Enjoy Mountain Scenery and Japanese History! 25 Popular Tourist Spots in the Chubu Region

If you are visiting the Chubu region, autumn is highly recommended, when the majestic mountains are colored with fall foliage.
One of the most famous autumn foliage spots is Shosenkyo in Yamanashi Prefecture.
Shosenkyo is one of Japan’s leading gorges, known for its natural beauty created by dramatic cliffs, waterfalls, and clear streams.
Another famous autumn foliage destination is Kamikochi in Nagano Prefecture.
Known as one of Japan’s premier mountain scenic areas, its clear air and lush natural beauty continue to attract visitors from Japan and abroad.
There are many other places to enjoy fall colors as well, and if you visit in autumn, you will be able to enjoy a wide variety of spectacular scenery.

The main air gateway to the Chubu region is Chubu Centrair International Airport in Aichi Prefecture.
It has scheduled international flights, with direct service available not only to Taiwan, China, and South Korea, but also to various other countries.
Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport in Shizuoka Prefecture also operates scheduled international flights, giving travelers more than one option for air access.
Four of the five prefectures, excluding Yamanashi, have Shinkansen stations, so traveling by Shinkansen is the most common way to reach the region by land.
With convenient access by both air and rail and plenty of service options, the Chubu region is easy to reach from both within Japan and overseas.

Oshino Hakkai is the collective name for eight spring-fed ponds sourced from Mt. Fuji: Deguchi Pond, Okama Pond, Sokonuki Pond, Choshi Pond, Waku Pond, Nigorii Pond, Kagami Pond, and Shobu Pond. It was once a lake, but after it dried up, it became eight spring ponds.
The melted snow from Mt. Fuji is filtered for Approx. 20 years through underground lava layers, which gives the water its remarkable clarity.
It is part of the World Heritage site Mt. Fuji, and is also designated as a National Natural Monument and one of Japan’s 100 Famous Waters.

Located in the northern part of Kofu City in Yamanashi Prefecture, Shosenkyo is said to have the most beautiful gorge scenery in Japan.
You can see granite cliffs carved over many years, unusual rock formations and stones, and the clear, abundant flow of water.
There is a well-maintained walking path along the gorge, making it easy to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the gorge in every season.

Aokigahara Forest spreads across the foothills of Mt. Fuji, and Narusawa Ice Cave is located at its eastern entrance. As one of the sightseeing spots around the Fuji Five Lakes, it welcomes many visitors throughout the year.
It is a lava cave with a total length of 153m, formed after lava flowed out during the eruption of Nagao-yama, a side volcano of Mt. Fuji, in 864.
Its highlight is the icicles formed when water droplets seeping from the ceiling freeze.

Fuji-Q Highland is home to everything from world-class thrill rides to character-themed attractions.
There are plenty of exciting rides, including FUJIYAMA, known as the king of coasters with a top speed of 130 km/h, and Eejanaika, an intense coaster boasting 14 rotations in total.
Admission to the park is free, so it is easy to drop by casually.

Yamanashi Fuefukigawa Fruit Park is a theme park set in peaceful mountain surroundings, where you can enjoy rich nature, meals featuring Yamanashi’s agricultural products, and shopping.
Because it is built on a slope, you can take in sweeping views of Mt. Fuji and the Kofu Basin, and at night, you can enjoy a beautiful night view counted among Japan’s New Top Three Night Views.

A castle built in 1593–1594.
Among the existing five-tier, six-story castle keeps in Japan, it is the oldest and is also designated as a National Treasure.
(Five-tier, six-story: it appears to have five levels from the outside, but the interior has six floors.)
Its striking black-and-white contrast gives it a dignified and impressive appearance, and it is beloved by many people as a symbol of Nagano Prefecture.

Kamikochi is one of Japan’s finest mountain scenic areas, granted both the titles of Special Place of Scenic Beauty and Special Natural Monument because of its beautiful landscape.
From the well-maintained walking paths, you can enjoy close-up views of 3,000m-class peaks, including the Hotaka mountain range. It is also one of the trailheads for climbing Mt. Yari and other peaks, so you will often see serious climbers carrying large backpacks.
If you want to enjoy the beautiful nature more casually, the route from Taisho Pond to Kappa Bridge, where the walking paths are well maintained, is especially recommended.

Jigokudani Yaen Koen is located along the valley of the Yokoyu River flowing down from the Shiga Highlands, at an elevation of 850m in a very cold and harsh area that is covered in snow for one-third of the year. Because of the many steep cliffs and the sight of hot spring steam rising from all around, the area came to be called Jigokudani, or Hell Valley.
Wild Japanese macaques live here, and attracted by the food provided at the park, they come down from the mountains to the park almost every day.

A historic shrine with a history of more than 2,000 years, where the myth of Amanoiwato has been passed down and which has been revered as a training ground for mountain worship since the Heian period.
It consists of five shrines: Hokosha at the foot of the mountain, Hinomikosha, Chusha, Okusha, and Kuzuryusha.
The entire Togakushi mountain area is revered as a sacred place, and in addition to the shrines, the cedar-lined approach to Okusha and Kagami Pond are also highlights. It has also gained attention as a spiritual power spot wrapped in a mysterious atmosphere.

Located almost in the center of Nagano Prefecture, Lake Suwa is the largest lake in Shinshu, with a circumference of Approx. 16km.
The naturally rich lakeside is well maintained, so you can enjoy walking or jogging while taking in the beautiful scenery.
There are also many sightseeing spots nearby, allowing you to enjoy art at museums, soak in hot springs while looking out over the lake, and experience the area in many different ways.

The Nakasendo was one of the Five Routes developed during the Edo period to connect Kyoto and Edo.
Magome-juku was the 43rd post town along the Nakasendo. Built along a stone-paved slope, it still lets visitors feel the atmosphere of the Edo period.
Shops selling freshly grilled gohei mochi, oyaki, and other treats line both sides of the road, making it a great place for snacking and strolling.

Located at the foot of Mt. Yoro in western Gifu Prefecture’s Nishi-Mino area, Yoro Park is a vast, nature-filled park with a variety of leisure facilities, including Yoro Tenmei Hantenchi and Kodomo no Kuni.
At the very back of the park is Yoro Falls, the park’s main attraction. With a drop of Approx. 30m and a width of Approx. 4m, Yoro Falls is a famous waterfall selected as one of Japan’s Top 100 Waterfalls.

Shirakawa-go is a beautiful area where Japan’s nostalgic rural scenery still remains. It is the area with the largest number of remaining gassho-style houses, with a little over 100 buildings of various sizes still standing as of 2016.
It is the largest gassho-style village in Japan and has been designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.
In 1995, it was registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site as an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural ensemble, or landscape illustrating an important stage in human history.

Hida Takayama Old Town is known as a place where Japan’s nostalgic scenery remains, with streets from the Edo period still preserved and lined with charming townhouses and long-established shop curtains.
It is one of Hida’s most popular sightseeing spots. Traditional houses with projecting lattice windows stand side by side, allowing visitors to feel the area’s history and culture.
Sake breweries, cafés renovated from old houses, and specialty goods shops also line the streets, making it a fun place to stroll around.

An artificial lake created Approx. 100 years ago when the Kiso River was dammed by Oi Dam. Strange rock formations line both sides of the gorge, creating overwhelming scenic beauty.
In spring, Approx. 200 cherry trees bloom in Sazanami Plaza, while fresh greenery in early summer and autumn leaves in fall color the lake surface vividly.
In winter, mandarin ducks, starlings, and various migratory birds visit the area, making it a popular birdwatching spot where you can enjoy the scenery in every season.

A shrine founded in 1617 by Hidetada, the second Tokugawa shogun, to enshrine Tokugawa Ieyasu, who established the Edo shogunate.
It is said to have been built based on Ieyasu’s will that he be buried at Kunozan after his death.
The shrine building is in the gongen-zukuri style, with the main hall and worship hall connected by a stone passage. Lavishly decorated with lacquer throughout, it is a representative building of the early Edo period and was designated a National Treasure building in 2010.

One of Japan’s largest safari parks, located at an elevation of 850m at the foot of Mt. Fuji.
Inside the park, you can see lions, cheetahs, giraffes, elephants, and bears living in a natural environment.
There are two main tour options. On the safari tour, you can enjoy a drive course lasting Approx. 50–60 minutes in your own car, a navigation car equipped with a tablet device, a jungle bus with mesh windows instead of glass, or a super jungle bus with mesh covering even the roof.

Opened in 2015, this pedestrian suspension bridge stretches 400m in total length and is the longest of its kind in Japan.
It spans a location on the western foothills of Hakone at an elevation of Approx. 415m, with a drop of 70m. From the bridge, you can view Japan’s highest mountain, Mt. Fuji, and Japan’s deepest bay, Suruga Bay, and many say you can experience three of Japan’s number ones all at once.
On clear days, you can also see the mountains of the Izu Peninsula and even the city areas of Mishima and Numazu, allowing you to fully enjoy the spectacular views.

A nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty and Natural Monument located in Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture, at the foot of Mt. Fuji.
It is also registered as part of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration.
From a curved cliff 20m high and 150m wide, hundreds of streams of various sizes pour down like white silk threads. The water is spring water from Mt. Fuji, flowing at 1.5 tons per second. It is the largest waterfall at the foot of Mt. Fuji.

Mount Omuro is a freestanding peak with an elevation of 580m in Ito City, Shizuoka Prefecture.
With its distinctive upside-down bowl shape, it is beloved as a symbol of the Izu Highlands.
Formed by volcanic activity Approx. 4,000 years ago, Mount Omuro is a nationally designated Natural Monument and one of the largest scoria cones in the eastern Izu volcanic group.
You can reach the summit by chairlift in Approx. 6 minutes. The Ohachimawari trail circles the crater rim for Approx. 1km, offering a 360-degree panoramic view of Mt. Fuji, the Southern Alps, the Izu Islands, and even the Boso Peninsula.

One of Japan’s largest castles, built in the early Edo period by order of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who established the Edo shogunate.
At the top of the castle keep’s five roofs shine a pair of golden shachihoko, male and female, which have become a symbol of Nagoya.
The Honmaru Palace, built in 1615 as the residence of the domain lord and a place for politics, is also well worth seeing.

It is said to have begun Approx. 1,900 years ago, when Kusanagi no Tsurugi, one of the Three Sacred Treasures of Japan (three treasures bestowed by Amaterasu Omikami in Japanese mythology and passed down as proof of the emperor’s position), was enshrined here.
In addition to the main sanctuary, a total of 45 shrines, including auxiliary and subordinate shrines, are enshrined here, such as Kamichikama Shrine, where ema plaques for exam success and academic achievement are offered, and Kusunoki Gozensha, worshipped by women as a deity of safe childbirth.

Its castle keep, one of only five in Japan designated as a National Treasure, is famous for being considered the oldest surviving one and for its early watchtower-style architectural features.
It is said to have been built in 1537 during the Muromachi period by Oda Nobuyasu, the uncle of Oda Nobunaga. Standing on a small hill protected by the Kiso River at its rear, it was a strategically strong castle. Together with its castle town, it became an important center for trade, politics, and the economy.

A huge aquarium made up of the North Building, where you can see dolphins, belugas, and orcas, and the South Building, which features a variety of tanks including a live coral tank.
Most impressive of all are the dolphin performances and public orca training sessions held in Japan’s largest pool, measuring 60m wide, 30m deep, and up to 12m deep.
You can observe these animals, living in an environment close to the wild, swimming dynamically and at high speed through the spacious pool.

A must-visit spot where you can immerse yourself in the world of Studio Ghibli films. It consists of five areas: Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse, Hill of Youth, Dondoko Forest, Mononoke Village, and Valley of Witches.
Valley of Witches, which opened in 2024, is inspired by Studio Ghibli works featuring witches, such as Kiki’s Delivery Service and Howl’s Moving Castle.
Buildings including Okino Residence, the house where Kiki, the heroine of Kiki’s Delivery Service, grew up, can also be viewed inside.