It has been a while since I walked the Koshu Kaido. From Katsunuma to Isawa. Actually, I walked this course from the opposite direction seven years ago, but I did not have any pictures left, so I walked it again.
I wanted to visit the old Tanaka Bank, but unfortunately it was closed for the New Year’s holidays.
Katsunuma-juku
For the first time, I got off at Katsunuma Budosato Station. I had ridden from this station before, but had never gotten off.
Kofu Basin in the haze
On high ground and under good weather, the Kofu Basin can be seen from the station platform. However, the basin is slightly hazy. Beyond Mt. Kushigata in the center of the photo, you should be able to see the Southern Alps, but unfortunately, you can’t because of the clouds.
Katsunuma Station and automatic ticket gate with no shutters open
Huh? Was Katsunuma Station an unmanned station?
Apparently, it is not an unmanned station, but the shutters are not yet open.
There are quite a few places to see along the railroad tracks south of Katsunuma Station.
Electric Locomotive Type EF64
The first one is an EF64 electric locomotive.
This electric locomotive was developed to cope with medium gradients like those on the Chuo Main Line, and it is said to have run about 70 times around the globe. You can see the coupling and sanding equipment up close, and even if you are not a railway enthusiast, you will lose track of time.
Ohinikage Tunnel Walkway
Further up the stairs is the Ohinage Tunnel Walkway. However, it appears to be closed for the time being, and we could not enter.
That’ s enough for the Katsunuma Station area, and I headed for the Koshu-kaido Road.
Katsunuma Grape Hill and vineyards
The surrounding area is a “grape village,” and vineyards are spreading out. Katsunuma Grape Hill can be seen in the distance. Anyway, they are grapes.
Happy Drink Shop
Ah. There was also a happy drink store. This is a store unique to Yamanashi Prefecture consisting of several soft drink vending machines, and most products are 100 yen. If you want to buy it, it is cheap and happy. But I didn’t buy it because I had water.
Koshu highway
Finally, I reached Koshu Kaido. It is a long way from the station to the Koshu-kaido road, about 1.8 km.
However, the difference in elevation from Katsunuma Station is about 50 meters, so it was easy to go downhill all the way.
Pine trees planted in the main camp to stand spears
As soon as I started walking on the Koshu-kaido road, I found a pine tree with beautiful bark and shaped like a mushroom! It is said that this pine tree was used as a marker for lances hung from it by feudal lords and court nobles when they stayed there.
Nakamatsuya Residence
This quaint and magnificent building is the Nakamatsuya Residence, a merchant house architecture from the late Edo period.
The car is also vintage with fender mirrors. But it is beautiful.
The residents take good care of the house and the car, so the house and the car will last for a long time.
Former Tanaka Bank Museum
Found the old Tanaka Bank Museum!
Today is Saturday, so it is an open day, but it was closed, probably because of the New Year’s holiday.
It was originally built around 1897 as a post and telegraph office building. I wonder if it remained this brightly colored during the war.
Brick storehouse
Going around to the back, there was a brick storehouse built in the late Taisho or early Showa period.
The name “Yamanashi Tanaka Bank” is written on the door, and it may have been used as a safe.
Stone Pillar on Yoanzaka Slope
There was a stone pillar on Yoan Slope in front of Katsunuma Elementary School. It stood facing east, west, south, north, and south, and it said 400 m above sea level, 16.027 km from Yamanashi Prefectural Office, 138 degrees 44 minutes east longitude, 35 degrees 40 minutes north latitude. The other side, on the north face, I wonder what it says.
Kuribara-juku
Birthplace of Mitsumori Hisami, founder of Ootoya
Entering Yamanashi City, I saw a sign for Ootoya on the grounds of a magnificent house. I thought to myself, “Wow, this is a magnificent Ootoya,” and then I saw that it was the birthplace of the founder, Mitsumori Hisami. I wondered why Otoya does not serve houtou, even though the founder is from Yamanashi.
Hikawa High School
About a kilometer further on, I found the school building!
This is Hikawa High School. It is a school that regularly plays rugby at Hanazono.
Icchotanaka intersection
I came to the intersection of Ichocho Tanaka. The last time I walked from the opposite direction, I was in a daze and came from the straight direction on this road. However, it seems that turning left here is the original Koshu Kaido. Today, I will take the original Koshu Kaido.
View of the Daibosatsu Ridge
As I came out along the Hikawa River, I looked to the east and saw the Daibosatsu Ridge. It is just below the thick white clouds almost in the center of the photo. To the left of it should be the Yanagisawa Pass and to the right the Daibosatsu Pass. These passes are one of the few routes to come to Yamanashi.
Hikawa Bridge
Cross the Hikawa River at the Hikawa Bridge.
Isawa-juku
The Hikawa River just before it joins the Fuefuki-gawa River as seen from the Hikawa Bridge
Looking downstream from the Hikawa Bridge. About 1 km from here, the river merges with the Fuefuki-gawa River.
When I went down to the riverbed, I found that most of the stones were sandstone, with a few igneous rocks.
Full of persimmons
The deciduous branches were full of persimmons. Even if they are astringent persimmons, if they ripen this much, they will be sweet as dried persimmons.
The riverbank of the Fuefukigawa River lined with Hishiushi
The Koshu Highway had left the Hikawa River for a short distance and joined the Fuefuki-gawa River.
Hishiushiushi were lined up to protect the embankment, and people in the area were tending to them, removing dead branches and cutting trees with chainsaws. Good job.
Route 411, formerly the most difficult part of the Koshu-kaido highway
When I walked this 600-meter stretch of Route 411 along the Fuefukigawa River before, there were no sidewalks, and cars were passing by at considerable speed, making it the most difficult part of the Koshu Kaido. Today, there is a wide sidewalk and it has completely changed.
Stone pillar marking the main approach to Ichinomiya Shrine
A stone monument was erected. The writing was thin, so I went closer to check it and found that it said it was the main approach to Ichinomiya Shrine.
Ichinomiya in Yamanashi Prefecture is the Asama Shrine located in Ichinomiya-cho, Fuefuki-shi. It enshrines this deity, Hanasakuyahime-no-mikoto, who is the deified form of Mt. Fuji.
Water continues to drip from the equipment, which I don’t understand
Water was dripping from some equipment that I couldn’t understand.
Is it a hot spring?
Fukufuki bridge
Cross the Fuefuki-gawa River at the Fuefukibashi Bridge.
View from Fuefukibashi Bridge toward Ukai Bridge
Although you cannot see it clearly, there is a Ukai bridge less than 2 km away, and in summer, a sightseeing cormorant fishing event is held near there. However, instead of using a cormorant boat as on the Nagara River, cormorants use a walking cormorant, or kachiu, to catch cormorants. Indeed, it does not seem to be very deep.
Pine trees along the bank of the Fuefukigawa River
A row of pine trees appeared along the bank of the Fuefuki-gawa River. The trees are so large that they must have remained since the Edo period.
Statue of Fuefuki Gonsaburo
Found a statue of Fuefuki Gonsaburo!
Gonzaburo came to the area in search of his father, Fujiwara no Michiyoshi, who had rebelled against the Kamakura Shogunate. However, the Netori River overflowed and his mother was swept away, so he had to search for her while blowing his flute. However, he too fell into the depths and lost his life, and when the villagers mourned him, they began to hear the sound of his flute from the river. This is how the Netori River came to be called the Fuefukigawa River.
Gonzaburo sounds like the name of an elderly man, but in fact he was a young man.
Isawa Honjin Ruins
I entered Isawa-juku. I found the ruins of the main lodge! The storehouse is said to be from those days.
Footbath at Isawajuku
Not far from there, at the entrance to Kobayashi Park, I found a footbath! This is indeed a hot spring resort.
However, the hot spring was discovered only recently, in 1961, and there were no footbaths in the Edo period.
Arm pump
Near the Ashiyu, I found a hand-operated fire pump called an arm pump! It’s a wooden iron wheel. It is very old. I wonder if it still works.
石和八幡宮
Isawa Hachimangu Shrine, although not very large, was a shrine that was deeply believed in by the Takeda clan.
Entrance of Isawa-onsen Station
Today’s walk along Koshu Kaido is to the entrance of Isawa-onsen Station. This is the connection to the walk about 6 years ago.
The soba restaurant Nobori at the intersection is the family home of Fukasawa Shichiro, the author of Narayama Bushi Ko.
Statue of Fuefuki Gonsaburo on the Isawa Bridge
At the Isawa Bridge on the way to the station, I met Fuefuki-Gonzaburo again. Why here again?
In fact, until the great flood of 1907, the main stream of the Fuefuki-gawa River used to pass through here. So it is a suitable place for the statue.
Isawaonsen Station
What? Isawaonsen Station? Compared to before, it has become much cleaner.
Banner for the 500th anniversary of the birth of Lord Takeda Shingen
Lord Shingen was born on December 1, 1521 A.D., so it will soon be the 500th anniversary of his birth. Will a big event be held?
Footbath in front of Isawa Onsen Station
There was also a footbath in front of the station.
Walking data
Course: JR Chuo Line Katsunuma Budokyo Station → Koshu-kaido Road → JR Chuo Line Ishawaonsen Station
Distance: 14.4 km
Time: 3h48m
