AnimeTrailPractical trip plans for anime pilgrimages in Japan

Trip · Yuru Camp△ × Yamanashi

Yuru Camp△ in Yamanashi: a 2-day trip from Tokyo you can actually book

The lake from episode 1, the school and the station town, and a hillside hot spring: three areas of Yamanashi, one night away from Tokyo. This page is where you decide how to go. The timetables, the car plan and the lodging list each have their own page.

A tall glass parfait with grapes, peach and cream beside an iced coffee on a wooden table
Orchard Cafe, one minute from Yamanashishi Station.
Duration
2 days / 1 night
From
Shinjuku, Tokyo
How
Rail + taxi, or rental car
Base
Shimobe-Onsen (first choice)
On this page

Who this is for

  • First or second trip to Japan, based in Tokyo, wanting one short trip out of the city.
  • You watched Yuru Camp△ and want to stand where the lake meets Mt. Fuji.
  • No tent needed. The plan sleeps in a ryokan or hotel, with camping as an option.

The short answer: build the two days around Lake Motosu

The Yuru Camp△ places in Yamanashi fall into three areas.

  1. Lake Motosu: The lakeside from episode 1. The centrepiece of this trip.
  2. Minobu: The everyday scenery of the series: the station town, the school model site.
  3. Yamanashi City: A hillside hot spring with a view over the basin, a fruit park and a parfait.

Only a rental car covers all three in two days. By rail you keep Lake Motosu and the Yamanashi City hot spring, and from the Minobu area you keep the school model site near Kai-Tokiwa Station, but you give up the Minobu Station side (Shonin-dori, Eishodo) and the viewpoint above the lake.

Which plan fits you

Your situationPickWhat that means
You can legally drive in Japan (see the car page)Rental carAll three areas, and any lodging.
You do not or cannot driveRail + taxiLake Motosu and the Yamanashi City side both fit. Two taxi legs to the lake must be booked ahead, on any day of the week.
Cost first, travelling on a Sat/Sun/holidayRail + town busThe weekend-only bus is ¥800 each way to Koan-so Iriguchi, but a 14:36 return gets you back to Tokyo later. No service 29 Dec–3 Jan.
Travelling with older people or small childrenRental car, relaxed patternBuses and taxis are few, and waiting drains energy.

The places, and what it takes to reach each

Schematic map of the Yuru Camp△ Yamanashi tripNot to scale. The JR Chuo Line runs from Shinjuku west to Yamanashishi and Kofu. From Kofu the JR Minobu Line runs south through Kai-Tokiwa and Shimobe-Onsen to Minobu. Lake Motosu and the Koan campground lie east of Shimobe-Onsen, reached by taxi or car on Route 300. Fruit Park and Hottarakashi Onsen lie north of Yamanashishi Station.Mt. FujiRoute 300 · taxi or carJR Chuo Line (JR East)to FujiJR Minobu Line (JR Central)IC cards end here (Kajikazawaguchi)ShinjukuYamanashishi Sta.Fruit ParkHottarakashi OnsenKofuKai-TokiwaSchool model siteShimobe-OnsenMinobuKoan · Lake MotosuObservation park (car only)
Station
Place in the anime
JR line
Taxi, bus or car
Walk

Everything the two plans draw on. The map is schematic; the walking, taxi and bus legs are the ones you will actually use.

Lake Motosu: The lakeside from episode 1. The centrepiece of this trip.

Minobu: The everyday scenery of the series: the station town, the school model site.

Yamanashi City: A hillside hot spring with a view over the basin, a fruit park and a parfait.

  1. Koan campground, Lake Motosu

    Area / stationShimobe-Onsen Station (taxi)

    Map

    What is there
    The lakeside where episode 1 opens. The climax of the trip.
    Hours and conditions
    Reception 7:30–20:00, gate opens 8:00. Only guests who have booked and checked in for camping or day camping may enter the lakeside campground. Day camping ends at 17:00. Take all rubbish home.
    By rail
    Pre-booked taxi. A town bus runs on Sat/Sun/holidays only, twice a day; no service 29 Dec–3 Jan.

  2. Lake Motosu Observation Park

    Area / stationLake Motosu (car)

    Map

    What is there
    A viewpoint over the lake and Mt. Fuji, a few steps up from the car park. For the higher angle printed on the old ¥1,000 note you have to climb on from here to the Nakanokura Pass viewpoint, about 30 minutes each way on a trail.
    Hours and conditions
    —
    By rail
    Not practical without a car.

  3. School model site (former Shimobe elementary/junior high) and Kai-Tokiwa Station

    Area / stationKai-Tokiwa Station

    Map

    What is there
    The school in the series and the feel of its walk to school.
    Hours and conditions
    The grounds are closed except during events. View and photograph from outside the fence. Under 10 minutes on foot, from Kai-Tokiwa Station.
    By rail
    Walk from the station.

  4. Minobu Station front and Shonin-dori

    Area / stationMinobu Station

    Map

    What is there
    The everyday scenery of the series: a temple-town shopping street.
    Hours and conditions
    Minobu Station ticket office: 6:30–21:45, with breaks during the day.
    By rail
    Not included in the 2-day rail plan.

  5. Eishodo (Minobu manju)

    Area / stationMinobu Station

    Map

    What is there
    The steamed buns that appear in the series. Straight ahead to the right from the Minobu Station gate.
    Hours and conditions
    8:30–15:00, closed Wednesdays, closes early when sold out. The use-by period is four days from manufacture.
    By rail
    Not included in the 2-day rail plan.

  6. Hottarakashi Onsen

    Area / stationYamanashishi Station

    Map

    What is there
    Open-air baths looking over the Kofu basin toward Mt. Fuji. The fried soft-boiled egg from the shop also appears in the series.
    Hours and conditions
    Opens one hour before sunrise, closes 22:00, last entry 21:30. Adults ¥900, children ¥400. Cash only. Free parking for 280 cars. Whether Mt. Fuji is visible depends on the weather.
    By rail
    Taxi from Yamanashishi Station, about 10 min, about ¥2,400 one way.

  7. Fuefukigawa Fruit Park

    Area / stationYamanashishi Station

    Map

    What is there
    The model for the park the club stops at on the way to its first camp. Known for its night view.
    Hours and conditions
    Main parking areas and outdoor toilets are open 24 hours; check individual parking areas for closures. Fruit Square opens 9:00–17:00, until 18:00 on Sat/Sun/holidays from April to October.
    By rail
    City bus (¥200) or taxi from Yamanashishi Station, about 7 min.

  8. Orchard Cafe (inside Machi-no-Eki Yamanashi)

    Area / stationYamanashishi Station

    Map

    What is there
    A fruit parfait cafe one minute from the station. The cafe the club used at the park now operates here.
    Hours and conditions
    Opening hours are listed differently: 09:00–19:00 by the operator, and 10:00–17:00 (last order 16:30) by the Yamanashi City Tourism Association. Both say the café follows Machi-no-Eki Yamanashi. Closed Wednesdays (the next weekday if Wednesday is a public holiday) and over New Year. Check before you go.
    By rail
    In front of the station.

The Yamanashi Prefectural Museum’s Yuru Camp△ exhibition is a limited-period exhibition, outside the standard itinerary.

Rail or rental car

CompareRental carRail (+ walking, bus, taxi)
Places you reachAll three areasYamanashi City + Lake Motosu + the school model site. Not Minobu Station or the viewpoint.
Getting to Lake MotosuYour own carPre-booked taxi, two legs, any day of the week
Where you can stayShimobe-Onsen, Koan, Lake Shoji or Fruit Park: your choiceShimobe-Onsen, within walking distance of the station
What you needA licence valid in Japan, an ETC card, English navigation or mobile dataLimited express reservations and taxi bookings
Where people stumbleLicence format, mountain roads, winter road surfacesSecuring the taxis, and the sparse Minobu Line: miss one train and the day changes
Transport cost per person, roughly¥8,000 express return + car, fuel and tolls split between you¥8,000 express return + local fares + four taxi legs (two each day). The park-to-station and Day 2 taxi fares are not yet confirmed.
See the rail and taxi planSee the rental car plan

Where to stay, in one paragraph

The night decides most of the trip. Shimobe Hotel, a minute from Shimobe-Onsen Station and thirty minutes by road from the lake, is the base both plans are built on. Koan lets you sleep at the episode 1 location. The Fruit Park hotel and the Kofu Station hotels suit variations. The full list with English support, access and cancellation notes is on its own page.

Compare all lodging options in the guide

Before you leave Tokyo

A few things that catch people who arrive with a Tokyo mindset.

Leave big suitcases at Shinjuku Station

If you start and finish at Shinjuku, leave the large case in a locker there and carry one night in a small bag. Trains, buses and taxis follow one another on this trip, and there may not be room for a big suitcase on any of them.

Where to leave it, what it costs and the late-return trap are in the luggage guide

Mobile data and offline maps

Maps, timetables and taxi calls all run on your phone. Activate an eSIM before arrival and download offline maps. Coverage on the mountain roads has not yet been measured by us.

Cash

Cards work around Kofu Station, but small shops, taxis and the campground in the hills may need cash. About ¥20,000 per person is a comfortable amount. Shimobe-Onsen, Kai-Tokiwa and Minobu stations do not take IC cards.

Taxi companies and apps

Yamanashi City lists Koshu Taxi, Eiwa Kotsu and Kusakabe Taxi; some wait at the station. The GO app covers Yamanashi City, but that does not guarantee a car at a given time. Keep a phone number as a fallback.

There is a bus to Fruit Park

A city bus runs from Yamanashishi Station to the park in about 7 minutes for ¥200, but only a few times a day, and its times do not fit the standard rail itinerary. The departure times are on the rail plan page.

Clothing

Lake Motosu is high and colder than Tokyo. Nearby Kawaguchiko (860 m) averages −0.4°C in January and 22.5°C in August. Bring a layer even in summer. In winter, roads can ice over; drivers need winter tyres or chains.

Trains and tickets

Rules worth knowing before you go

  • The Koan lakeside is for guests who have booked camping or day camping. Whether a short visit without a booking is possible has not been confirmed.
  • Take all rubbish home with you.
  • The nearest supermarket to Koan is about 25 km away, so buy what you need down in the valley.
  • The school model site is closed except during events. Look and photograph from outside the grounds.
  • No photography on level crossings, tracks or roads, even for a shot that matches the anime.
  • Do not photograph other campers or their tents. Go through reception and keep quiet.

Questions people ask

Can I do this without a tent or sleeping bag?

Yes. The base plan sleeps in a ryokan or hotel. Koan also has cabins, so you can sleep by the lake without gear. Koan does not rent tents, tarps or barbecue sets, but a partner rental service delivers to the site.

By rail, what changes between weekdays and weekends?

Almost nothing, because both use pre-booked taxis to the lake. The only change is a Shinjuku arrival a few minutes different. Weekend taxi demand is higher, so book early.

Can I do it as a day trip?

The Yamanashi City side alone works as a day trip. Including Lake Motosu needs the overnight.

Is it worth it if I have not seen the series?

The lake and Mt. Fuji, the hot spring and the fruit stand on their own. The school model site and the area around Kai-Tokiwa Station mean more the better you know the series.

When is the best season?

Mt. Fuji shows most clearly in the crisp air of autumn and winter. Winter also brings cold and icy roads: Kawaguchiko averages −0.4°C in January, and Route 300 can be closed after heavy rain.

Choose your plan

  • Rail and taxi plan

    Minute-by-minute, with the taxis you must book and what to do if you miss a train.

  • Rental car plan

    All three areas. Recommended, packed and relaxed patterns.

  • The 3-day version

    One more night changes what fits, and adds Lake Shibire by car.

  • Where to stay

    Options by area, with English support and access.

Sources and check dates

Sources used to verify the facts on this page. Times, fares and opening hours change; confirm them again for your travel date.

Checked: Train and bus times 6 Sep 2026; facilities and fares 6 Sep 2026; lodging 6 Sep 2026