Recommended Scenic Sites
These are recommended sceneries around Kiyosato, Oizumi and Nobeyama to see and to take spectacular photos. Some are easily accessible by cars while others can only be seen while trekking. However these are distinctive sceneries in the area, there are many more. Finding your favorite spots on your own can be fun. Please also visit the facebook page by Kiyosato.
Yatsugatake bokujo
Calves that are gathered from farms in the prefecture are kept here from May to early November to pasture for a period of time. There are also trekking routes with pastoral views that are typical of Kiyosato. It is popular for a leisurely walk with a grand view of Yatsugatake. Snowshoeing is also popular during winter.
Utsukushimori
A panoramic view of Yatsugatake, Miniami Alps, Mt. Fuji, Chichibu mountains and Kiyosato forests below your eye can be seen from the observatory which is a 15minute walk from the parking lot. In June, “Tsutsuji Matsuri” or Rhododendron Festival is also held while wild rhododendrons are in bloom. It is located at the elevation of 1,543m.
Higashizawa Ohashi
A large red bridge across Kawamatagawa Keikoku valley. The scenery of Yatsugatake viewed from it is noted in Kiyosato. However the view is wonderful every season, fall when the leaves turn their color is the most popular that the parking lot will be crowded.
Makiba Park
Located on Yatsugatake Kogen Line, the park is inside Yamanashi Prefectural Yatsugatake Meadow. However the view of the meadow, Mt. Fuji, Minami Alps and the forest from the parking lot is beautiful, the scenery is also recommended on the path in the meadow that is accessible from the park.
Doryu no Taki falls
Small falls in Kawamatagawa Keikoku valley. Underflowing water of Yatsugatake flows out of the rocks into the river. Visitors can take a 10minute casual walk from the parking lot to the falls. It is a very popular place in the summer to cool off.
Kawamatagawa Keikoku Valley
Yatsugatake water flows in Kawamatagawa Keikoku valley. There is a trekking route between the red bridge, or Higashizawa Ohashi and Doryu no Taki or Doryu Falls. Another one is available from SEISEN-RYO. Scenery in the fall with colorful leaves is also beautiful.
Yatsugatake Kogen Ohashi
From the yellow bridge or Yatsugatake Kogen Ohashi, one can look at magnificent Yatsugatake from its foot. It is a popular sightseeing spot in the fall, when the forest turn yellow and the contrast against the blue sky is marvelous. Please leave your car in the parking lot. Parking on the street is very dangerous.
Hirasawatoge Pass Parking Lot
Well known spot for its panoramic Yatsugatake view. A clean parking lot with restrooms and a kiosk are maintained. Shishi Iwa or Lion Rock is accessible from the path next to the parking lot. It is said that the rock was named so because it looks like a lion lying down.
When you come to Kiyosato first, here it is!
There are many guidebooks on Kiyosato in the travel guidebook corner in a bookstore. The Kiyosato Concierge will introduce the tourist attractions that are included in those guidebooks without fail, from a different perspective.
Moeginomura
A shopping mall with more than 20 restaurants where they serve delicious meals and shops that carry fashionable things you will want, scattered all around. At the center, there is the brewery-pub-restaurant, ROCK. Underneath this restaurant is a brewery where they brew Yatsugatake’s local Touchdown beer. At the restaurant, you will enjoy this beer from a beer server and for a souvenir, bottles are also available. The restaurant is famous for curry. Many visitors always drop by for a plate whenever they come to Kiyosato. Although it is voluminous, you can order a larger size. If you would like to have some along with other dishes, a half size is also available.
A must to see in Kiyosato is a ballet show called Kiyosato Field Ballet, held for about two weeks from late July to early August at the open theater constructed specifically for this event in MOEGINOMURA in Kiyosato highland on the southern hills of Yatsugatake. It is the only open ballet show held annually in Japan. There are many accommodations in the area. Please walk back to your room after watching the fantastic night show.
MOEGINOMURA gardens are being designed by Paul Smither, a British garden designer who forecasts the future grass and tree growth in three, five and ten years, and takes actions now for the next year and the years after. The gardens are worth taking a look.
KEEP / SEISEN-RYOU
SEISEN-RYOU is visited by many tourists who come to Kiyosato Kogen. Their soft-served highland ice cream is very popular, but what is SEISEN-RYOU? What is KEEP? One may like Kiyosato even more if these questions are solved.
SEISEN-RYOU was built as a permanent lodge for Christian youth leadership camp activities in 1938 by Dr. Paul Rusch, an American who has been called “father of Kiyosato” by the local farmers who had great difficulty in developing the area. Later, it became the center that models agricultural community development and was named KEEP after Kiyosato Educational Experiment Project. KEEP organization started its activities around the concepts of food in highlands, health of rural people and hope for youth after World War II. To realize dairy farming with Jersey cattle, an experimental highland farm was built, along with St. Andrew’s Church, St. Luke’s Clinic, and St. John’s Nursery School with donations, many from American and Canadian citizens. Today, KEEP has become the center of environmental education in Japan for protecting nature, conserving environment, and nurturing leadership.
Speaking of SEISEN-RYOU, it is named so because the vast premises spreads across Kiyosato and Oizumi; the Chinese characters sei from Kiyosato, and sen from Oizumi.
Recommendations for the tourists in addition to having the soft-serve highland ice cream include staying at SEISEN-RYOU. SEISEN-RYOU aims at providing accommodations in the nature and cottages are scattered in the forest. Over-night visitors can also participate in fascinating activities. KEEP organization runs Yamanashi Prefectural Yatsugatake Nature Center, the center of environmental education/ the entrance of the forest, where forest rangers introduce the fun in the nature. Free guide tours on the weekends are strongly recommended.
While restaurant in SEISEN-RYOU cannot be missed, please also visit KEEP FARM SHOP where a restaurant is open at lunch time. At the shop, visitors can also find soft-serve ice cream and souvenirs. From the KEEP FARM SHOP restaurant where most walls are windows, only forests, meadows and the sky are seen! The menu lists dishes that are naturally flavored. At the organic drink bar, all-you-can-drink organic Jersey milk from the farm is served! When you come to SEISEN-RYOU, please enjoy yourselves in the nature with delicious meals and soft-serve ice cream.
Sun Meadows Kiyosato Ski Area/ Highland Park
Sun Meadows Kiyosato Ski Area
Ski slopes in Kiyosato Kogen on the eastern Yamanashi side of Yatsugatake’s highest peak Akadake which rise to 2,899 meters above sea level. It is located on the north-western part of Kiyosato Kogen highland. The slopes have elevations of 1,600 to 1,900 meters. The slopes have a long history of being, operated by Yamanashi prefecture, since the time when skiers were pulled by a rope that moves up the hill when there were no ski lifts.
In addition to the favorable high elevations for cold temperatures, Hokuto-shi, where the slopes are located has the longest day light hours with high rate of sunny days. Both these factors make the area have good power snow! Moreover, the slopes are scenic with Mt. Fuji, Minami Alps and Okuchichibu mountains in front, and Yatsugatake rising in the back. Kids’ slopes are also fun and suitable for families. The hotels and inns in Kiyosato are packed with cheerful families who ski on the weekends and holidays in winter. During the best season in January and February, snowboarding is prohibited, so the hills are skiers’ heaven. ※ From 2015 it has become possible for the snowboard to glide over the whole period.
Highland Park
In the summer at the ski area, visitors can enjoy the panoramic view in the air by the ski lift called Panorama Lift at altitude of 1,900 meters.
Highland Park/ Sun Meadows Kiyosato is surrounded by Yatsugatake Chushin Kogen Quasi-National Park and the scenery is chosen as one of Yamanashi prefecture’s New Hundred Views of Mt. Fuji. The peak has an elevation of 1,900 meters and is the best observation point in Yatsugatake Kogen.
In the short summer, the highland plants bloom at once! Please visit it seasonally so that you will enjoy different views every time.
Makiba Koen Park/ Yamanashi Prefectural Yatsugatake Meadow Yatsugatake Branch
Yamanashi Prefectural Yatsugatake Meadow, the vast meadow above Kiyosato Kogen highland.
Yamanashi Prefectural Yatsugatake Meadow vastly spreads across the southern hills of Yatsugatake mainly around 1,200 meters above sea level with a history of about 90 years since it opened as an equestrian pasture of present Tennyosan branch in 1926. On the main prefectural pasture across Kobuchisawa, Nagasaka and Oizumi, excellent breeding cows, for black Japanese beef cows, of the prefecture are grown. At the branch in Kiyosato, mainly cows in the area are brought in during the green season and pastured to grow healthily.
Tourists visit prefectural Makiba Park in Yatsugatake Meadow Yatsugatake Branch. It was opened as a part of Yatsugatake Branch on the southern hills in Yatsugatake for visitors to meet and pet the animals in the vast green meadow in the great nature. Ponies, sheep and goats will welcome the visitors. Visitors can also enjoy the endless highland scenery.
Cote de Vert
On Kiyosato’s scenic Bokujo-dori road, there is a peaceful rural area where hostel and restaurant Le Mariage with a pony farm, barbecue grill and natural restaurant UMAGOYA and KIASOBIYA as well as a picture-book museum and a place where visitors can have hand-on experience are.
Riding a pony around the practice ground and creating some woodwork using branches, a stump, boards and all kinds of tools available with a supervising and teaching attendant at KIASOBIYA… What is going to be created? Don’t daddies seem very passionate? Other than woodworks, jam, sausages and ice cream can be made with young staff members. Please make reservations.
Tomoniconomori
“Tomoniconomori” is the mall that gather four food factory shop to be built around the raw materials of Kiyosato production.
Kiyosato ‘s dairy shop “Kiyosato Milk Plant” made from safe milk, Plain air of the plateau and delicious water, and a soy product shop of good quality soybeans harvested at Kiyosato “Daizuya” , A shop “Kiyosato Jam” that produces fruity jams while cooperating with production farmers such as forest berries and rhubarbs of their own farms born from the ground of the Kiyosato Highland, white peaches and grapes of Yamanashi, plums and the like, cultivated locally The shop “un gouter a la campagne” that cherishes “the rich flavor of handicrafts” such as baked goods and cakes made carefully one by one using seasonal ingredients.
Of course, each factory sticks to “to make and delicious delicacies”, but of course raw materials are the foundation. I make it from carefully selected items of safety and security commitment that makes the face of the maker visible. There are various souvenirs, as well as eat-in spaces. Please enjoy the delicious things while enjoying the wilderness of Kiyosato in the terrace seat on sunny days.
NEXT. The history of Kiyosato
