Mount Omuro, with its distinctive silhouette resembling an inverted bowl, can be reached by a lift that offers a refreshing aerial stroll to the summit. Visitors can enjoy a spectacular view of Mount Fuji, the Izu Seven Islands, and the Sagami Bay while walking around the approximately 1km crater rim. On clear days, the spot for taking photos with Mount Fuji in the background is especially popular! Inside the crater, there is the Omuroyama Sengen Shrine, dedicated to the gods of safe childbirth and matchmaking, as well as facilities for archery. Every year on the second Sunday of February, the traditional “Yamayaki” event is held, where the entire mountain is set ablaze, attracting many tourists.
“Obuchi Sasaba” is a tea plantation located at the southern foot of Mount Fuji in the Obuchi district of Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture. This place is secluded, surrounded by forests and free from nearby houses, utility poles, and other man-made structures. It maintains its traditional landscape, and photographs of the scenery are used in various places such as the Shizuoka Prefectural Governor’s Office, Fuji Shizuoka Airport, and JR Central’s promotions for Shizuoka Prefecture, making it a scenic spot that represents the iconic Mount Fuji and tea fields of Japan. As depicted in one of the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by the famous ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai, titled “Suruga Katakura Tea Gardens and Fuji,” the southern foot of Mount Fuji has been a region famous for tea cultivation since the Edo period. Although Hokusai did not reach Sasaba, the scenery here remains virtually unchanged from that time.
At Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha in Fujinomiya City, many traditional festivals have been passed down through the ages. The “Fujisan Omiya no Shinji-cho” from 1577 lists 65 different festivals, and the main ones are still observed today. The Otaue Matsuri (Rice Planting Festival) is a celebration expressing gratitude for the spring water gushing from Mount Fuji and praying for a bountiful harvest of grains. The festival features the ancient and graceful Otaue Shinji ritual and the planting dance performed by young female rice planters.
The Amagi mountain range in Izu City is one of Japan’s most precipitous areas, with annual rainfall between 3,000 and 4,000 millimeters. This abundant rainfall feeds the springs that nurture Izu’s water wasabi. The beautiful landscape of the tatami-ishi style wasabi fields in this region, its rich ecosystem, and the skillful cultivation techniques have been recognized as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System under the title “Traditional Cultivation of Shizuoka Water Wasabi.” This area boasts the largest cultivation area for water wasabi in Japan, with a history of over 250 years in wasabi farming. Please adhere to the rules when visiting the wasabi fields.
Inokashira, the Village of Spring Water, is blessed with an abundance of springs brought forth by the sacred Mount Fuji and 1,000 hectares of forests, serving as the source of distinctive industries such as trout farming, which boasts top-class quality nationwide. Leveraging these rich natural resources and abundant food ingredients, the area has actively welcomed foreign visitors to Japan and residents using vacant houses. As part of its regional branding, the slogan “Healing with the Five Senses in Inokashira” has been adopted, focusing on promoting the rural lifestyle with Mount Fuji as a backdrop, the springs, and the hospitality of local cuisine.
The large tea plantations (70ha) spread over gently sloping hills are a major production area for Yame tea, a leading brand from Fukuoka. The tea fields, created by developing 103ha of mountain forest, are a symbol of Yame City. The view from the observatory at the top is stunning, resembling a carpet of green velvet. Tea picking takes place from April to mid-May, but the best time to enjoy the scenery of the tea fields is from August to March. Visitors can also enjoy Yame tea and Yame tea-flavored soft serve ice cream at the observatory’s cafe “Green Monster” while taking in the view of the tea.
In the legendary Hyugami gorge, which is said to have attracted the gods of Hyuga due to its beauty, lies Japan’s largest heart-shaped rock. Ringing the “Bell of Happiness” located there might just fulfill your romantic wishes. This enchanting spot is steeped in myth and is a beloved destination for those seeking love or simply wishing to experience the magic of a place touched by the divine.
Kurogi Grand wisteria, with an age exceeding 600 years, is designated as a natural monument of Japan. Located at the Susanoo Shrine, the wisteria features an extensive trellis that spreads over approximately 3,000 square meters. Each year around mid-April, it blooms, displaying hanging clusters of purple flowers that exceed one meter in length.
The former Ouchi Residence in Shiraki-no-sato, an old private house in the mountains of Tachibana town, is the birthplace of Chozo Ouchi, a politician who worked for friendly relations between Japan and China from the Meiji Era to the early Showa Era. At one time, the house was on the verge of being abandoned, but the preservation group for the former Ouchi Residence, led by local residents, has worked to preserve the house and restore it to its current state. Now designated as a cultural asset by Yame City, it has become a center for people to interact and inherit the culture of the area.
Learn about the history and manufacturing process of Yame Tea at this museum. You can also enjoy meals and desserts that use green tea as well as experience making matcha (fine powdered green tea) on traditional stone grinds and hand-rolling green tea leaves, among other workshops. The Shizuku Tea is a must try, to truly savor the exquisite Yame Dentou Hon Gyokuro tea.