Nishizawa Gorge

Nishizawa Gorge lies in the mountains above Yamanashi City, reached by taking the JR Chuo Line from Kofu Station to Yamanashi-shi Station (about 15 min, ¥260/$1.60), then the Yamanashi Sangaku bus for roughly an hour (¥900/$5.70 one-way) to the Nishizawa Keikoku Iriguchi trailhead, where free parking is available beside the Roadside Station Mitomi Kitagawa; only about four buses run each day, so the return schedule needs checking before setting out. Ranked among Japan's most scenic gorges, Nishizawa is known for a chain of vividly colored waterfalls with names like Nanatsugama Godan-no-taki, whose turquoise pools are created by dissolved minerals in the granite bedrock, along with suspension bridges and a well-maintained trail that loops through the valley. The full loop trail covers about 10 kilometers and takes 3 to 4 hours, passing through cedar forest, over log and suspension bridges, and past a series of named waterfalls before climbing briefly to a ridge and looping back to the trailhead; the terrain includes some steep, narrow sections with chains and ladders near the waterfalls, so sturdy hiking shoes are necessary. A shorter out-and-back option to Nanatsugama Godan-no-taki and back, about 2 hours round trip, suits visitors with less time or less hiking experience. The gorge is one of the Kofu Basin's premier autumn foliage destinations, with color peaking mid-October to early November, when maple and beech turn the valley red and gold against the turquoise water; the trail can also be busy and occasionally muddy after rain in this season, and parts of the loop close in winter due to snow and ice, so visits are best planned from spring through late autumn.