fits a five-story pagoda and Mt. Fuji into a single frame - truly "the essence of Japan." In cherry blossom season, the three-layered structure of pagoda, cherry blossoms, and Mt. Fuji is complete, making it a spot so popular that photographers from around the world visit.

Best Shooting: Early morning, 6-8 a.m., in spring (early April). Morning mist gently wraps the foothills of Mt. Fuji for a fantastical atmosphere. The observation deck reached by climbing 397 steps is the shooting point. A vertical composition with a wide-angle lens placing the five-story pagoda in front and Mt. Fuji behind is the surefire classic!

Access: About a 10-minute walk from Fujikyuko Line "Fujisan Station."

2. Kawaguchiko Asama Shrine (Fujikawaguchiko Town)

The approach lined with the sacred "power-spot trees," sacred trees over 1,200 years old, has a stillness as if time had stopped. The contrast between the moss-covered stone paving and the giant trees is spectacular, and just walking through the green tunnel makes for photogenic shots.

Best Shooting: Morning in early summer to summer (May-August). Aim for the moment when sunlight filters through the trees onto the stone paving. Standing to one side of the approach, a low-angle composition mindful of depth is recommended (avoid the center of the approach, called seichu, which is considered the path of the deities).

Access: About 10 minutes by bus from Fujikyuko Line "Kawaguchiko Station."

3. Takeda Shrine (Kofu City)

A shrine enshrined on the ruins of the castle of the Sengoku warlord Takeda Shingen. The scenery woven by the vermilion tower gate, stone walls, and the moat's water surface is dignified and photogenic. In autumn, foliage colors the moat, and you can take a beautiful "reflection photo" mirrored on the water.

Best Shooting: Evening, 4-5 p.m., in autumn (mid-November). The time slot when the western sun dyes the vermilion tower gate golden is the best. Crouching at the edge of the moat and aiming low captures the foliage and reflection in a single shot.

Access: About 10 minutes by bus from JR "Kofu Station."

4. Minobusan Kuonji Temple (Minobu Town)

Known as the head temple of the Nichiren sect, Kuonji is a famous spot where 400-year-old weeping cherry trees radiate an overwhelming presence. In spring, a pink curtain that covers the entire precinct is complete, igniting buzz on social media every year.

Best Shooting: Early morning from late March to early April. The illuminated night cherry blossoms are also fantastical, and the silhouettes of cherry blossoms floating in the darkness are just like a painting. Including the five-story pagoda in the background instantly boosts the sense of scale.

Access: About 10 minutes by bus from JR Minobu Line "Minobu Station."

5. Suwa Shrine near Lake Yamanaka and Hana-no-Miyako Park (Yamanakako Village)

The combination of a small shrine standing on the shore of Lake Yamanaka and Mt. Fuji towering behind it is one of a kind. The moment when the "inverted Fuji" mirrored on the lake surface and the torii gate can be captured at the same time is truly a miraculous shot.

Best Shooting: A windless early morning from autumn to winter (October-February). Aim for a day when the lake surface falls mirror-still. A composition placing the torii gate in front with an ultra-wide-angle lens and fitting the inverted Fuji in the lower half of the frame guarantees a photogenic shot.

Access: About 30 minutes by bus from Fujikyuko Line "Fujisan Station."

Yamanashi's sacred power spots are all special places that are not only "photogenic" but also refresh the heart every time you visit. By all means, bring your camera and go find your very own best shot!

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Opening and worship hours / closing days: The grounds of Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine and the observation deck of Arakurayama Sengen Park and the Chureito Pagoda are outdoors, so you can worship and visit without any time restrictions.
• Admission: Visiting Arakurayama Sengen Park and the Chureito Pagoda is free of charge.
• Access: The nearest station to Arakurayama Sengen Park and the Chureito Pagoda is "Shimoyoshida Station" on the Fujikyuko Line, about a 25-minute walk to the pagoda. It is not "Mt. Fuji Station". Both the 398-step "Sakuya-hime Steps" route and the gentler winding slope route take around 15 to 20 minutes.
• Parking: There are four paid parking lots around the park (P1, 88 spaces, 1,500 yen for 6 hours / P2, 38 spaces, 1,000 yen / P3, 35 spaces, 1,000 yen / P4, 21 spaces, 1,500 yen; motorcycles 750 yen). Tour buses cannot enter the parking lots, so passengers board and alight in front of Shimoyoshida Station.
• Worship etiquette: The Chureito Pagoda is a memorial tower enshrining the spirits of 1,055 war dead from Fujiyoshida City. Remember that it is a place of remembrance before it is a tourist attraction, and pay your respects quietly.
• Photography etiquette: The observation deck gets extremely crowded during the cherry blossom and autumn foliage seasons. Do not monopolize a tripod for long periods or push into the queue, and as the surroundings are a residential area, do not photograph private homes or private property without permission.
• Safety notes: The roads around the park are narrow, and visitors are asked to refrain from driving up to the plaza in front of the Chureito Pagoda, as it is dangerous. The 398 steps are slippery in rain and snow, so use the handrail going up and down.

* The vermilion tower seen from the observation deck is not a temple's five-storied pagoda but the "Chureito" memorial pagoda.

(Sources: Fujiyoshida City Tourism Guide "Arakurayama Sengen Park and the Chureito Pagoda")