5 Must-Try Local Dishes at Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchiko! A Complete Guide to the Best Places to Buy Them

• Table of Contents
• 1. Yamanashi Prefecture's local dish "Houtou"
• 2. Yoshida Udon: A Traditional Food of the Fuji Five Lakes Region
• 3. Lake Kawaguchiko 's specialty dish, Kappa Meshi
• 4. Fujizakura Heights Beer , the world's best
• 5. Award-winning Yamanashi wine
• If you want to buy local products as souvenirs, we recommend roadside stations!
• You can also enjoy local ingredients here! 2 recommended restaurants

1. Yamanashi Prefecture's local dish "Houtou"

"Houtou" is a local dish from Yamanashi Prefecture . It is characterized by thick, long, and flat noodles that are roughly cut, unlike udon. This is simmered in miso soup with pumpkin and other seasonal vegetables to create a home-cooked dish called "Houtou."

2. Yoshida Udon: A Traditional Food of the Fuji Five Lakes Region

Yoshida Udon, known as a local dish from the Gunnai region of Yamanashi Prefecture , is characterized by its firm, chewy noodles. The condiments, made with Aka chili peppers, sesame seeds and Japanese pepper, stir-fried in oil, are also a distinctive feature of Yoshida Udon, and some people visit restaurants just to try them. The standard topping is sweet and spicy stewed horse meat and boiled cabbage.

3. Lake Kawaguchiko 's specialty dish, Kappa Meshi

This rice bowl was invented by the Fujikawaguchiko Specialty Development Committee in honor of the Kappa legend that is passed down around Lake Kawaguchiko . Kappa Meshi is rice topped with grated yam and lightly pickled cucumbers, the kappa's favorite food, and topped with sesame seeds and chopped seaweed. It is a light rice bowl recommended for those who are health-conscious.

4. Fujizakura Heights Beer , the world's best

Fujizakura Heights Beer has a brewery in Fuji -cho. They use Fujizakura Life Water, a natural spring water from Mount Fuji, pumped up from 150 meters underground at their own water source, as their brewing water. Fujizakura Kogen Beer is an authentic German-style beer made with this water and brewing techniques cultivated at Fujizakura Heights Beer Brewing School, one of the few nationally certified schools in Germany with over 100 years of history and many excellent brewers. Most of the ingredients are imported from Germany, and the beer is 100% malt (with some exceptions). Please enjoy their beer, which has won numerous awards at the World Beer Cup in the United States and the World Beer Awards in the United Kingdom.

5. Award-winning Yamanashi wine

Yamanashi is the birthplace of wine production in Japan. Japan's first private winery was established in Katsunuma , Koshu City , Yamanashi Prefecture Prefecture in 1877. Currently, there are about 80 wineries in Yamanashi, Yamanashi wines such as the representative "Koshu" and Japanese indigenous varieties such as "Muscat Bailey A", as well as European varieties such as "Chardonnay" and "Pinot Noir", and Yamanashi boasts the largest production volume in Japan. The quality of its wines is also highly regarded, having won gold medals at prestigious international competitions.

If you want to buy local products as souvenirs, we recommend roadside stations!

So where can you get local ingredients? Surprisingly, souvenir shops tend to stock similar products that can be found anywhere in the country. In these cases, try heading out to a roadside station.

1. Narusawa Roadside Station

Roadside Station Narusawa is located 15 minutes by car from Lake Kawaguchiko Interchange, along National Route 139. The snack corner offers a Toyotomi of local dishes made with locally grown ingredients. Narusawa Village, where the roadside station is located, is also famous for its Takaharu vegetable production, blessed with abundant nature. The cheap and super fresh vegetables are popular as souvenirs, and during the season, many tourists stop by and the place is bustling every day.

Yamanashi Prefecture is also a producer of Koshu grapes, so naturally wines from Yamanashi Prefecture are also sold as souvenirs, but one unique souvenir we recommend is " cabbage wine." This wine is brewed from Takaharu cabbages in Narusawa Village , and is a rare product that can only be found in this area of ​​Yamanashi Prefecture , where it is produced.

For those using public transport

Take the " Narusawa, Lake Shojiko, and Lake Motosuko Tour Bus (Blue Line)" from Kawaguchiko Sta. on the Fujikyuko Line. Get off at the "Roadside Station Narusawa" bus stop.

1 minute walk from the bus stop

For those using rental cars and taxis

From the Lake Kawaguchiko IC on the Chuo Expressway, head towards Lake Motosuko for 8km and enter the "Narusawa Roadside Station" traffic light.

Narusawa Roadside Station

2. Fujiyoshida Roadside Station

This popular roadside station is always ranked high in the Kanto roadside station rankings. It has a wide selection of fresh local vegetables, as well as souvenirs that can only be purchased here. You can enjoy "Yoshida Udon" at the snack corner.

For those using public transport

Take the Fujiyoshida, Oshino, Lake Yamanakako sightseeing bus Fujikko-go from Kawaguchiko Sta. on the Fujikyuko Line. Get off at the Mount Fuji Radar Dome stop.

1 minute walk from the bus stop

For those using rental cars and taxis

From the Chuo Expressway Lake Kawaguchiko IC, head towards Lake Yamanakako for 4km, then turn right at the traffic light at the "Fujiyoshida Oshino Smart IC Entrance"

Fujiyoshida Roadside Station

You can also enjoy local ingredients here! 2 recommended restaurants

1. Fuji Chobo no Yu Yurari Onsen(next to the Narusawa Roadside Station)

This is a day-trip hot spring facility where you can soak in the hot springs while gazing at Mount Fuji. In addition to two types of open-air baths with outstanding views of Mt. Mount Fuji , there are a total of 16 types of baths, including carbonated springs and cave baths. In the restaurant, you can enjoy a variety of local ingredients such as "Houtou" and " Fuji Fujizakura Heights Beer", as well as "Kai Salmon", "Fujizakura Pork", "Chicken Offal Simmered in Soy Sauce", and "Hakkai Tofu". You can also just come for a meal without using the baths.

For those using public transport

Take the " Narusawa, Lake Shojiko, and Lake Motosuko Tour Bus (Blue Line)" from Kawaguchiko Sta. on the Fujikyuko Line. Get off at the "Roadside Station Narusawa" bus stop.

3 minutes walk from the bus stop

A free shuttle bus is also available from Kawaguchiko Sta. (reservations required). Please make sure to make a reservation in advance on the Yurari website.

For those using rental cars and taxis

From the Lake Kawaguchiko IC on the Chuo Expressway, head towards Lake Motosuko for 8km and enter the "Narusawa Roadside Station" traffic light.

Access to Yurari

Fuji view hot spring Yurari

401-0320 8532-5 Narusawa Village, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi Pref...

A day-trip hot spring facility with a total of 16 types of baths, including two types of open-air baths with spectacular views of Mt. Fuji, as well as carbonated springs and cave baths. In addition to the baths, there is a rest room where you can relax after taking a bath, a private restaurant called "Okariba" where meals are delivered by a mini steam locomotive train, and a restaurant called "Fujizakura" where you can enjoy local ingredients at reasonable prices.

2. Tanimura Shop (Chuo Expressway, outbound)

Located on the Chuo Expressway Fujiyoshida Line, Nakama between Otsuki JCT and Lake Kawaguchiko IC, this is the "closest parking area to Mount Fuji." As the gateway to the Mount Fuji and Fuji Five Lakes area, the store not only provides tourist information, but also stocks Fuji climbing and camping goods.

At the restaurant, you can enjoy "Yoshida Udon", ramen, set meals, and other dishes at reasonable prices. If you are coming by car on the Chuo, please be sure to stop by.

*Express buses do not stop at this parking lot.

Yamanashi boasts the largest production of peaches, grapes, and plums in Japan. The best time to eat peaches and plums is from July to August, and grapes from August to October, so if you visit Yamanashi Prefecture, be sure to try some of the fruits in season!