Location: Kofu
Top Things to do in Kofu
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The 10 Best Things to Do in Kofu, Japan
Kofu in Japan, from Asia region, is best know for Valleys. Discover best things to do in Kofu with beautiful photos and great reviews from traveller around the world here!
Restaurants in Kofu
1. Shosen Valley
Overall Ratings
4 based on 388 reviews
Reviewed By Mercedes S - Saskatoon
Don't miss this! Truly one of the most beautiful scenic walks I have ever taken. Make sure you bring a 1 yen coin to tuck into the cracks for good luck. You'll know where when you find it.
The locals all start at the bottom and walk up the mountain, which gives you better views as you walk, and climaxes with the falls at the top. I myself, being a prairie girl, have no regrets about starting at the top and walking downhill. That said, the hike down is anticlimactic and gets less and less scenic as you go downhill and then ends with the town. If you're up for it, uphill is the way to go. If you're lazy like me, be sure to stop often and turn around, because the views really are best seen looking uphill. One thing to note: the map timing is only accurate if you don't stop. If you're a normal tourist who has to take pictures of every pretty thing you see (or in my case, spends forever trying to get the "perfect" computer & phone wallpapers...which I did!), expect to take at least 3 hours to go downhill, probably 4 going up.
The water was so beautiful and clear, I thought it would be fun to go swimming in one of the slower pools, but I didn't bring a suit. I settled for sticking my feet and that water was COLD so swimming wouldn't have been fun anyway.
2. Zenkoji Temple
Overall Ratings
4 based on 136 reviews
Reviewed By ArlettaC - Fairfield, California
Lovely temple, with so many interesting features--the "roaring dragon" overhead, the dark passage to the fateful lock, and a feeling of ancientness. Beautiful grounds and many smaller structures, shrines, and monuments well worth wandering through. The friendly folks at the lobby entrance have an English language guidebook for the temple that can be borrowed during ones visit, for those of us not fortunate enough to read Japanese.
3. Takeda Shrine
Overall Ratings
4 based on 350 reviews
Reviewed By edmundduck - Hong Kong, China
This was my second time visiting this Shrine. Not only for the sakura bloom, I went there for Shingen festival (信玄公祭り) as well. The main focus of this festival was of course the samurai parade. Before it started, each samurai team, which was leading by one of 24 Takeda's generals, would go to Takeda Shrine for victory prayer. This simulated the ceremony taken place in the Shrine before going for the battle during Sengoku-jidai (戦国時代 - the warring states period).
After the troop marched into the Shrine, I saw that all participants were well equipped, and flags were waving. I was so excited to observe the whole ceremony, just felt like I time-traveled back to Sengoku period!
4. Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art
Overall Ratings
4 based on 106 reviews
The Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art opened to the public in 1978. Today, we continues the commitment to promote art culture. Starting with the first acquisition, Jean-François Millet's The Sower, the museum has expanded its collection including other works by Millet, other Barbizon School artists and major European landscape artists. The museum has thus come to be known as the "museum of Millet". Furthermore, we have rich collections of modern and comtemporary Japanese artists. Thanks to many individuals' generous donations, today the museum's collection amounts to approximately 10,000 works. In 2004, the South Wing was added to the main building, offering more space for Exhibitions, additionally in 2009, Millet Wing has opened, which is especially for works by Millet and Barbizon School artists.
Reviewed By ArlettaC - Fairfield, California
This is a very pleasant art museum, set in lovely grounds well worth a walking tour when one is finished with the museum proper. Nice variety of genres, displayed in spacious, well lit galleries.
5. Shosen Gorge Ropeway
Overall Ratings
4 based on 116 reviews
Reviewed By blujeansHawaii - Hawaii
Getting to the Shosenkyo ropeway is relatively easy as there are buses running from Kofu. The bus terminals are located just outside of the Kofu train station. There is also a small office to help you with which buses to catch. These local buses have limited seats and it is packed like sardines during peak koyo (autumn fall color) season. We got off at the end of the route which is Shosenkyo Takiue. Then just a short walk to the ropeway where we again were packed like sardines. The top provided unobstructed views of Mt. Fuji. Simply grand and gorgeous. There are eateries at the top. After being in awe of the spectacular sights and pristine air, we descended back down and walked through the many arrays of shops. You will eventually come across a waterfall and then walk through the Shosenkyo Gorge which is again another grand sight. Walking downhill made the hour trek quite comfortable. The trees were all ablaze in reds, oranges, yellows and it was quite a breathtaking sight.
6. Kofu Castle
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 189 reviews
Reviewed By Mercedes S - Saskatoon
I didn't like that this castle was torn down and later rebuilt. Makes it seem like they did it just for the attraction, as any true historic value is gone. All the signs say things like "this is where the gate doors would have been," it's as though they're not even sure. I mean I understand why the did it, but it just doesn't have that same feel as the Castles that have been maintained over the years.
If you're in Kofu, maybe with an hour to burn between trains or something, it's a quick and easy stop. But not something you'd ever want to make a special trip for. Seems to be a popular park for locals to hang out and play, and it makes more sense as that.
Does have some good views of the city though.
7. Museum of Shadowgraph in Shosenkyo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 61 reviews
Reviewed By Mariah G
After a hike in the gorge we went to the shadowgraph museum and it did not disappoint. We are travelling from Canada and hadn't seen anything like this. Takes about 40 minutes to get through and we had lunch at the cafe which was also nice. We ended up buying multiple prints at the gift shop to bring home!
8. Sadoya Winery
Overall Ratings
4 based on 51 reviews
Reviewed By Iceshadow - Singapore, Singapore
Sadoya Winery apparently supplies the Imperial Household Agency wines for the Imperial family.
Unfortunately the tour of the cellars is only Japanese. I was lucky to have been brought there with some locals who translated for me as we walked through the cellar. The tour was 300 yen so it wasn't too expensive.
What was the highlight for me was the sale of the vineyard wines. They have a variety of wines which are excellent and very affordable.
9. Takeda Shingen Statue
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 185 reviews
Reviewed By Isa W - Seoul, South Korea
First of all, this is a duplicate listing. How is the same statue the #2 thing to do in Kofu, but his other listing ("Statue of Takeda Shingen") the #27 thing to do in Kofu.
Anyway, for a duplicate listing, here is a duplicate review:
If you're taking the train or the bus, you may as well check him out. He stands right next to the bus stop to go to Shosenkyo Gorge. He lived in Kofu Castle (Maizuru Castle) at one point. While you're there, hop on the Tully's Coffee or Family Mart wifi and read his page on Wikipedia. If you've never studied Japanese history, it's probably meaningless to you (it was to me). To summarize: he was a pretty prestigious warlord during Feudal Japan. He ordered the damming of the Fuji River.
10. Yamanashi Prefectural Science Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 28 reviews
Reviewed By Renewalsh - Johannesburg, South Africa
My son and i took my grandson to the science center on a rainy day that had rendered other options less attractive. We all enjoyed the fun, intereactive exhibits such as expereicnign a tornado, bubble blowing, the solar system set out at children's height, strength games and so on. It is a beautifully presented and intelligently designed centre.
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