Yes, Yes, Yamanashi!

mj_tnaito

8 years ago

With an abundance of greenery — up to 78 percent of Yamanashi is covered in forests — this prefecture is verdant with life. The profusion of sunshine and fresh water contribute to the fine quality of produce from this region. From fruit to wine, vegetables to flowers, Yamanashi is one of the top prefectures in Japan when it comes to agricultural productivity. Fruits make up more than half of the prefecture’s gross agricultural production, and Yamanashi is the number one producer of grapes, peaches, and plums in Japan.

For visitors who love the great outdoors, you’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to outdoor activities. Yamanashi is surrounded by mountains – to the northeast is the Chichibu Mountain Range; to the west is Akaishi Mountains, and in the north are the bases of Mount Yatsugatake and Mount Kayagatake. Of course, the most famous of them all is Mt Fuji in the south, standing tall at 3,776 meters. A popular trek for adventure-seekers would be the Yoshida Trail, which lies along the Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station (or roughly the halfway point of Mt Fuji). From there, you can stock up on supplies such as hiking sticks, snacks, bottles of water, and oxygen before heading for the summit.

For something a little less high-octane, why not opt for a spot of shopping? Yamanashi offers a variety of beautiful handmade crafts that you will definitely want to take home with you. Inden is arguably the most popular of these crafts, and is a style of leatherwork that has been admired since the end of the Edo era (1603-1868). Other popular styles of crafts from Yamanashi include the production of washi (Japanese paper) and kaiki (traditional weaving of silk textiles).

Of course, no visit to Japan is complete without indulging in its sumptuous cuisine. Every prefecture in Japan has its own specialties, and Yamanashi is no different. In the following pages, you’ll find out more about (and have your appetite whetted by) local delights such as Hoto, Yoshida Udon, and wine beef.

>>Read more about Yamanashi Food

>>Read more about Yamanashi Sightseeing

>>Read more about Yamanashi Experience

>>Read more about Yamanashi Souvenirs

A Bountiful Harvest:Produce from Yamanashi

When you visit Yamanashi, one thing’s for sure – you’ll never go hungry. Surrounded by mountains and pristine spring water, the quality of the local produce is nothing short of excellent.

If you’ll like a preview of some of the best dishes from Yamanashi, book yourselves into the Tokiwa Hotel. Located in the Yumura hot spring area of Yamanashi Prefecture, this hotel has a history dating back at least 80 years and has served generations of the Imperial family, foreign nobility, as well as other esteemed artists and writers.

Dining at the Tokiwa Hotel is an immersive experience in itself. The kitchen is helmed by Executive Chef Hideji Ono, who has over 40 years of culinary experience. Chef Ono uses only the freshest regional produce in his cuisine. Some noteworthy dishes include local Koshu beef cooked on a lava stone hot plate (the lava is extracted from Mount Fuji) and “Kai salmon” steamed in hot spring water. Despite its name, this is not actually a salmon; it is a local river trout and Kai is the old name for Yamanashi. Also served here in Autumn is the classic Dobinmushi (teapot soup), which comes with slices of Matsutake mushroom. Matsutake mushrooms are a delicacy, and their subtle fragrance lends the soup a beautiful aroma.

As its moniker — “kingdom of fruit” — suggests, Yamanashi is home to a rich diversity of fruits and vegetables. During your stay in Yamanashi, you can enjoy freshest veggies such as okra, yam, and burdock, prepared in a variety of styles. For fruits, take your pick from Koshu grapes, plums, peaches, strawberries, and Japanese pears.

In the following pages, we pay a visit to some of these local producers and find out more about what makes Yamanashi prefecture such a great place for agriculture.

The entrance hall of Tokiwa Hotel. The view from the window captures the beauty of its famed traditional Japanese garden throughout the year. Established in 1929, Tokiwa Hotel has hosted many members of the royal family and foreign diplomatic visitors.

“Kofu, the capital city of Yamanashi Prefecture, is located in a valley surrounded by many mountains. The rainwater from the mountains washes away the good soil, making it hard for rice cultivation. However, the rocky ground that is left behind is great for growing fruit, which is why Yamanashi is the top region for fruit production in Japan. At Tokiwa Hotel, we are lucky to have ready access to such great produce so our guests can sample them through our chef’s cooking.”
– Hiromi Sasamoto Lawson, Tokiwa Hotel