Shosenkyo Gorge and Nishizawa

Are there any websites for recent pictures of Koyou for Shosenkyo Gorge and Nishizawa? Both of these locations are in Yamanashi prefecture.

I don't have any pictures, but note that the leaves are not expected to start changing colors until the second half of October.

Shosenkyo:
http://kouyou.nihon-kankou.or.jp/detail/view.php?id=K1901a&m...

Nishizawa Keikoku:
http://kouyou.nihon-kankou.or.jp/detail/view.php?id=K1905a&m...

Sorry cant read Japanese . Can interprete for me how to go ? Thanks

I never got a chance to visit Nishizawa Keikoku but I did go to Shosenkyo Gorge and my pictures are still up on the web!

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/556349033rMApCh

You'll note that I went on October 31 of last year and if I remember correctly, I thought the autumn leaves on that particular day were very good, but not really magnificent.

How to get there:

Shosenkyo:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6952.html

Nishizawa Keikoku:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6951.html

Thanks Uji san

Do u mind linking me the the bus timetable to and fro for both places ? Coz I tried but cant read Japanese .

Is early Nov gd for autummn for these 2 places ?

thanks

Hi Hoon, did you check Uji's linked webpages carefully? I don't read any Japanese either and somehow I relied exclusively on Japan-guide's articles to visit Shosenkyo and Nishizawa, though for the latter I didn't read the part where bus operation was stopped for the year!

If you look carefully, you'll see that the linked sites have "useful vocabulary" in Japanese kanji so that you should be able to deduce, on the bus schedules, where it is that the bus arrives and at what time (the latter of course being numbers, which anyone can understand).

With a little bit of deduction, you should be fine. I know I was. PLUS, when I got to Kofu Station (the place to alight in order to take the bus to Shosenkyo Gorge), there were women there who gave me maps, timetables, and advice galore.

If this was ever the case, how much would a taxi be to Shosenkyo Gorge?

Manage to figure out sometime .. the kanji is difficult for me..

Do u know roughly how much time do we need for the two places ? Like half a day for the whole journey plus the activites , hike there . Thanks!

so the buses are still available for both places when u mentioned one has been stopped for a year !Going this early Nov

Thanks

If this was ever the case, how much would a taxi be to Shosenkyo Gorge?

A very rough guess would be 7500 yen one way.

Do u know roughly how much time do we need for the two places ?

If you come from Tokyo, visiting one of the two places will fill most of a day. Visiting both places in one day will require an early start, efficient transportation planning and a very fast pace.

The buses to the Nishizawa Keikoku are scheduled to run daily between October 13 and November 11 and on weekdays only during the rest of the time until November 25.

Departures from Enzan Station: 9:05, 10:10, 13:00 and 14:00

In the opposite direction:
10:30, 12:30, 14:25 and 15:40

Hi Hoon, as Uji mentioned, I must have went with my friend to Enzan Station to visit Nishizawa Keikoku in late November or later, as that would fall out of the normal operation days of the bus, and we weren't interested in taking a taxi. We ended up hiking from Mt Takao to Sagamiko Station instead, and that was pretty.

I would also say take a day to visit either attraction. I remember Shosenkyo Gorge had a lot of things that you COULD do. The main walk is about a few hours and you'll definitely get your share of autumn leaves. There are also opportunities to go right down to the water, and there were some picnic tables too at a few points. The path culminates at a wonderful waterfall. Beyond that, there's a ropeway and great views (I thought this area had the best autumn leaves). A few souvenir shops too...just a bit more exploring you could do.

I think doing both in a day would be extremely difficult. I wouldn't recommend it.

It's possible to take the bus first to the Greenline point and then walk to the Waterfall in order to save time. If you wish to stay in Shosenkyo more, you can hike the way back down. Nishizawa only has one point which is the entrance and then after that it's a 90 minute hike to the waterfalls.

A taxi would NOT cost 7500 one way. More like 5000. At the most.

So where do we buy the bus tickets to the places after knowing the timetable ? Is 10 mins enough for us to buy the tickets and board the bus fr Enzan station because the bus is due for boarding at 1010am. I know Japanese is well known for punctuality.

So we have to book in advance ?

3hr to and fro for the hike Nishizawa is enough ?

Whereas Shonsenkyo Gorge need longer hours right ?

Just trying to match the timetable.

Fist you tell the driver where you're going and then pay when you get off the bus.

After some more research, it seems that a taxi ride between Kofu Station and Shosenkyo costs about 4000 yen, while a taxi ride from Enzan Station to Nishizawa Keikoku costs about 6000 yen.

So where do we buy the bus tickets to the places after knowing the timetable ?

The following page explains how to use buses:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2015.html

3hr to and fro for the hike Nishizawa is enough ?

Yes, three hours is just about enough for the hike to the famous waterfall and back at a medium to fast pace.

Whereas Shonsenkyo Gorge need longer hours right ?

Not necessarily. In fact, I personally spend less time in the Shonsenkyo Gorge than in the Nishikawa Keikoku. You can do the one way hike in less than two hours.

So i do not need to reserve the bus tickets..phew

Is there only one bus that I can take from Enzan station to Nishizawa and also from Kofu station to Shosenkyo Gorge ?

I read that the way back to the bus stop form Nishizawa is more leveled ground , how many hrs do we need (I know from the bus stop to Nishizawa eeds 90mins).

In your opinion, if i have only one day to spare , which one would u choose if I am going on 1st Nov.

Thank you!

Based on that website for Shosenkyo, I think the last bus leaves from the gorge around 3:30 pm, so you have to be careful.

Shosenkyo is more crowded and much more touristicaly developed than the Nishizawa Keikoku. In the Nishizawa Keikoku you have nothing but nature, while in the Shosenkyo you also have many restaurants, shops, a ropeway, tourist center etc.

As for the timing of the autumn colors, the Shosenkyo is a few days behind the Nishizawa Keikoku. If you go in early November, it might be too early in the Shosenkyo this year, and you might be able to see more colors in the Nishizawa Keikoku.

Apart from that, I think it is a decision to be made on personal preference.