Pictures from this trip can be found here:
We were able to sleep in at the ryokan, and then we went upstairs via elevator to enjoy the buffet breakfast. Again with COVID restrictions there were some twists. For one, we had to use plastic gloves for both hands while serving ourselves from the buffet. The staff handed over the gloves, so we had to put down our tray, put on the gloves, grab the tray again, and then go down the buffet line. The food was simple but good – and since I knew we’d be eating big today I didn’t take too much of it.
However, other guests were taking advantage of the all-you-can-eat aspect, and some trays were piled quite high. I was startled to see the strange couple from yesterday who had read out the vending machine prices – they seemed to be following us around. The view from the top floor of the hotel was nice, and we enjoyed our light breakfast and coffee while watching the sun rise over the tall mountains in the distance.
After checking out of the hotel we didn’t have far to go. We walked back to the station and it was just a few stops to get to the capital city of Yamanashi, Kofu. We had come here strictly for gastronomical reasons – Yamanashi Prefecture is one of the few land-locked prefectures in Japan so they were most known for meat and vegetables.
We had a little time before things started to open for lunch, so we walked around the town to do some casual sightseeing. After the dying town of Isawa Onsen it felt nice to see people walking around, and there were even some big-name stores like Yodobashi Camera. We explored a castle on the hillside, complete with a large stone obelisk in the corner. The northern part of the downtown area had some interesting shops and a very dated commercial area complete with 60’s light fixtures and spooky shopping streets. I liked the vibe here. At the city offices we sat on a bench to take a break and when I looked down there was a swarm of mosquitoes ignoring Kuniko and going for that tasty imported blood from America. Run away!
Back towards the main station on the south side was a tourist area with shops selling upscale food and souvenirs. The shops were nicely done and they reminded me a lot of souvenir shops you’d find back in the California wine country. We promised ourselves to come back later and do some shopping before we left.
After a short wait outside our first restaurant opened up and we went to eat ho-to. Ho-to is a hearty miso-based stew with plenty of vegetables, the key one being big chunks of stewed pumpkin. The dish is filled out with long thick noodles, sort of a flatter udon noodle. With our bowl we had a plate of raw horse meat, and a couple of cold beers to wash it down. I really liked the noodles, made right there in the shop, and it made me want to make my own version when we got back.
From there we walked around some more to make some space in our stomach, and even dropped into a souvenir shop to try some sweet caramel balls (and also a black bean version) that went nicely with hot tea. Next we went to Outsider Brewing to try out the local craft beer scene. We ordered a tasting flight and some garlicky edamame beans – the beans were excellent. Of the beers we liked one particular West Coast IPA, but the others weren’t exactly our style. Still, it is nice to get craft beers more easily in Japan these days.
After a break back at the hotel we went to a lively izakaya for gyoza and an egg dish (we had missed out on eggs for breakfast) to go with some Fuji beer – something I was trying for the first time.
We still wanted to eat some more meat so we found an interesting yakitori restaurant that was just opening and we settled in for some premium chicken on sticks. Usually we like simple when we go out to yakitori, but this place had some great food – especially the wasabi on the chicken breast was excellent. With our beer and sticks we also got some tasty chicken soup, and it was a pretty good stop for us.
With our bellies almost full we decided to end the night with some gelato. Back at the souvenir shops near the station we made it just before closing and had some combo cups of gelato while sitting outside in the cool evening. It was a nice way to wrap up the day. Our hotel this time was nearby and so it was easy to head back upstairs and tuck ourselves into bed. Kofu was delicious.
