⛩ Yamanashi / Shizuoka · 2 days
Down the Fuji River: Minobu Temple, Shimobe Hot Springs & the Fuji Viewing Deck
A 2-day drive down the Fuji River gorge from Yamanashi into Shizuoka: Kuonji temple on Mt. Minobu, the Shimobe hot-spring valley, the paper and tea villages of the lower gorge, and a roadside station with a Fuji viewing deck at the end — 5 michi-no-eki in all.
The Fuji River is one of the three fastest rivers in Japan, and Route 52 follows it the whole way from the Kofu basin to the sea at Fuji City. It is the old road between Yamanashi and the coast, which means it passes through towns rather than around them: paper workshops, tea terraces, a cluster of hot springs that Takeda Shingen is said to have used to rest his wounded, and Kuonji, the head temple of the Nichiren school, at the foot of Mt. Minobu.
Driven north to south the route loses altitude all day, which is the pleasant direction. Start at Fujikawa in Yamanashi, where the station's deck looks back up the valley, then turn east a few kilometres to Shimobe — a small station with an observation deck, set among the inns of the Shimobe hot-spring village. Minobu is the anchor of the second half: the temple's stone stairway, the Bodaitei, climbs 287 steps in one straight line, and a ropeway runs from above it to the summit. From there the gorge opens out through Nanbu's bamboo-shoot and tea country at Tomizawa, and the drive finishes at Fujikawa Rakuza on the Shizuoka side, which is less a rest stop than a small complex — planetarium, hands-on floor, and a viewing deck pointed straight at Mt. Fuji.
The stops, in driving order
- 1 Michi-no-Eki Fujigawa 道の駅 富士川 · Yamanashi
Michi-no-Eki Fujigawa (道の駅 富士川) is a government-designated roadside station in 南巨摩郡富士川町, Yamanashi, Japan, registered in 2014 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a cafe, a local-products shop, EV charging and free Wi-Fi. There is free parking for about 60 cars and 16 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–18:00〔曜日、季節により異なる〕. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Chubu road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Toyotomi, Shirane and Shimobe.
Nearby: 🏛富士川町民俗資料館 (1.5 km) · 🏛市川三郷町ふるさと会館・文化資料館・民族資料館 (5.2 km)
- 2 Michi-no-Eki Shimobe 道の駅 しもべ · Yamanashi
Michi-no-Eki Shimobe (道の駅 しもべ) is a government-designated roadside station in 南巨摩郡身延町, Yamanashi, Japan, registered in 1997 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a local-products shop, a tourist-information desk, an observation deck and a park. There is free parking for about 12 cars and 3 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–17:00. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Chubu road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Minobu ・ Fujigawa Kankou Sentaa, Asagirikougen and Fujigawa.
Nearby: 🏛The Village Of The Village of Kiso, Meynobu Town (0.5 km) · 🏛美枝きもの資料館 (3.3 km)
- 3 Michi-no-Eki Minobu ・ Fujigawa Kankou Sentaa 道の駅 みのぶ・富士川観光センター · Yamanashi
Michi-no-Eki Minobu ・ Fujigawa Kankou Sentaa (道の駅 みのぶ・富士川観光センター) is a government-designated roadside station in 南巨摩郡身延町, Yamanashi, Japan, registered in 2005 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a local-products shop, a tourist-information desk and hands-on experiences. There is free parking for about 16 cars and 3 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–17:00. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Chubu road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Shimobe, Nanbu and Asagirikougen.
Nearby: ⛰Mt. Minobu (3 km) · 🏛Kai Golden Village, Yunooku Kanayama Museum (3.2 km)
- 4 Michi-no-Eki Tomizawa 道の駅 とみざわ · Yamanashi
Michi-no-Eki Tomizawa (道の駅 とみざわ) is a government-designated roadside station in 南巨摩郡南部町, Yamanashi, Japan, registered in 1993 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a cafe, a local-products shop, free Wi-Fi and a tourist-information desk. There is free parking for about 42 cars and 14 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–18:00. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Chubu road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Nanbu, Fujigawa Rakuza and Fuji.
Nearby: ⛰Mt. Shinoi (5.4 km) · 📸芝川スポーツ広場 (7.3 km)
- 5 Michi-no-Eki Fujigawa Rakuza 道の駅 富士川楽座 · Shizuoka
Michi-no-Eki Fujigawa Rakuza (道の駅 富士川楽座) is a government-designated roadside station in 富士市, Shizuoka, Japan, registered in 1998 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a cafe, a local-products shop, free Wi-Fi and a tourist-information desk. There is free parking for about 270 cars and 9 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–20:00(2020年11月現在). Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Chubu road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Fuji, Tomizawa and Nanbu.
Nearby: 🌄富士山展望デッキ (0.4 km) · 🌄Observatory (0.7 km)
Make this route yours — load all 5 stops into the planner, reorder or remove stops, then open the finished trip in Google Maps.
Customize this route →Onsen baths and beds along this route (Yamanashi / Shizuoka · 6 with onsen / 1 with rooms)
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Kurura Toda 道の駅 くるら戸田 · Numazu, Shizuoka · ~26 km off the route -
Kobuchisawa 道の駅 こぶちさわ · Hokuto, Yamanashi · ~38 km off the route -
Itou Marintaun 道の駅 伊東マリンタウン · Ito, Shizuoka · ~48 km off the route -
Kawane Onsen 道の駅 川根温泉 · Shimada, Shizuoka · ~48 km off the route -
Tabayama 道の駅 たばやま · Tabayama, Yamanashi · ~48 km off the route -
Hana No San Hijiri En Izu Matsuzaki 道の駅 花の三聖苑伊豆松崎 · Matsuzaki, Shizuoka · ~49 km off the route
♨ All 143 michi-no-eki with an onsen bath🛏 All 81 michi-no-eki with rooms on site♨🛏 All 46 michi-no-eki with both onsen and rooms📍 Every michi-no-eki in Yamanashi📍 Every michi-no-eki in Shizuoka
Route tips
- Route 52 is the point of this drive, but it is also a working truck road; leave the expressway for the return leg and allow 30 percent more time than the map suggests.
- Shimobe has parking for only about 12 cars — stop there mid-morning or mid-afternoon rather than at lunchtime.
- Minobu's Bodaitei stairway is steep enough to be a workout; there is a road and a bus up to the temple's upper level for anyone skipping the 287 steps.
- Fujikawa Rakuza stays open until 20:00, later than every other stop on the route, so save it for the end of the day and watch the light go off Mt. Fuji from the upper deck.
Before you drive
- Can you drive in Japan? License rules by country
- Renting a car in Japan: the complete guide
- Can you sleep overnight at a michi-no-eki?
FAQ — Fuji River valley & Minobu
How many days do you need for the Fuji River valley & Minobu route?
2 days is a comfortable pace: roughly 70 km of driving with 5 michi-no-eki stops along the way. You can compress it, but the stops are the point.
Where does the route start and end?
It starts at Fujikawa, Yamanashi (Chuo Expressway via Kofu, about 2h from Tokyo) and ends at Fujikawa Rakuza, Fuji City (New Tomei Expressway). Load all 5 stops into the free MichiStops route planner to reorder, add or remove stops, then open the finished trip in Google Maps.
When is the best season to drive this route?
Year-round; Mt. Fuji is clearest from November to February, and the weeping cherries at Minobu bloom in late March.
Do I need to rent a car?
Yes — michi-no-eki are roadside stations, realistically reachable only by rental car or campervan. Most visitors can drive in Japan with a 1949-convention International Driving Permit; check the license rules for your country before booking. License rules by country →
Can I sleep overnight at the michi-no-eki on this route?
Resting overnight in your vehicle is tolerated at most michi-no-eki, but tents, awnings and open-air cooking are not allowed. Read the overnight-stay guide for the etiquette. Overnight-stay guide →