April 13, 2009 Day 14: Shosenkyo Gorge

Mitake Shosenkyo, just north of central Kofu, is one of Japan's most beautiful gorges. It is part of the Chichibu Tama Kai National Park, which covers more than 1,250 square kilometers of forested mountains, valleys and some rural towns. A hiking road leads for about four kilometers along the Arakawa River from the Nagatoro Bridge to the Sengataki Waterfall, offering beautiful scenery of the mountain river and the narrow valley.

Above Sengataki waterfall, there is a small village consisting of souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants and the terminal bus stop, "Shosenkyo Taki Ue". It is also the departure point of the Shosenkyo Ropeway, which provides access to an observation point with panoramic views of the Southern Japanese Alps and Mount Fuji on clear days.

The ideal way to enjoy the area is through hiking. A four-kilometer trail begins at Nagatoro Bridge and leads to the beautiful gorge. The gorge has many different attractions to wow visitors, such as several waterfalls, including Sengataki Falls and Otaki Falls, a two-tiered waterfall. Ishimon is a towering natural stone structure peppered with lush green trees, and Kakuenpo is the rock formation that rises over the gorge's river.