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Surrounded by famous mountains,
Hokuto is one of Japan’s foremost highland regions. |
Geography
Yamanashi Prefecture is a typical inland region
of Japan, bounded on the north by Mt. Yatsugatake, the south by Mt. Fuji, the
east by the Chichibu Mountains, and the west by the Southern Alps. Hokuto City,
which lies in the prefecture’s northwest part, is the city with the largest land
area at 602.89 km2. Up to this day it is still a major resort area with a well-balanced
variety of elements including “remarkable waters” (natural water sources renowned
for their purity and excellent taste) and foods that are the gifts of the refreshingly
clean, high-elevation environment formed by Mt. Yatsugatake, Mt. Kaikomagatake,
Mt. Mizugaki, and others on the List of the 100 Famous Mountains in Japan. In
addition, Hokuto has the place with the longest hours of sunlight in Japan, as
well as townscapes and culture remaining from premodern times. |
Area Information
| Hokuto City is divided roughly into
three large areas at the feet of mountains: the Mt. Yatsugatake area, the Mt.
Mizugaki/Mt. Kayagatake area, and the Mt. Kaikomagatake area. |
Toryu Waterfall and
its sparklingly clear cascades |
This part of Hokuto is situated at the foot of Mt. Yatsugatake, which is found
in the List of the 100 Famous Mountains in Japan. Well-known places here include
Kobuchizawa, which opens out onto the foot of Mt. Yatsugatake and offers many
outdoor activities such as horseback riding; Oizumi, which is embraced by broad
pastures and the vast natural surroundings of Mt. Yatsugatake; Takane, which
is home to Kiyosato, one of Japan’s representative resort areas; and Nagasaka,
which is known for being a large habitat for Japan’s national butterfly, the
great purple emperor.
→Hokuto
Area Guide: Yatsugatake Area
・Nagasaka Town｜Takane
Town｜Oizumi
Town｜Kobuchizawa
Town |
Countless sunflowers await your visit to the celebrated
summer sunflower fields of Akeno Town. |
Sutama has Mt. Mizugaki, one of the 100 Famous Mountains, a fortress-like towering
mass of rock which is every bit as impressive as a peak in Italy’s Dolomites.
At its base is the Masutomi Radium Hot Spring, which has one of the highest radium
contents in the world. The other part of this area comprises Mt. Kayagatake ?
where Kyuya Fukada, author of List of the 100 Famous Mountains in Japan, expired
from a heart attack ? and Akeno on its broad, gently sloping base, which gets
the most sunlight in Japan.
→Hokuto
Area Guide: Mt. Mizugaki/Mt. Kayagatake Area
・Akeno Town｜Sutama Town |
The Jinja (“Sacred Snake”) Waterfall on the Ojira
River is said to be named so because it looks like a snake crawling up the gorge. |
This area comprises Hakushu and Mukawa at the foot of Mt. Kaikomagatake, one
of the 100 Famous Mountains and an object of religious devotion since ancient
times. The Ojira River, which emerges from Mt. Kaikomagatake and is among the
“remarkable waters” of Japan, flows through the polished white granite of Ojira
River Gorge and supplies the region with water. Hakushu and Mukawa are both known
nationally, Hakushu for the Japanese sake and Western alcoholic beverages made
with this high-quality water. Mukawa’s claim to fame is being the representative
producer of Hokuto City rice which for two years running, 2005 and 2006, was
awarded the “special A” ranking in an evaluation of rice taste sponsored by the
Japan Grain Inspection Association.
→Hokuto
Area Guide: Mt. Kaikomagatake Area
・Hakushu Town｜Mukawa Town |
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Hot Springs
Here’s a catalog of hot springs that will have hot spring fans salivating. They
include the “Masutomi Radium Hot Spring,” which was a private hot spring of feudal
lord Takeda Shingen.
Sports
You can enjoy golf, mountain climbing, skiing, snowboarding, and camping in
the midst of a majestic natural environment. The real outdoors is waiting a mere
two hours from the Tokyo area. |
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