5 Photogenic Scenic Spots in Yamanashi

Speaking of Yamanashi Prefecture - Mt. Fuji! But actually, it isn't only Mt. Fuji. Lakes, forests, highlands... wherever you crop the view, breathtaking vistas spread out across Yamanashi, which is packed with spots guaranteed to be Instagrammable. This time we introduce five very special places that will delight both camera lovers and smartphone shooters!

01 | Lake Kawaguchi x Mt. Fuji | The Royal Road of Yamanashi Photogenics

The inverted Fuji mirrored on the lake surface is the ultimate shot that photographers around the world admire. Especially in the windless early morning, the water surface falls mirror-still, completing a fantastical reflection.

• Best Season: Spring (cherry blossoms x Mt. Fuji), Winter (snow-capped Mt. Fuji)
• Shooting Hours: Just after sunrise to 8 a.m.
• Angle: Shooting from a low position on the lakeshore makes the inverted Fuji mirror large.
• Access: About 10 minutes on foot or by loop bus from Fujikyuko Line "Kawaguchiko Station."

02 | Lake Yamanaka Hana-no-Miyako Park | A Dream Collaboration of Flower Fields and Mt. Fuji

About 800,000 sunflowers, and tulip fields with Mt. Fuji in the background - the flower fields that change expression with each season are the greatest appeal. The composition of flowers x Mt. Fuji is spectacular no matter which season you visit.

• Best Season: Spring (tulips), Summer (sunflowers)
• Shooting Hours: Morning to evening. At dusk the sky dyes orange for a dramatic effect.
• Angle: Crouching to match the height of the flowers and placing Mt. Fuji in the background is the classic composition.
• Access: About 25 minutes by bus from Fujikyuko Line "Fujisan Station."

03 | Nishizawa Valley | A Mystical Vista of Green and Water

A gorge like a fantasy film, woven by moss-covered rocks and crystal-clear emerald-green water flows. Especially in the autumn foliage season, the gradation of red, yellow, and green is overwhelming.

• Best Season: Fresh greenery in May-June, Foliage in October-November
• Shooting Hours: Daytime. Around 10 a.m. to noon, when sunlight filters through the trees onto the water, is ideal.
• Angle: For the Nanatsugama Godan-no-Taki falls, a composition looking up from below expresses the dynamic water flow.
• Access: About 50 minutes by bus from JR Yamanashishi Station.

04 | Kiyosato Highland | An Open-Feeling Shot of Pastures and Blue Sky

Kiyosato Highland, spreading out at an altitude of 1,300 meters, has a sky that feels close! The combination of vast grasslands and a clear blue sky is openness at its MAX. Scenes of cattle and horses grazing are also far too picturesque.

• Best Season: Summer (vivid green), Autumn (golden grasslands)
• Shooting Hours: Morning to midday in clear weather. At summer dusk, the sky's gradation is beautiful.
• Angle: A composition with a wide-angle lens that includes a lot of sky is GOOD. Placing a hay roll in the foreground adds depth.
• Access: A few minutes on foot or by car from JR Koumi Line "Kiyosato Station."

05 | Shosenkyo | The Overwhelming Presence of Strange Rocks x Mountain Stream

Shosenkyo, known as one of Japan's premier gorge beauties. Its scenery of continuous steep granite crags and clear streams is full of an extraordinary feeling. In particular, the towering "Kakuenpo" has a force that takes your breath away.

• Best Season: The foliage of October-November is spectacularly beautiful.
• Shooting Hours: The soft-light hours of the morning are recommended. Light hits the rock faces, boosting the sense of depth.
• Angle: Shooting Kakuenpo across the river completes a three-layer composition of rock, water, and sky.
• Access: About 40 minutes by bus from JR Kofu Station.

Yamanashi's great nature is a treasure trove that makes a picture wherever you crop it. Just by being particular about season and time of day, you should be able to capture a shot a cut above. By all means, go find your favorite spot!

Practical Information for Your Visit

The details below are drawn from official announcements by the facilities, local governments and transport operators concerned (as of September 2026). Opening hours, fees and road closures change, so please check the official websites linked here before you travel.

Lake Kawaguchi and Mount Fuji

• Viewpoints: The main lakeside viewpoints, including Oishi Park, are listed on the official pages of the Fujikawaguchiko Town Tourism Federation.

(Source: Fujikawaguchiko Town Tourism Federation, https://fujisan.ne.jp/sightseeing/1652/ )

Yamanakako Hana no Miyako Park

• Location: 1650 Yamanaka, Yamanakako Village, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi Prefecture. It sits inland within the village rather than on the lakeshore.

(Source: Yamanakako Hana no Miyako Park, http://www.hananomiyakokouen.jp/ and Yamanakako Tourism Association, https://lake-yamanakako.com/spot/10017 )

Nishizawa Gorge

• Opening and closing: Yamanashi Prefecture announced that the trail opened on 29 April 2026 and is scheduled to close on 1 December 2026. It cannot be walked in winter.
• One-way: To avoid accidents, the gorge path is in principle one-way.
• Equipment: Visitors are asked to wear a helmet and prepare suitable gear to prevent accidents. The path is narrow, so watch your footing and give way to others.
• Bears: Asiatic black bears have been sighted in Yamanashi Prefecture. Take precautions and be extremely careful.
• Pets: Visitors are asked to refrain from bringing pets onto the trail.
• Trail status: The path can be closed by rockfall or fallen trees. Always check the official Yamanashi Prefecture page before you visit.

(Source: Yamanashi Prefecture, https://www.pref.yamanashi.jp/kankou-sgn/r3nishizawakeikokuhodoukaizan/r7nishizawakeikoku.html )

Kiyosato Highlands

• Higashizawa Bridge works (important): Higashizawa Bridge, the red bridge that is Kiyosato's landmark, is under repair. Sheeting covers the structure so that half the bridge is hidden, and a site office has been set up in the Higashizawa Bridge car park. Traffic is controlled with alternating one-way flow, and works run 8:00-17:00. The stated period is 1 September 2026 to 10 August 2027, about a year. Bear this in mind if you are travelling specifically to photograph the whole bridge.
• Transport: The Kiyosato Picnic Bus serves the area.

(Source: Kiyosato Tourism Promotion Association, https://www.kiyosato.gr.jp/ )

Shosenkyo Gorge

• Road closure (important): The municipal Shosenkyo road between the Nozumi liaison office and Kinkeibashi Bridge remains closed to vehicles. A rockfall in December 2021 closed it entirely, and although a temporary detour allowed pedestrians through from 10:00 on 28 September 2022, vehicles are still barred.
• Buses: From bay 4 of the bus terminal at the south exit of JR Kofu Station, it is 30 minutes and 710 yen to "Shosenkyo-guchi," 40 minutes and 1,000 yen to "Green Line Shosenkyo," and 60 minutes and 1,090 yen to "Takigami."
• Winter transport: From 1 December to 31 March buses terminate at Shosenkyo-guchi, leaving no public transport towards Sengataki Falls. It is about 5-6 km from Shosenkyo-guchi to Sengataki Falls, so a taxi or your own car is recommended in winter.
• Shosenkyo Ropeway: 1,500 yen return and 800 yen one way for adults (junior high school age and above), 750 yen return and 400 yen one way for children, free for under-threes. From 1 April to 30 November the last ascent is 17:10 and the last descent 17:30; from 1 December to 31 March these are 16:10 and 16:30.
• Horse carriages: The sightseeing horse carriages known as tote-basha ceased operating in August 2017.

(Source: Kofu City, https://www.city.kofu.yamanashi.jp/dorokasen/syousenkyou.html ; Shosenkyo Ropeway, http://www.shousenkyo-r.jp/ropeway/fare.html ; Shosenkyo Tourism Association, https://www.shosenkyo-kankoukyokai.com/ )