What to do and see in Kai, Japan: The Best Places and Tips

October 5, 2017 Leonarda Pillsbury

Kim Jong-in, better known as Kai, is a South Korean singer, actor and dancer. He is a member of the South Korean-Chinese boy group EXO and its sub unit EXO-K.
Restaurants in Kai

1. Nakagomi Fruit Orchard

2281-1 Iino, Minami Alps 400-0222, Yamanashi Prefecture +81 90-1664-2921
Excellent
76%
Good
17%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
2%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 76 reviews

Nakagomi Fruit Orchard

Nakagomi Orchard is fruit picking farm located in Minami Alps City, Yamanashi pref. You can enjoy various fruit pickings for every June - December period. Please feel free to visit us with your family, friends and colleagues!

Reviewed By Rochelle H

I volunteered at the orchard for about 1 month in November. It was a GREAT experience! Every day we had interesting conversations, delicious food, beautiful views, and something new to do. I've lived in Japan before and met lots of people, but among them all, Kazu was able to share the most knowledge about Japanese culture, fruit farming, and many years' worth of overseas experiences. I would recommend it to anyone seriously interested in Japanese culture who also appreciates quiet days in the countryside.

2. Suntory Tominooka Winery

2786 Onuta, Kai 400-0103, Yamanashi Prefecture +81 551-28-7311
Excellent
41%
Good
37%
Satisfactory
21%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4 based on 64 reviews

Suntory Tominooka Winery

Reviewed By BahiaDelray - St. Catharines, Canada

My husband and I visited this beautiful winery while in Japan for my son's wedding. Knowing that we had visited many Napa and Sonoma wineries in California this year, my son thought it would be a nice to experience a Japanese winery. Little did I know that "Japanese wines are taking the world by storm" as advertised in the Suntory brochure we obtained at the winery.
A visit to the winery is worth it even if you are not an avid wine enthusiast. The grapevine lined hills "looking up toward Mt Fuji and down toward the Kofu Basin" are so pretty with "Tomi no oka" literally meaning "hill of beautiful climbing". There is also a nice gift shop on site with wine associated giftware for sale.
For wine enthusiasts like my husband and I, grape cultivation started in Tomi no oka in 1909 and the wines produced here have won a number of awards at international wine competitions. Although there is a large variety of red wines available for sampling and purchase, one of which was Muscat Bailey A (Japan's "hallmark red wine variety) which we quite enjoyed; we particularly liked some of their white varietals, including their delicious Reisling Forte (a hybrid of Reisling). There are many other interesting known-to-us grape varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay) and some we've not heard of before (Koshu, Black Queen).
I would highly recommend a visit to this winery for it's beautiful scenery and the opportunity to explore and sample a large variety of quality wines.

3. Shosen Valley

Ikaricho | Chichibu Tama Kai National Park, Kofu 400-0000, Yamanashi Prefecture
Excellent
36%
Good
47%
Satisfactory
15%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4 based on 388 reviews

Shosen Valley

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.

624, Kitamiyaji, Kamiyamamachi, Nirasaki 407-0042, Yamanashi Prefecture
Excellent
47%
Good
33%
Satisfactory
16%
Poor
4%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4 based on 24 reviews

Wanitsuka

Reviewed By ArlettaC - Fairfield, California

I had no idea that cherry trees could grow so huge or live so long. The Wanitsuka tree is known throughout Japan, and deservedly so. Of course it is at its most beautiful when in bloom; with the snow-covered Mountains in the background, it is stunning. But the setting is so lovely that the tree is beautiful in the summer, in full leaf, in the fall when the leaves change color, and in the winter, when it stands out starkly against those same Mountains, blanketed in snow. But do try to see it in the spring--the local city lights the tree at night, and it is exceedingly beautiful.

5. Chateraise Belleforet Winery

1954 Shimoimai, Kai 400-0105, Yamanashi Prefecture
Excellent
3%
Good
66%
Satisfactory
31%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

3.5 based on 32 reviews

Chateraise Belleforet Winery

Reviewed By hi-con

Chateraise winery is a nice place.
There are three things that you can do there.
First, You can see the wine cellar. It's smell was of deep grape and wet soil.
Security, You can eat cheese, cake, and other sweets. These were very delicious and had a smooth taste.
Third, You can buy all kinds of wine.
I like it because it makes me relaxed and happy.

6. Nirasaki Omura Art Museum

1830-1, Kamiyamamachi Nabeyama, Nirasaki, Yamanashi Prefecture +81 551-23-7775
Excellent
46%
Good
54%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 13 reviews

Nirasaki Omura Art Museum

Reviewed By ArlettaC - Fairfield, California

This small city museum was the gift of a Nirasaki native son who went on to great things, and most recently won the Nobel Prize for medicine in 2015. Professor Omura donated his art collection and the funds to build the museum, which has a permanent collection of artwork, and also hosts temporary exhibits. There is a small gift shop, too. You can spend a pleasant hour there exploring the exhibits.

7. Zenkoji Temple

3-36-1 Zenkoji, Kofu 400-0806, Yamanashi Prefecture +81 55-233-7570
Excellent
19%
Good
60%
Satisfactory
19%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4 based on 136 reviews

Zenkoji Temple

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.

8. Futaba Service Area Down Line

2630 Ryuji, Kai 400-0104, Yamanashi Prefecture +81 551-28-4035
Excellent
6%
Good
40%
Satisfactory
54%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

3.5 based on 47 reviews

Futaba Service Area Down Line

Reviewed By kok2 - Awara

バスタ新宿から松本行きの高速バスの休憩で立ち寄りました。
土産物売場はけっこう充実していました。
山々に囲まれて、景色のいいサービスエリアでした。

9. Ono Orchid & Orchard Garden

1202 Nishino, Minami Alps 400-0213, Yamanashi Prefecture +81 55-282-6267
Excellent
88%
Good
6%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
6%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 15 reviews

Ono Orchid & Orchard Garden

We grow many kind of Fruits ... Cherrys, Plums,Peaches,Grapes Let enjoy Fruits hunting Darling such glowing season! It is the farm where a child can enjoy reliable cherry hunting. Association of Minami-Alps-shi sightseeing participation Ono Orchid & Orchard Garden is "Oisix""Daich wo mamoru kai" tie-up farm. I go the cherry hunting from the end of May to the end of June.

Reviewed By MickJp

Ono's Orchid & Fruit Tree Garden is a family-owned farm running by the generations of people with high skill in growing and breeding orchid as well as cherry, grape, and plum. They are serving not only delicious but also safe fruit from their own fruit ranch. The mail order service via internet is available.

10. Takeda Shrine

2611 Kofuchumachi, Kofu 400-0014, Yamanashi Prefecture +81 55-252-2609
Excellent
17%
Good
55%
Satisfactory
26%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4 based on 350 reviews

Takeda Shrine

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!

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