About 90 minutes from Shinjuku by limited express
The JR Chuo Line's 'Kaiji' limited express between Shinjuku and Kofu has trains stopping at Enzan, Yamanashi-shi and Isawa-Onsen. On the JR East timetable, for example, a train leaving Isawa-Onsen at 8:51 reaches Shinjuku at 10:20, about an hour and a half. The gateway to Katsunuma's wineries is Katsunuma-Budokyo Station, about 17 minutes from Isawa-Onsen or 4 minutes from Enzan by local train.
In the model course on Yamanashi's official tourism site, the city bus takes about 25 minutes from Katsunuma-Budokyo Station to Soryu Winery; from there Chateau Mercian, Kurambon Wine and Katsunuma Jozo are each 5–10 minutes apart on foot. Katsunuma Budo-no-Oka is about 10 minutes by taxi, and the station about 5 minutes by bus or taxi.
What needs booking at the wineries
Tours at Chateau Mercian Katsunuma Winery require a reservation. The Katsunuma Discovery Tour costs ¥3,000 (about 90 minutes) and the Katsunuma Winemakers Tour ¥5,000 (about 100 minutes), each for up to 10 people. Since February 2025, bookings are taken via the winery's official LINE account rather than by phone. The tasting counter (paid) is open 10:00–16:00 and the shop 10:00–16:30. No English-language tours are advertised.
Katsunuma Budo-no-Oka in Koshu city has an underground wine cave where around 200 wines can be tasted, plus a hotel. Its day-use hot spring, Tenku-no-yu, is closed for repairs from 13 October 2026.
Next morning, a bath above the basin
Hottarakashi Onsen in Yamanashi city is known for open-air baths overlooking the Kofu basin and Mt Fuji. It opens one hour before sunrise and closes at 22:00 (last entry 21:30), every day of the year. Adults pay ¥900, and its two bathhouses are charged separately. It is about 10 minutes by taxi from Yamanashi-shi Station, around ¥2,400 one way. The bus runs four times a day and stops a 20-minute uphill walk away, so a taxi is the realistic choice; for a pre-dawn visit, book one the day before.
Stay the night in Isawa Onsen, a single local train ride from both Katsunuma-Budokyo and Yamanashi-shi.
Ideas for the future
An overnight package linking Isawa inns and Katsunuma wineries with transfers, and pairing local wine with dinner, is listed as an idea only. It is not scheduled and cannot be booked.
Browse all onsen
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Hottarakashi Onsen
ほったらかし温泉
Yamanashi · 100 Onsen to Know Japan — No. 46
It opens an hour before sunrise. From the open-air bath you watch the lights of the Kofu basin go out and Mt Fuji turn white.
Booking
| Chateau Mercian Katsunuma WineryBookable | Tours by reservation only, 10 people each, booked via the official LINE account. Paid tastings. About 8 minutes by taxi from Katsunuma-Budokyo Station. | Shop 10:00–16:30, tasting 10:00–16:00, wine museum 9:30–16:30. Closed over New Year and some winter days | Discovery Tour ¥3,000 (about 90 min), Winemakers Tour ¥5,000 (about 100 min), Winemakers Special Tour ¥10,000 (about 110 min) | 2026-10-09 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walking model course through Katsunuma wineries (Soryu, Kurambon, Katsunuma Jozo)Bookable | A model course on Yamanashi's official tourism site: about 25 minutes by city bus from the station to Soryu, then 5–10 minutes' walk between wineries. Check each winery's opening days and tasting fees directly. | All year (individual winery closing days vary) | Unconfirmed | 2026-10-09 |
| Katsunuma Budo-no-Oka, KoshuBookable | An underground wine cave with about 200 wines to taste, plus a hotel. The day-use hot spring Tenku-no-yu is closed for repairs from 13 October 2026. About 20 minutes' walk from Katsunuma-Budokyo Station. | 8:00–20:00 (varies by facility). Closed some days at the end of January | Unconfirmed | 2026-10-09 |
| Yamanashi Wine TaxiBookable | Chartered taxis touring wineries in the Fuefuki (Isawa), Katsunuma and Nishizawa Gorge areas; up to 4 per car, roughly 1–2 wineries per 2 hours, booked on a dedicated site by 17:00 the day before. The listing on Yamanashi's tourism site dates from 2020, and we could not confirm current bookings. | Year-round (per the 2020 listing) | From ¥10,000 per car for 2 hours (per the 2020 listing) | 2026-10-09 |
| Hottarakashi OnsenBookable | Open-air baths above the Kofu basin; the two bathhouses are charged separately. Towels ¥200 to buy (no rental). About 10 minutes by taxi from Yamanashi-shi Station, around ¥2,400 one way. | One hour before sunrise to 22:00 (last entry 21:30), open every day (occasional maintenance closures) | ¥900 adults, ¥400 children | 2026-10-09 |
| Overnight package linking Isawa inns and wineries with transfers (idea)Proposal | An idea for a winery tour with transfers and local wine at dinner. Not scheduled; cannot be booked. | Unconfirmed | Unconfirmed | 2026-10-09 |
2 days: Katsunuma wineries by train and bus, a night in Isawa, a morning bath at Hottarakashi
Confirmed costs come to about ¥8,700 per person (Mercian tour ¥3,000 + Hottarakashi ¥900 + taxi both ways about ¥4,800, which can be shared; checked October 2026), plus JR fares and limited-express charges, the city bus, tastings and a night in Isawa Onsen (not confirmed)
| 1 · 08:30 | Shinjuku to Enzan | JR Chuo Line limited express Kaiji | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · 10:00 | Enzan to Katsunuma-Budokyo | JR Chuo Line local | |
| 1 · 10:30 | City bus toward Soryu Winery | Koshu city Katsunuma community bus | |
| 1 · 11:15 | Tour at Chateau Mercian (reservation required) | Walk | ¥3,000 (Discovery Tour) |
| 1 · 13:30 | Walk on to Kurambon Wine and Katsunuma Jozo | Walk (about 10 minutes each) | |
| 1 · 15:30 | Taste in the wine cave at Katsunuma Budo-no-Oka | Taxi | |
| 1 · 17:00 | Katsunuma-Budokyo to Isawa-Onsen and stay the night | Bus or taxi to the station (about 5 min), then JR local to Isawa-Onsen | |
| 2 · 08:30 | Isawa-Onsen to Yamanashi-shi | JR Chuo Line local | |
| 2 · 08:45 | Bathe at Hottarakashi Onsen overlooking the basin | Taxi | Taxi about ¥2,400 + bath ¥900 |
| 2 · 11:00 | Back to Yamanashi-shi Station and on to Shinjuku | Taxi about 10 min (about ¥2,400), then JR limited express Kaiji |
These features connect to J-Catalyst's food and entertainment work, but unless marked as a partnership or available, nothing here is yet a partnership or bookable through us.