Yamanashi Fuefukigawa Fruit Park

Yamanashi Fuefukigawa Fruit Park is an urban park of Yamanashi Prefecture in Yamanashi City, on the eastern side of the Kofu Basin. It was laid out around the theme of flowers, fruit and wine.

The orchards

The orchards are planted around the Koshu Hatchinka (甲州八珍果), the eight fruits that stood for the province of Kai in the Edo period: grapes, peaches, pears, persimmons, chestnuts, apples, pomegranates, and walnuts or ginkgo nuts. Peaches and grapes are still grown across the area. Paths lead into the orchards, so the trees can be followed through the year from bud to blossom to fruit.

The fruit is grown for viewing, and picking it without the park's permission is against the law. The park holds occasional harvest events instead, such as a persimmon harvest in autumn.

The domes

Three domes stand near the main car park. The Wanpaku Dome was a tropical plant house when the park was built and is now an indoor play space for children. A spiral stair leads down from it to the Kudamono-kan, a small museum on fruit and wine with a display on the history of Japanese wine from the Meiji era.

Views

The park rises and falls across its slope, and many points look over the Kofu Basin to Mt Daibosatsu and the ranges around it, and to Mt Fuji on clear days. Its night view of the basin is one of the New Three Major Night Views of Japan (Shin Nihon Sandai Yakei, 新日本三大夜景).

Other facilities

The Aqua Athletic is an outdoor water playground modelled on the Fuefuki River, with a waterfall and a pond at its upper end. Gaia, a restaurant on the top floor of the Kudamono Kobo building, looks out over the basin. The shop Saint Verger on the ground floor sells seasonal fruit, jams and Yamanashi wine, and the cafe Hatchinka Plus serves fruit parfaits and sandwiches. A road train runs through the park to the nearby Fruit Center, and there are two dog runs.