Kiyosato Highlands

Kiyosato is a highland resort area in Hokuto City at the foot of the Yatsugatake mountain range, about 40 kilometers northwest of Kofu and reached by taking the JR Chuo Line to Kobuchizawa Station (about 35–40 min, ¥590/$3.70), then transferring to the scenic single-track JR Koumi Line to Kiyosato Station, a further 30 to 40 minutes (¥420/$2.60). Sitting at roughly 1,200 meters, Kiyosato developed in the postwar decades as a highland pasture and dairy resort, and the area retains a network of farms, cheese and milk producers, and pastoral walking paths that offer a distinctly cooler, quieter alternative to the Kofu Basin's summer heat and the crowds of the Fuji Five Lakes. The town center near the station has a cluster of cafes, dairy shops selling local milk, cheese, and soft-serve ice cream, and small craft galleries along a walkable main street, while a short walk or local bus leads to Kiyosato Terrace, a ropeway-accessed hillside viewpoint over the highland pastures and, on clear days, toward the Southern Alps and Mount Fuji in the distance. Nearby, the Yatsugatake foothills offer easy walking trails through birch and larch forest suited to visitors wanting gentle scenery rather than a demanding hike, and the area's dairy farms often welcome casual visitors for milking demonstrations or farm-shop stops. A typical day starts with a late-morning arrival, a walk or short bus ride to Kiyosato Terrace for the pasture-and-mountain view, and an afternoon browsing the town's cafes and dairy shops before the return train. July and August are the most popular months, since Kiyosato's elevation keeps daytime temperatures noticeably lower than Kofu's basin heat, while October brings crisp highland air and early autumn color to the birch and larch forest.