Don’t believe the time required on the Ojira River Valley flyer

valley (8)
valley (1)suspention bridge as entrance
valley (1)suspention bridge as entrance

I made the mistake of entering the valley with a lighthearted attitude, believing in the information flyer that appeared to be a flat road running along the valley with an appropriate time required, hoping to feel the natural cooling effect of the valley during the hot summer.   At the entrance to the valley, a suspension bridge with a sign that says max 5 people are allowed invites a sense of adventure, but all we pass are children in swimsuits with floats.    Apparently, the waterfall basin (Senga-Fuchi) at the very entrance of the valley had been turned into an improvised pool.   The bright green waterfall basin looks like it has been filled with bath salts, and if you miss your chance to take a photo, it will be crowded with people.

valley (2)from bridge
valley (2)from bridge

Since it was a valley with so many small children around, I saw a flyer that said it would take 35 minutes to get to the next stop (Asahi-Fall), so I headed deeper into the valley, thinking it would be a nice walk.   After that, I could no longer hear the sounds of children playing, and after 35 minutes of climbing up a steep mountain path that took a long detour to get over a waterfall with steps, and climbing up and down chains and iron ladders, I finally arrived at Asahi fall after 50 minutes.     I’m already drenched in sweat, my throat is parched, and my legs are tired.   However, there was no signboard for the waypoint mentioned in the flyer, and after walking up the mountain road for another 20 minutes, there was a signboard (Asahi-Fall) for the waypoint.    The flyer said it would take 35 minutes, but it actually took 70 minutes.   After that, I continued walking faster and faster until I reached the turnaround point (Jinja-Fall), but I still couldn’t get there in the time specified in the flyer.    Normally, I think the time written on such flyers is written with sufficient margin, but don’t believe the time required on the flyer for Ojira River Valley.

I was only complaining about the time required on the flyer, but the valley itself is full of large white granite rocks, their whiteness is dazzling, and the clear water is flowing everywhere, making it refreshing.    My clothes are soaked with sweat, which is the exact opposite.    The ridge path on the way back was relatively flat, and we stayed on time here.    In the end, it took about 3 hours to turn around at the turnaround point.

jissoji2
go back to itinerary

 

People in the know line up to buy outlet peaches

get nice quality

In Yamanashi Prefecture, alluvial fans are formed everywhere where rivers flow from steep mountains, and fruit cultivation is popular there.   Hokuto City and Nirasaki City are famous for producing peaches, and the peach blossoms, which bloom a little earlier than the cherry blossoms, are enchanting.

peach orchard
peach orchard
order card
order card

If you can, visit in early summer and buy outlet peaches in bulk at a bargain price.   At JA(Japan Agricultural Cooperatives) Rihoku, there are several yards (common selection yards) where peaches brought in from producers are sorted and shipped, but peaches that are not of standard quality and are not shipped to the market (this is called “Hangedashi”,meaning out of standard) are sold directly to consumers here.   The taste is the same, except that it cannot be shipped to the market due to serious reasons such as a slight scratch on the appearance or a slight problem with the color of the surface.    They could be normally displayed in European markets.   One box of about 20 pieces costs 2,200 yen.    People from neighboring prefectures have been lining up for this event since early morning.    In my case, I was late in the morning, so I arrived at 9am and my ticket number was 64.

The system is such that producers bring the peaches they harvested on the day to the common selection yard, sort them, and when the “Hangedashi” boxes are made, people who have tickets are called in turn.    I was nervous, but finally, at 11:30, I was called and was able to get a top quality item.   Please note that even if you have a numbered ticket, if you are not careful, there are some people, especially elderly people, who will cross your path, so even though there is shade, you will have to wait in line when it is near your turn.

stand in line
stand in line

Everyone was looking for the big box, and I witnessed people with ticket numbers far behind the turn snatching up unpopular small boxes.   There were also several large fans installed for people waiting outside in the hot weather, but you should be careful as there are times when large ladies occupy the space in front of the rotating fans.

out of selection for juice
out of selection for juice

When I spoke to the sorting guy who was waiting for the peaches to be brought in, he said that if the sugar content is high, some parts of the peaches will become bitter due to the hot afternoon sun, so they are removed from even though the “Hanedashi” peaches and they are washed in a special washing machine, and apparently processed into juice after the bitter part is removed.

It is said that peaches will not last long in the hot summer unless they are not only sweet but also sour.   By the way, if you buy peaches in bulk and still hard, they will last longer if you store them in the back of the refrigerator compartment  where the temperature does not change much.    If you take it out 2-3 days before eating, it will become softer and more sweet.

While I was waiting there, I visited the shrine adjacent to the yard, which has a long history with military commander, Takeda Shingen.    It looked like the red helmets of the Takeda army.

Detour

konseiken1
konseiken1

Kinseiken, a long-established Shingen mochi(rice cake) shop, only sells Water Shingen mochi on weekends from June to September.   This summer water confectionery is made by trapping the delicious water of the valley in agar that has been reduced to an absolute minimum, making it fluffy, and eating it with soybean flour and black sugar syrup, but it dissolves quickly, so it can only be eaten locally.   It’s like drinking delicious water. The stores are located in Nirasaki and Daigahara-shukuba.    The Daigahara store is located in front of Sake Brewery Shichiken.

konseiken2
konseiken2

 

jissoji2
go back to itinerary

 

Where there is famous water, there is famous sake

shichiken1

A sake brewery in Daigahara, a post town on the old Koshu Highroad, produced a famous sake called Shichiken.    The brewed water in the backyard that you can drink freely is soft and delicious.    There is also sake that is similar to champagne.   Would you like to eat koji(malt) dishes at the attached restaurant, or have cold soba noodles at the soba restaurant across the street?    In either case, good water is the deciding factor.

Whiskey brewing and tasting

Japanese Sake is not the only type of brewing that uses delicious water.    The Suntory Hakushu factory is located towards Kobuchizawa from the post town.  You can tour here, but the most fun part is the tasting.   Advance reservations are required to tour, but be sure to take advantage of the hourly free shuttle bus from Kobuchizawa Station.    Drivers are only boring.    In case of the Suntory Yamazaki factory in Osaka, it is near the station, so you can easily go for a tasting.   The founders of both Suntory and Nikka Whiskey were closely related.

(reference) Yamazaki Suntory Factory

 

jissoji2
go back to itinerary

 

 

 

A lone cherry tree with a strong presence

kanda3 oh-ito cherry blossom

If you follow the JR Chuo Main Line further upstream, you will see a particularly huge cherry tree, the Kanda Oito Cherry Blossom (Edohigan Cherry Blossom), standing like a giant with Yatsugatake in the background.    The tree is currently being treated to restore its vigor.

The cherry blossoms at the place where Dososhin, the road god at the entrance of the village, is located overlooking the Oito cherry blossoms are also spectacular.

Detour (Nagasaka Ushiike Pond)

Nagasaka Town is located across the Kamanashi River, which creates a deep valley.    Just one step away from the main road in the middle of town, cherry blossoms are planted surrounding Nagasaka Ushiike Pond, which was built for irrigation purposes, and the Southern Alps appear to be looming in the background.

Sakura needs no explanation.    I missed the famous cherry blossoms along the JR Chuo Line.    This is a lone cherry tree in Wanizuka, Nirasaki City, just before Hokuto City.    The cherry blossoms reach full bloom earlier than the cherry blossoms in Hokuto City, so pay attention to the timing.

jissoji2
go back to itinerary

 

Cherry blossoms bringing spring to the snow-covered mountains

sanehara8 chatting among locals
sanehara1 cherry blossom trees
sanehara1 cherry blossom trees
sanehara11
sanehara11

Near Jisso-ji Temple, there is a row of Sanehara cherry trees planted by the pioneers of this area.    It is said that when they first settled in this area, they had great difficulty cultivating it due to lack of water.

The rows of cherry blossom trees, which have watched their work over the past year, will be in full bloom again this year with Mt. Kai-komagatake in the Southern Alps in the background and will give them courage.

south alps
south alps
kai komagatake
kai komagatake

jissoji2
go back to itinerary

 

 

 

 

One of Japan’s three major cherry blossoms has been alive for 2000 years

yamataka jindai cherry blossom1
jissoji6
3D composition at Jissoji temple

Aiming for Jissoji Temple in Hokuto City.    Many cherry blossoms are carefully managed at this temple.   The garden in front of the precincts has a 3D composition, with a field of daffodils surrounded by cherry blossoms in full bloom and the snow-capped Southern Alps in the distance.

jissoji1
photographers over the fence

When I actually went there, I found out that this composition was achieved by the photographers uniformly standing over the fence with their backs stretched out.   Space cherry blossoms that have sprouted after returning from an eight-month stay in zero gravity on the space station are also blooming in the grounds.

yamataka jindai cherry blossom2
yamataka jindai cherry blossom2

As you enjoy the cherry blossoms in the precincts, you will find the Yamataka-jindai cherry tree, which is said to be 2,000 years old, located in the back.    This is probably the guardian deity that local people have respected for generations.   The presence of this single cherry tree is amazing.    It is said to be one of Japan’s three major cherry blossoms, along with Miharu Takizakura in Fukushima Prefecture.

 

jissoji2
go back to itinerary