Yamanashi Prefecture is a landlocked prefecture in the Chubu region of central Honshu, cradled in the Kofu Basin and ringed by mountains, most famously the northern slopes of Mount Fuji and the Fuji Five Lakes. Home to the Yoshida Trail, the most-used of Mount Fuji's four climbing routes, and to Japan's oldest and largest wine region around Katsunuma, Yamanashi pairs alpine and lakeside scenery with a proud viticulture and fruit-growing tradition, plus the jewelry and crystal-carving craftsmanship of its capital, Kofu City.
Yamanashi has no airport of its own, so most visitors arrive overland from Tokyo. The JR Chuo Line Limited Express trains 'Kaiji' and 'Azusa' run from Shinjuku Station to Kofu Station in roughly 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes, making the prefectural capital an easy rail trip from central Tokyo. For the Fuji Five Lakes side of the prefecture, the Fujikyuko (Fujikyu) Railway connects Otsuki Station, on the JR Chuo Line, to Kawaguchiko Station, and the direct 'Fuji Excursion' limited express through-service now runs straight from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko without a transfer. Keio and Fujikyu highway buses also run frequently from the Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal (Busta Shinjuku) to Kawaguchiko in about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours. Within the Fuji Five Lakes area, local Fujikyu buses and the Kawaguchiko 'Retro Bus' sightseeing loop cover the main lakeside attractions, but service to Katsunuma wine country, Nishizawa Gorge, and the prefecture's rural gorges and highlands is far more limited, so a rental car is the most efficient way to see those areas. Taxis are readily available in Kofu City and around Kawaguchiko Station.
Transport tips
Travel smarter, not harder.
The direct Fuji Excursion limited express removes the old Otsuki transfer, making Kawaguchiko reachable from Shinjuku in one seated ride in about 2 hours — reserve ahead during cherry blossom season and the Fuji climbing season (early July–early September)
Kofu and Kawaguchiko are not directly linked by rail; budget about 1 hour by rental car via the Chuo Expressway, or plan a longer return trip via Otsuki if relying on public transit
The Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station is reachable only by the seasonal shuttle bus during the peak climbing period, when the toll road closes to private vehicles — check current closure dates before planning a Yoshida Trail visit
Rent a car for Katsunuma wine country, Nishizawa Gorge, Kiyosato, and Minobu — rural bus frequency on these routes can be as low as four departures a day
The Kawaguchiko Retro Bus/Fujikyu Omni one-day pass (¥1,500/$9.45) covers most Fuji Five Lakes sightseeing stops and is worthwhile for even a single day around Kawaguchiko