Explore Yamanashi by the Chuo Line and journey into the legendary land of Mt. Fuji

Globally renowned Mt. Fuji is Yamanashi Prefecture’s most celebrated tourist attraction in the Kanto region. In addition, the surrounding Five Lakes of Fuji, Shosenkyo Gorge, and Takeda Shrine are also iconic sites within the prefecture. This year, East Japan Railway Company (JR East Japan) has announced a series of large-scale tourism events to be held jointly with Yamanashi Prefecture from April to June. This spring, why not take the Chuo Line to Yamanashi and leisurely experience the romantic atmosphere of the legendary land of Mt. Fuji?

Yamanashi Prefecture boasts numerous scenic spots. The railway tours launched by JR East Japan not only allow you to immerse yourself in majestic nature, participate in festivals to learn about Japanese history and culture, and enjoy local delicacies, but also include travel products for areas along the Chuo Line, extending to Nagano Prefecture — totaling up to 180 different tours. Various types of trains are available, including the highly popular steam locomotives (SL), beloved by both domestic and international tourists. A total of 66 special train services have been scheduled as part of this tourism campaign.

The theme of this year’s joint tourism campaign by JR East Japan and Yamanashi Prefecture is “Ride the Chuo Line — enjoy Yamanashi’s beautiful flowers, waters, and landscapes, then head on to Nagano.” Related travel packages are planned around themes such as “Colorful Spring Festivals,” “Connecting with Nature and Beautiful Waters,” “Local Cuisine,” and “Health and Wellness.” For nature-themed travel products, walking tours in areas such as Mt. Fuji and the Ochikawa Valley in Kitakoma City are being introduced for the first time. Additionally, there will be opportunities to sample local comfort foods like “chicken giblet stew,” and Yamanashi’s wine culture will also be highlighted starting June 1.

As part of the 2010 tourism plan by JR East Japan and Yamanashi Prefecture, seven types of printed travel brochures (in Japanese) are being produced to complement the travel packages, with an anticipated distribution of 460,000 copies. These will be made available at stations in the Tokyo metropolitan area and at View Plaza locations for interested travelers to browse. The full range of travel packages will go on sale starting February 26. To experience the charm of Yamanashi in spring, hop on the JR Chuo Line and set off. Detailed itinerary information can be found on the JR East Japan website.

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Further reading: A Relaxing Time in Karuizawa (provided by Tripass Attractions)