- Kofu Castle, a famous spot for cherry blossoms - a famous tourist spot in historic Yamanashi Prefecture
- I would like to introduce Kofu Castle in Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture.
Kofu Station
Kofu Station is a JR East station located in Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture. It is served by two lines: the Chuo Main Line and the Minobu Line.
Kofu Station is the central station of Yamanashi Prefecture and is a key transportation hub to various parts of the prefecture. It is also a popular station for tourists as it has convenient access to sightseeing spots, such as Fujikyu Highland Station on the Fujikyuko Line, Isawa Onsen Station and Katsunuma Budokyo Station on the Chuo Main Line.
The station building of Kofu Station was renovated in 2006 and features a modern design with glass walls. The station building has convenient facilities such as a tourist information center, convenience store, and restaurant.
There are two exits from Kofu Station: the South Exit and the North Exit.
South exit
There is a bus terminal at the south exit, which is large. The main street extends from the south exit.
The south exit has the following sightseeing spots.
- Statue of Takeda Shingen
- Kofu Castle (Maizuru Park)
- Yamanashi Prefectural Assembly Building/Yamanashi Prefectural Office Annex
- Lantern Alley
- Kofu Gurume Yokocho
- Deep Spot/Showa Retro Entertainment District
North Exit
Although the north exit is a little smaller than the south exit, there are taxi and bus stops here as well.
The north exit has the following sightseeing spots.
- Koshu Yumekoji
- Takeda Shrine/Shingen Museum
- Sadoya Winery
Statue of Takeda Shingen
This is a bronze statue of Takeda Shingen, a military commander from the Sengoku period.
The Takeda Shingen statue is 3.1 meters high and 5.4 meters including the pedestal, expressing the heroic figure of Takeda Shingen, who led the Koshu Takeda army. Shingen is shown wearing a helmet and armor, holding a sword in his left hand and his right hand on his hip. His expression is stern yet dignified, giving off the dignity of a Sengoku military commander.
The Takeda Shingen statue was erected by Kofu City in 1932. It is said that the shrine was built at the time, partly due to the influence of the Manchurian Incident that broke out at the beginning of the Showa era, and with the hope that Takeda Shingen’s brave and courageous image would give courage to the people.
It is located in the station plaza at the south exit of Kofu Station, and is one of Kofu City’s representative tourist spots. In addition, in spring, cherry blossoms bloom on both sides of the statue, making for a beautiful sight to behold.
It is loved by many people as a symbol of Kofu City’s history and culture.
Kofu Castle (Maizuru Park)
Kofu Castle (Maizuru Park) was once a castle that flourished as the administrative base of Kai, but it was abandoned during the Meiji period and is now open to the public as a park. It is one of Japan’s 100 famous castles.
The castle is made up of four walls: Honmaru, Ninomaru, Sannomaru, and Soto-Kuruwa, and is surrounded by approximately 2,000 meters of stone walls. Inside the castle, there are still buildings such as the castle tower, Inari turret, and Sukiya turret, as well as palaces and samurai residences.
From the castle tower, you can enjoy magnificent views of the Kofu Basin, Mt. Fuji, and the Southern Alps. It is also known as a famous cherry blossom viewing spot, with approximately 160 cherry blossom trees in full bloom in spring.
More details about Kofu Castle >>
Yamanashi Prefectural Assembly Building/Yamanashi Prefectural Office Annex
Yamanashi Prefectural Assembly Building
The Yamanashi Prefectural Assembly Building is a building located at the south exit of Kofu Station that houses the meeting hall of the Yamanashi Prefectural Assembly. It was completed in 1930 (Showa 5) and is registered as a national registered tangible cultural property.
The building was designed by Riki Sano, a representative architect of government buildings at the time. The exterior is a solid building made of reinforced concrete, with a domed roof and symmetrical shape. The interior is elegant, with extensive use of wood, and the chamber has chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and the walls are decorated with murals depicting the history of the Takeda clan.
In the adjacent Yamanashi Prefectural Office Annex, there is also an exhibition called Yamanashi Modern People Museum.
We also recommend lighting it up at night.
Yamanashi prefectural office annex light up
Chochin Yokocho
Chochin Yokocho is a restaurant street located at the south exit of Kofu Station.
Yokocho is home to a variety of restaurants, including izakayas, bars, ramen restaurants, and yakitori restaurants. There are also many restaurants that serve dishes using local ingredients such as Koshu chicken and Shingen chicken, so you can enjoy Kofu gourmet food to your heart’s content.
The most distinctive feature of Yokocho is the rows of lanterns. The lanterns are Koshu lanterns, a traditional craft of Kofu, and create a magical atmosphere at night.
Kofu Gourmet Yokocho
Kofu Gourmet Yokocho is a restaurant district located about 12 minutes walk from the south exit of Kofu Station.
What makes Yokocho all the more unique is its collection of unique shops themed around Yamanashi’s rich food. There are restaurants that serve dishes made with local ingredients such as Koshu wine, Koshu chicken, and Shingen chicken, as well as restaurants that serve Yamanashi’s local cuisine and rare dishes that are not often found in Yamanashi.
Yokocho has two areas: the “open area” where stall-style shops gather, and the “share area” where tables and tatami seats are provided. The open area allows you to casually enjoy dishes from a variety of restaurants. Course meals and banquet plans are also available in the shared area.
Showa Retro Entertainment District
Located in Chuo 1-chome, Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture, this is a deep spot dotted with snacks and bars.It is an area where retro Showa-era bars, snacks, and izakayas gather in the back alleys.
Nostalgic streets lined with Showa-era retro signboards and buildings, such as Kaihatsu Dori, named in 1955 to symbolize recovery from war and earthquake disasters, and Olympic Dori, named for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. It creates an atmosphere.
There are also several adult entertainment shops on Ura Kasuga Street.
Koshu Yumekoji
Koshu Yumekoji is a sightseeing spot located a 1-minute walk from the north exit of Kofu Station that recreates the Kofu castle town from the Edo period to the early Showa period.
The most distinctive feature of Koshu Yumekoji is that it retains the atmosphere of the Edo period. With its cobblestone alleys and rows of stores that have been relocated from old houses, you’ll feel like you’ve traveled back in time.
Koshu Yumekoji is home to a variety of shops, including souvenir shops, miscellaneous goods stores, and restaurants. There are also many restaurants that serve dishes made with local ingredients such as Koshu wine and Koshu chicken, so you can enjoy Kofu gourmet food to your heart’s content.
More details about Koshu Yumekoji >>
Takeda Shrine/Shingen Museum
Takeda Shrine is a shrine whose main deity is the Sengoku period military commander Takeda Shingen. It is about 8 minutes by bus from Kofu Station.
It was founded in 1573 by Katsuyori Takeda, who carried on Shingen’s will after his death.
Takeda Shrine is home to many treasures related to the Takeda clan, including Takeda Shingen’s favorite sword, Mikazuki Munechika, and is a popular spot that history buffs should visit at least once.
Shingen Museum is a historical museum about Takeda Shingen. It’s right in front of Takeda Shrine, so you can stop by when visiting Takeda Shrine.
More details about Takeda Shrine and Shingen Museum >>
Sadoya Winery
Sadoya Winery is a winery founded in 1917 (Taisho 6), located an 8-minute walk from the north exit of Kofu Station. The production volume of Koshu wine is one of the top in Japan.
What makes Sadoya Winery unique is its commitment to Koshu wine. Koshu wine is a wine made from Koshu grapes that are native to Yamanashi Prefecture. At Sadoya Winery, we carefully cultivate and brew Koshu grapes and focus on bringing out the charm of Koshu wine to its fullest.
Sadoya Winery also hosts events such as winery tours and tastings. Learn about the viticulture and winemaking process on a winery tour, and taste a variety of Sadoya Winery’s wines during a tasting session.
When we think of wineries, we tend to think of them as being located in the suburbs, but being just an 8-minute walk from the north exit of Kofu Station, this winery is also attractive.
Sadoya Winery - Official Website
There are many tourist spots around Kofu Station
There are many sightseeing spots around Kofu Station, many of which can be visited on foot.
There are plenty of spots for dining, shopping, and historical exploration, so you’ll never get bored. You won’t have any trouble killing time.
The area around Kofu Station is a tourist spot full of various attractions, including history, nature, and culture. When you visit Kofu, be sure to stop by.
