Shosenkyo Gorge, a stunning scenic spot located in Kofu, Yamanashi is said to be the most beautiful gorge in Japan and is a firm favourite with Japanese people, yet still is largely unknown to foreign residents and visitors. In this article, I’ll hopefully persuade you to take a trip out to enjoy this power spot!
In Japanese, it’s known as Mitake Shosenkyo, 御嶽昇仙峡. The kanji for Shosenkyo meaning 昇 – rising, 仙 – hermit, and 峡 – gorge, more on that later in this article!
I can’t believe I hadn’t heard of this spot until I was taken here by a friend, as when we got there I was blown away! How had this not been on my radar before?!
So why is Shosenkyo considered so special?
Well, firstly it’s designated a National Heritage of Japan, specifically a Special Place of Scenic Beauty. In a poll by the Japanese public, it was also voted first place in the valleys & gorges section of 100 Best Tourist Destinations in Japan.
Not only that, but Shosenkyo is included in the The Heisei Era 100 Best Water Sites – yes I know what you’re thinking, they love a ranked list here! It’s easily understandable though once you see the colour of the water! Completely transparent with a beautiful blue tinge.
Our afternoon at Shosenkyo
Even before we arrived, as we drove along the countryside roads, I could see the landscape transforming into something reminiscent of Avatar or Jurassic Park. It certainly felt so different to the scenery I’ve experienced so far. The fact it was in Yamanashi, a prefecture I’ve explored many times, was even more surprising!
As soon as we parked our car, a man came over and gave us a free leaflet of Shosenkyo gorge which detailed all the sightseeing spots. He was really helpful and we asked about the condition of the momiji spots (many of them on the map were located towards the bottom of the gorge) but he recommended starting at the top. I’m so glad we listened to him!
He informed us about the shuttle bus to the top (near the ropeway station), which we decided to take as it only costs ¥300. The bus driver points out some of the interesting rocks on the way up and tells you a little bit about the area too (in Japanese).
After you get off the bus, the walking trail leads you to the top of Sengataki waterfall. As we slowly meandered our way down, we discovered what else makes Shosenkyo special.
Hidden gems of Shosenkyo Gorge
Other than the exterior landscape being pretty incredible to look at, Shosenkyo’s specialness also lies beneath the surface! You’ll soon notice as you walk down the gorge that there is a suspiciously high amount of souvenir shops specialised in selling gems and crystals.
The first one I came across I presumed was just a New-Age shop, which still intrigued me as you don’t see that kind of thing often here. However, when I came across the third one, I knew something deeper must be going on here! Well it turns out that this area is Japan’s highest producer of crystals! Although they no longer harvest the crystals directly from the gorge (they’re imported these days), they’re experts in crystal crafting and specialists in the jewellery industry too. Pretty cool right?
We enjoyed looking at the different crystals for sale and now I wish I had actually bought some as they were really quite cheap compared to when I’ve seen them back home! There’s cafes and restaurants there too if you’re already feeling peckish – why not try hōtō, Yamanashi’s specialty?
Time to make some wishes…
What I particularly loved about this part of the gorge is that there’s several fun attractions for you to experience like…
This love crystal! First, close your eyes and lift up the rose quartz heart. Try to remember how heavy it feels in your hands. Put the crystal down and place your hands on top of it. Make a wish (for love of course!). Then, lift the crystal again. Does it feel lighter? If so, your wish will come true! If not, well, you may want to buy a crystal from a nearby store for luck!
Of course for me it felt heavier the second time carrying it… which just about sums up my luck at the moment so we can say it’s pretty accurate!
Now on to another fun experience! You buy a gacha ball which contains 8 small different coloured crystals for ¥300. Head to the pond where you’ll see statues of the 7 Lucky Gods (Shichifukujin).
You have to aim to throw your crystal into the corresponding pot. Each one will increase your luck in a different area, e.g. love, wealth, health etc… If those are too difficult to get in (they are a little far away!), there’s one bowl in front which will help your wish come true. Thankfully I was able to get my crystal into that one! Maybe my wish will come true…
Shogyokudo – 昇玉堂 – a sacred power spot
If you feel the need to keep trying to make your wishes and dreams come true, head to Shogyokudo. This power spot, I hesitate to call it a shrine or a temple… The term ‘do’ is used for smaller temple buildings and here it enshrines a Buddhist deity yet many websites refer to it as a shrine (if anyone out there knows for certain, please tell me!)
Anyways, inside you can see Japan’s largest crystal ball at 85cm with a mass of 850kg! Huge!
It’s said you can gain power from touching it, so many people place their hands on the crystal and then make a wish. Spot the scary figure behind the crystal ball?
It’s a statue of Fudo Myo, the Buddhist god of Wrath and Immovable Faith. A rather intimidating figure to say the least!
Hanging all over the place are hundreds to thousands of small little bells. You can purchase one and write your name on it with a black marker. Choose the gold colour to increase your fortune & prosperity, or the silver colour for health. Make a wish and hang it with the others. I noticed couples tended to intertwine their bells and hang them together.
You might be all wished out by this point but IF you have more wishes left in you, purchase a blue crystal shaped ema. One of the rarer shaped ema’s I’ve seen over the years!
Sengataki waterfall
Keep wandering down and after 5 minutes or so you’ll reach the bottom of the 30m high Sengataki waterfall. We caught it just in time to see a beautiful gradation of autumnal colours.
Walking through Ishimon, the Stone Gate
This humongous precarious looking collection of boulders is known as Ishimon, the stone gate. Although it looks like it might fall at any time, it’s apparently quite sturdy! As you walk through this power spot, you can’t help but be in awe of the carefully balanced boulders!
From tiny gems to huge boulders
Continue walking along the river and you’ll see many more fallen boulders, I couldn’t get over the size of them!
Kakuenbo – the iconic sight of Shosenkyo gorge
Eventually you’ll reach this area with a view of Kakuenbo – the pinnacle of Shosenkyo. 180m tall, it’s the icon of the gorge and I think links closely to the meaning behind the name (Rising Hermit Gorge).
It’s named Kakuenbo (also sometimes written as Kakuenpo) after the Buddhist monk Kakuen. He used to spend his time meditating and completing ascetic training upon this rock. I can’t imagine how wonderful the view must be from up there. You can actually visit by taking the ropeway, and on a clear day, you can even spot Mt. Fuji! Worth considering if you’re an avid hiker.
When is the best time to visit Shosenkyo?
It’s a place you can enjoy in all four seasons. However, visiting when the landscape is dyed with reds and burnt oranges seems to be most popular for good reason.
I know I’ll definitely be returning one day as I’d love to explore more of this place either full of vibrant greenery in summer (I’m sure it’s very refreshing with all the mist from the river and waterfalls!). I’d also like to see Sengataki waterfall surrounded by snow and ice in winter.
Access & tips for your day trip to Shosenkyo Gorge
Car: Plenty of free parking available. Take the shuttle bus up to the top for only ¥300 – the driver will also tell you a little about the place & point out Kakuenbo for you!
Train: If coming from Tokyo you can get an express train from Shinjuku which takes about an hour and a half to Kofu station.
From Kofu station, you’ll need to take a bus to the gorge. Here’s a link to the bus timetable in English. I really recommend taking it to Shosenkyo Taki Ue so that you can leisurely hike down. However, if you’re a keen, fit hiker you may want to start from the bottom and work your way up to the ropeway.
We spent a couple of hours here because it started to get dark at 4pm! If you have time and arrive earlier, there is SO much more to explore here. I’ve only outlined a fraction of what you can do, so if you can, why not spend the whole day here and explore further?
If you’ve gotten to here, thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this article and I’ve convinced you to take a trip out to Shosenkyo gorge!
As always, if you visit and find this article helped, please reach out and let me know, it always makes me smile to hear of your adventures. I’ve also uploaded videos of this place which you can find on my Instagram under the Yamanashi highlight.
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