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Here's something that tends to confuse people when they first visit Yamanashi: someone will tell you to try the horse sashimi. Basashi is thinly sliced raw horse meat, usually eaten with soy sauce and things like ginger, garlic, or scall...

There’s something living in the forests around Mount Fuji that most people probably don’t think about when they picture the mountain: Asiatic black bears. The bears here aren’t simply part of one large population spread across central Ja...

Hi! it's Daichi. If you have been looking at the weather forecast for Lake Kawaguchiko this August 2026, you might be scratching your head. Take a look at the actual daily forecast for this month so far: almost every single day shows rai...

Let's start with the fun part: if you ask basically anyone in Yamanashi where hoto came from, they'll tell you a warlord invented it. Specifically Takeda Shingen — the legendary 16th-century daimyo, "Tiger of Kai," the guy with the "wind...

Quick heads up if you're anywhere in the Fuji Five Lakes area this week — the Yoshida Himatsuri, one of Japan's most famous fire festivals, takes place right at the base of Mt Fuji on August 26th and 27th. If you have any flexibility in ...

Here's a nice change of pace from the usual Fuji headlines. Fujiyoshida City just put together a proper 10-year plan (2025 to 2034) to preserve and actively promote the Yoshida-guchi climbing trail — the historic route that starts right ...

Every year around this time, the same headline resurfaces: someone gets stuck on Mount Fuji, a rescue team risks their own necks to bring them down, and the whole country ends up arguing about who should pay for it. If you've been follow...

If you're anywhere near Kawaguchiko this week, you're about to see something that looks less like a festival and more like a small city deciding to burn itself down on purpose. On August 26th and 27th, Fujiyoshida holds the Yoshida Fire ...

I still remember the first bowl I ever had. I was maybe three weeks into living here, ordered the "niku udon" because it was the first thing on the menu, and bit into a noodle that basically fought back. My first thought, genuinely, was ...

Dear Customers, Partners, and Friends, I would like to announce that KOKO Journey will officially close its business operations on August 15, 2026. This decision comes as I prepare to relocate from the Mt. Fuji area to pursue a new caree...