Autumn and Koyo in Japan
[ Francisca Park ]
Four seasons have more traditional values and cultural significance than just a change
of temperature in Japan. Being one of the fortunate countries to be able to enjoy four
distinct seasons, there are rich traditions associated with each season in Japan.
Notably, autumn and its association with momijigari (紅葉狩り) has been valued as one
of Japanese traditional seasonal activities. The word momijigari, in fact, consist of
characters meaning hunting (狩り) for red leaves (紅葉). The autumn colors of trees, also
known as koyo (紅葉), have been a symbol of autumn in Japan for a very long time. This
custom of hunting for autumn foliage has been practiced since this tradition was first
introduced by noble families back in Heian Period (794 – 1185), spreading throughout
the general public in Edo Period (1603 – 1868), making momijigari one of the oldest
traditions Japanese people still practice.
One of the Most Beautiful Spots for Koyo: Mitake Shosenkyo and Sengataki Waterfall
Nowadays, between October and early December, people in Japan visit scenic areas when autumn deepens and the leaves
turn colorful. Although this can be enjoyed just about anywhere in Japan with its mountainous topography, there are a
number of notably famous places for koyo. Among them, Mitake Shosenkyo is always rated as one of the top spots. Mitake
Shosenkyo, often referred to as Shosenkyo, is located just outside the central Kofu City of Yamanashi Prefecture and is
known as one of the most beautiful gorges in Japan.
Sho
senk
yo ta
kiu
e Lin
e
Shosenkyo, which is part of the Chichibu Tama Kai National Park, is easily accessible by bus from Kofu Station; it takes
approximately thirty to fifty minutes, depending on which station one hopes to get off at and how far into the hike one
Ro
pe
wants to access by bus. The total hike from the bottom to the Sengataki
Kanazakura Shrine
w
ay
Waterfall is 4 km. The lower 3 km of the hiking road is paved and open
Shosenkyo Taki Ue
Sengataki
to one-way vehicle traffic; during weekends of May to November,
waterfall
though, it is only accessible by pedestrians and horse carriages. The
ishimon
upper 1 km of the hike offers one of the most beautiful sceneries with
Greenline last stop
magnificent views of the gorge.
How to Get to Shosenkyo
Buses to Shosenkyo leave in front of Kofu Station once every one or two hours.
The first stop to the bottom of the hike, “Shosekyo-guchi” takes roughly 30
minutes and costs 590 yen. The second stop, about 3 km into the hike is
“Greenline Shosenkyo” stop, approximately 40 minutes away and costs 820 yen.
It takes about 50 minutes and 900 yen to the terminal stop “Shosenkyo Taki Ue.”
05 The Yamanashi Grapevine
Shosenkyo
guchi
Kami obina
Ｙumura
JR Kofu St.
Takeda
Shrine
Yamako Bus terminal
Hiking Mitake Shosenkyo
As soon as I got out of the car, I was greeted with fresh, crisp air and breathtaking view of
mountains surrounding me. As I hiked up higher and higher and the residential houses
disappear from the sight, the atmosphere gradually changed; the air got noticeably colder
and heavier with moisture, and the sound of water gushing through got louder and louder:
it was the gorge. There was a big stream of clear water flowing right before my eyes. It truly
was a beautiful sight: the gorge together with huge rocks that have been eroded by water
over years and autumn leaves with vibrant color made quite a view.
The entire hike is accompanied by Arakawa River rushing down on the left side, colorful
autumn leaves all over, and interesting rocks and cliffs that have been shaped over ages of
wind and rain, namely Kakuenbo, Tengu-Iwa
(Goblin Rock), Toryu-Iwa (Ascending Dragon Rock)
and Jimmen-Seki (Human Face Rock). Walking over
the famous bridge built across a huge water stream
flowing through was also one of the unforgettable
parts of the hike. After roughly 4 km of the hike, the
sound of water falling got closer, and I knew:
Sengataki Waterfall was just around the corner.
The view of the waterfall was breathtaking. I could
almost feel the water splashes on my skin, and with
the loud sound of water falling and hitting the
surface filling my ears, it felt as if I was a part of the
captivating scene. 30m-tall Sengataki Waterfall created a beautiful rainbow with the sun
reflecting the moisture in the air. It is too bad that the beauty of the waterfall, the autumn
leaves, and the rainbow could not be fully captured by the cameras. The delicate harmony
and elegance of the view requires naked eyes to fully appreciate its beauty.
Houtou: Soul Food of Yamanashi
30 meter above Sengataki Waterfall, there is a small village with a variety of stores for wine, gem, jewelry and food,
souvenir shops and restaurants. After a hike in cold autumn weather, there is only one thing that sounded better than hot
boiling bowl of houtou: handmade houtou.
Houtou is a popular regional dish in Yamanashi; it is cooked by stewing wide flat noodle made of flour with vegetables in
miso-based broth. Although there are variables of the dish for summer, such as suitou where the noodle is eaten by dipping
in cold broth, houtou is usually associated with cold weather. With thick noodles, hot miso soup and seasonal vegetables
like kabocha (Japanese pumpkin), there is nothing better to keep your taste buds happy, stomach full and body warm.
Houtou Kaikan situated on top of the Shosenkyo not only has houtou as one of their
specialties, but also offers houtou taiken – “experiencing” houtou. Based on instructions of
experienced houtou chef, I spent roughly forty minutes kneading, rolling the dough, and
carefully cutting it into the noodles with a huge knife specially made for houtou. After
packing about two thirds of the noodle to bring home, I cooked the rest in miso broth
already prepared for me. Hot soup with fresh handmade noodles and sweet kabocha was
unforgettably delicious. I could feel my cold body slowly melting down, and at the end of
our meal, I left feeling extremely satisfied.
The Yamanashi Grapevine 06
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H
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As a huge fan of both manju
(traditional Japanese confection with
outside made with flour and rice
powder and inside with sweet
fillings usually made with red
beans) and houtou, when I saw houtou
manju at the Houtou Kaikan we went to, I had to try.
Fluffy and soft outside with steaming hot houtou filling sounded
absolutely divine. When I took a bite into the fresh houtou manju, it
tasted even better than what I had pictured in my head; at the end, I
could not resist picking up a box of frozen houtou manju to bring home.
In fact, every single person in the group ended up with a box in each
hand. My coworkers and I were now a microwave away from this
delicious steaming manju, and we could not be happier.
Shosenkyo Ropeway:
To Higher and Above
Sengataki Station is located roughly 10
minutes’ walk away from the Sengataki
Waterfall, and is a departure point of
Shosenkyo Ropeway. The ropeway takes
the hiker 300 m up to Panorama-dai
Station, an observation station on top of
Mt. Rakanji. It was one of the most
beautiful 5 minute and 1 km long rides;
the view of colorful mountain was
astonishing. I did not even bother trying
to capture the views with my camera, but
tried to absorb the beauty as much as I
can, not wanting to miss any part of the
scenery.
When I got to the top, I was greeted by views of Fujisan (Mt. Fuji) to the
south, the Southern Alps to the west and the Chichibu Mountain Range to
the East. As if this view was not perfect enough, the Yasaburo-take Peak,
about 10 minutes away from the station, offered views even more
breathtaking. At the peak, I found
myself literally surrounded by
mountains after mountains. Sitting
on the cliff of the peak and quietly
watching and enjoying the views of
autumn-colored mountains, it was
one of the most overwhelming
moments of my life.
Koyo and Yamanashi
As I immersed myself into the beautiful views of Shosenkyo and integrated my soul
into the colorful leaves of autumn, not only did I practice one of the oldest traditions
of Japan, momijigari, but also came to be a part of mesmerizing autumn scene of
Yamanashi. It was truly one of the best ways to recharge my spirit: my sight with
heart-stopping koyo, my stomach with hot bowl of houtou, and my soul with the
treasure of Yamanashi, Shosenkyo.
07 The Yamanashi Grapevine