In autumn 2026, Yatsugatake Club in Hokuto, Yamanashi Prefecture, suggests combining a fall foliage drive on the southern foothills of the Yatsugatake mountains with a relaxed stay in a forest turning autumn colors.
The day starts with the changing highland scenery outside the car window. On arrival, visitors can take a photo of their car with the autumn leaves in the parking lot built with wooden sleepers, then step out onto the sleeper-lined path among the trees. They can look out over the forest with the club's signature fruit tea and see handcrafted works by artists. From the drive up to Yatsugatake to the time spent at the club, it is a day spent facing the autumn scenery of the mountains.
Enjoying the Views of the Yatsugatake Mountains and Visiting a Forest in Autumn Colors
On the southern foothills of Yatsugatake there are roads, including the Yatsugatake Kogen Line, where drivers can enjoy the seasonal scenery. Visitors can combine a drive around the area with a visit to Yatsugatake Club in autumn. (Foliage typically starts from around mid-October.)
One possible stop is Yatsugatake Kogen Ohashi Bridge, known as the "Yellow Bridge." On the Kiyosato side of the bridge, which spans the Kawamata River Gorge, there is an observation deck parking lot, and if the weather cooperates, Yatsugatake, the Southern Alps and Mt. Fuji can be seen. After taking in the mountains and the gorge, visitors can head to Yatsugatake Club, where the trees are close at hand. The autumn enjoyment moves from wide-open views to a walk that draws the eye to the shapes and colors of the leaves.
Foliage progresses differently depending on the location and elevation, so choosing where to stop according to the day's colors is part of the fun of an autumn drive. Driving a little higher up the Yatsugatake Kogen Line from Yatsugatake Club, visitors should be able to see foliage that is a step further along at Higashizawa Ohashi Bridge (known as the "Red Bridge").
Autumn Leaves and Your Car in One Photo at the Sleeper Parking Lot
At Yatsugatake Club, the parking lot built with wooden sleepers is part of the scenery. The texture of the wood and the colored trees set off the car, making it a recommended spot to take a photo as a memento of the drive.
Photographing a favorite car together with the autumn scenery encountered that day makes a picture that recalls the road traveled to get there and the time spent in the forest. After capturing the memory of the trip with the car, visitors can move on to a walk, shopping or tea time.
The roads around Yatsugatake Club that lead to the facility also offer beautiful fall foliage.
- Please drive slowly in the sleeper parking lot.
- When taking photos, please be considerate of other visitors who are parking or passing through.
Why Is the Foliage at Yatsugatake Club So Beautiful? A Forest Shaped by Care, Handed Down from Founder Hiroshi Yagyu
Yatsugatake Club sits at an elevation of 1,360 m and opened in July 1989. Founder Hiroshi Yagyu, together with family, friends and staff, has continued to work on restoring the broadleaf forest that originally grew on this land.
Over many years, trees have been planted, branches trimmed and undergrowth cut so that sunlight and wind pass through the forest. That accumulated care has shaped the forest as it looks today, and autumn is the season that could be called its climax. Hokuto, where Yatsugatake Club is located, also has some of the longest sunshine hours in Japan, and the day-night temperature difference at 1,360 m meets the conditions that produce vivid autumn colors.
In the autumn forest of Yatsugatake Club, the red of maples and the yellow of dankobai (Lindera obtusiloba) and ko-ajisai (Hydrangea hirta) are layered with the white trunks of white birch. Walking along the sleeper path, visitors encounter different expressions depending on the direction of the light and where they stand. The landscape, a friendly coexistence of people and nature nurtured over more than 30 years, was certified as a national "Shizen Kyosei Site" (a certification for biodiversity conservation) in December 2025.
Please check the progress of the foliage through the official social media or by phone before visiting.
- Yatsugatake Club phone: 0551-38-3395
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yatsugatakeclub/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yatsugatakeclub/
Enjoying the Scenery and Conversation Over the Signature Fruit Tea
After the walk, there is tea time at the café-restaurant. The fruit tea, devised by the founder's wife, uses seven kinds of fruit and Nilgiri black tea, and has been the signature menu item since the club opened in 1989.
Slowly enjoying a flavor that changes with each cup, and talking about the scenery along the road and the autumn colors found in the forest, can make for a memorable part of the trip.
For lunch, the menu includes the popular beef stew baked in a pie crust and a Fujizakura pork roast pork plate. The terrace also has spots where Mt. Fuji can be seen over the autumn leaves, if the weather and the condition of the trees allow. Visitors can spend time looking out over the autumn forest with tea and a meal.
Menu items may not be available due to ingredient supply or sellouts.
Taking the Memories of the Trip Home
Along with a walk in the forest, Yatsugatake Club offers the chance to encounter works by artists. The gallery shop carries woodwork, glass, ceramics, paintings and more, and "Stage," an exhibition venue in the forest, hosts solo and special exhibitions. Visitors can feel the weight of a bowl in their hands, look at the grain of the wood and look for a piece that suits their own lives. There is also the pleasure of bringing home a work that caught their attention on the trip. Gardening items and a sundries shop are also available.
Please check the official site for exhibition details and dates.
https://www.instagram.com/yatsugatakeclub/
Making Yatsugatake Club the Destination for an Autumn Day
A day's plan can include time for walking in the forest and time for enjoying tea and works of art. Here is one example of how to spend a day combined with a drive in the surrounding area.
| Stop | How to enjoy |
|---|---|
| Heading to the southern foothills of Yatsugatake | Drive along the highland roads and enjoy the autumn colors from the car window |
| Stopping at a scenic spot (1) | Use the observation deck parking lot on the Kiyosato side of Yatsugatake Kogen Ohashi Bridge (known as the Yellow Bridge) and look out over the mountains and the gorge |
| Stopping at a scenic spot (2) | View Yatsugatake and the bridge from the parking lot of Higashizawa Ohashi Bridge (known as the Red Bridge) |
| Arriving at Yatsugatake Club | Take a photo of your car with the autumn leaves in the sleeper parking lot as a keepsake of the trip |
| Walking in the forest | Walk the sleeper path and feel the trees colored red and yellow up close |
| Tea and a meal | Take a break looking out over the forest with fruit tea or lunch |
| Visiting the shop | Browse works such as tableware, woodwork and glass, and take the memories of the trip home |
- Please adjust the order of stops to your departure point and traffic conditions. This is a suggestion for how to spend the day on your own, not a sold tour or a set plan. Costs for food, shopping and other expenses are separate.
- The best time to see foliage varies by location and weather conditions, and the spots will not necessarily all be at their peak at the same time. Please use the designated parking lots for the observation decks.
- Repair work has been announced around Higashizawa Ohashi Bridge. If you plan to drive the Yatsugatake Kogen Line, please check traffic restrictions and construction status beforehand.
A Longer Stay, and a Morning Retreat to Be Soothed by the Forest
On Sundays, a "Forest Healing Retreat (Morning Forest)" guided by forest therapist Naoko Yagyu is also held. It is a small-group program for up to 6 people, from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM. Staying nearby and adding a forest experience to the next morning's plans is another way to spend the trip.
The fee is ¥6,600 per adult (tax included, with a ¥500 café-restaurant discount coupon). Please check the official information for event dates, availability and how to apply. Accommodation must be arranged by each guest.
Details: https://yatsugatake-club.com/retreat/
Facility Information
- Facility name: Yatsugatake Club
- Address: 8240-2594 Nishiide, Oizumi-cho, Hokuto, Yamanashi 409-1501
- Opening hours: 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM (restaurant last order 5:00 PM). Subject to seasonal changes
- Closed: Wednesdays (except during busy seasons). Please check the business calendar on the website and social media
- Access: About 20 minutes by car from Nagasaka IC on the Chuo Expressway
- Parking: Parking lot built with wooden sleepers available
- Restaurant: Guests are seated in order of arrival. Groups of 10 or more should call ahead
- Phone: 0551-38-3395
- Official website: https://yatsugatake-club.com/
- Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yatsugatakeclub/
- Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yatsugatakeclub/
