We went to Mitake Shosenkyo in Yamanashi prefecture.
Shosenkyo is a popular tourist attraction in Yamanashi, where you can see giant rocks along a 5 km long gorge.
There is a promenade along the river, which is a good spot to walk around and enjoy the natural scenery.
This article describes our hiking trip to Mitake Shosenkyo.
Explore the highlights of Shosenkyo
Kakuenbo and Tengu Iwa in front of the Kinkeikan
When visiting Shosenkyo, one of the most popular tourist spots in Yamanashi Prefecture, it is common to park your car at the car park around the Shosenkyo Ropeway and walk around from there.
However, if you only want to see the giant rocks of Shosenkyo, it may be more efficient to go to the Kinkeikan first.
The Kinkeikan is a resting place with a terrace along the gorge. Right in front of the shop you can see the symbol of Shosenkyo, Kakuenbo and Tenguiwa.
The symbolic giant rocks of Shosenkyo
Kakuenbo and Tengu-iwa rocks
Kakuenbo and Tengu-iwa rocks, the symbols of Shosenkyo often seen in guidebooks, stand right in front of the Kinkeikan.
Along the stream there are also many huge stones, which make you wonder where they came from.
Houtou and grilled rockfish
Access to Kinkeikan, opening hours and parking
Turn left on the Shosenkyo Green Line and drive along the narrow road to the end of the road, where you will find the car park of the Kinkyokan.
| Access | 40 minutes from the Nirasaki interchange on the Chuo Expressway via the Shosenkyo line. |
|---|---|
| Address | |
| Opening hours | * Closed |
Walking to Sengataki Waterfall
Walking along the promenade to Sengataki Waterfall
After our meal, the waiter suggested that we visit the Sengataki Fall. Sengataki Fall is a 30-meter high waterfall in Shosenkyo, which is one of the top 100 waterfalls in Japan.
We decided to walk from the promenade on the right hand side of Kakuenbo to the Sengataki Fall.
On the way, we passed through a stone gate surrounded by huge granite rocks, and listened to the murmuring of the Arakawa River as we made our way through the powerful rocky mountains.
After walking for about 10 minutes, we arrived at Sengataki Fall. We took a video of the flow of the waterfall, please have a look.
During the autumn foliage season it is quite crowded with tourists, but at this time of year it was sparsely populated and we were able to take our time.
Shosenkyo Ropeway to Mt Rohanji
Shosenkyo ropeway car park
Next, we went back to Kinkeikan and drove to the car park of Shosenkyo ropeway.
* If you walk directly from Sengataki Fall to the Shosenkyo ropeway car park, it takes about 10 minutes.
Ropeway to the summit station with a view point
The Shosenkyo ropeway takes you from the “Sengataki Fall” station at the foot of the mountain to the “Panorama-dai” station at the top of the mountain in 5 minutes (departures every 20 minutes).
The ropeway ends at the summit of Mount Rakanji.
Mt Fuji from Panorama-dai Station
At the end of the Shosenkyo Ropeway, at the top of Mt. Rakanji, there is an observatory, a café and the Yakumo Shrine.
The photo above is the view from 1058m above sea level. Can you see Mt Fuji peeking out in the distance?
At the top of the mountain, there are many viewpoints such as Uguisu-dani valley where you can see not only Mt Fuji but also the Southern Alps, Mt Kitadake and Mt Senjogatake.
A walking trail leads to the summit of Mount Yasaburo
This photo shows the view from the promenade that leads from the top of Mt Rohanji to the top of Mt Yasaburo.
If you are afraid of heights, you may feel a little shaky on the way. I walked around the area for about 30 minutes and then decided to take the ropeway down.
Pond with golden goldfish
Near the exit of Sengataki station, where you get off the train, there is a golden pond. There are many golden carp swimming in the pond, which looks like a good omen.
Summary of sightseeing in Shosenkyo
A day full of giant rocks and hiking
We spent half a day hiking in Mitake Shosenkyo, and it was quite enjoyable to see the impressive rocks and listen to the murmur of the river.
Next time I would like to spend a full day walking along the gorge.
Access to the Shosenkyo Ropeway car park
| Access | 30 minutes by car from JR Kofu station. |
|---|---|
| Address | |
| Parking | Free of charge for passengers on the Shosenkyo ropeway (there are also free public car parks nearby). |
Other places to visit
For other places to visit in Yamanashi Prefecture, please read this article.
