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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Koshu
甲州市
Spend a half‑day to a full day in Koshu for wine tasting and fruit orchards; stay overnight only if you want a relaxed rural night.
Koshu, north Yamanashi, is Japan’s wine hub with a short train ride from Tokyo (≈1 h 30 min). Its attractions—vineyards, fruit orchards and a bike‑share scheme—fit comfortably in a single day, but an extra night lets you enjoy a ryokan soak.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 甲州市
- Best months
- Apr–Oct (wine festivals, fruit harvest, mild weather)
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold, snow in highlands)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥5,000–7,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥7,000–12,000 excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Wine tasting (per winery) | ¥800–¥1,500 |
| Fruit picking (seasonal) | ¥500–¥1,000 |
| Bike‑share 30 min | ¥100 |
| Local bus ride | ¥200–¥300 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- HND · Tokyo Haneda
- From Haneda, take the Keikyu Line to Shinagawa, then JR Chuo to Koshu; about 2 h 30 min total.
- NRT · Narita
- From Narita, Narita Express to Shinjuku, then JR Chuo limited express; about 3 h total.
Typical fares
- Tokyo → Katsunuma (JR Chuo limited‑express)
- about ¥2,500 one‑way, 1 h 30 min (check)
- Gururin bike‑share 1‑day
- ¥1,000 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
JR Chuo Line limited‑express to Enzan (≈1 h 30 min) or Katsunuma (≈2 h). Local buses connect stations; Gururin bike‑share ¥1,000 per day (or ¥100 per 30 min).
See and do
Known for
- Koshu white wine
- Katsunuma vineyards
- Fruit orchards
- Gururin bike‑share
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Katsunuma wine area | JR Chuo limited‑express to Katsunuma Budōkyō station, then walk 5 min | ≈2 h round‑trip |
| Enzan town | JR Chuo to Enzan station, then local bus or bike | ≈1 h 45 min round‑trip |
Sleep
- Kaizansou
- Budget guesthouse, 1‑night rooms; price ¥4,200 per night
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- Limited‑express trains run less frequently on weekends; check timetable.
- Katsunuma round‑trip wine bus operates only in high season; verify dates.
Koshu is a low‑traffic rural area; main risks are seasonal snow on mountain roads and occasional bus schedule changes – plan ahead.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Koshu yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Koshu white wine
- Katsunuma vineyards
- Fruit orchards
- Gururin bike‑share
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Koshu city official website: www.city.koshu.yamanashi.jp/
- Koshu tourism association (Japanese): www.koshu-kankou.jp/
- JR Chuo Line schedule: www.jr-central.co.jp/en/
- Wikivoyage: Koshu, revision 4868662 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4868662
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/koshu). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.