Cherry Picking at the Horiuchi Garden in Yamanashi, Japan

Yamanashi Prefecture, home to Mount Fuji, is a beautiful area to camp and take in the fresh mountain air, soak in natural onsens, sip on the area wine and go fruit picking. We stayed in the Koshu area about an hour and a half drive from Tokyo (about an hour from Fujikawaguchiko) and visited the Horiuchi Garden (堀内園芸). Cherry picking season was underway and the kids couldn`t wait to pick some Japanese cherries. The Horiuchi Garden offers Cherry picking from May to the mid July; Peach picking from July to mid-August; Greenhouse Grape Picking from mid April to mid July; and Open Field Grape Picking from mid-July to mid-August.

We called ahead to confirm they still had cherries for picking (two shops said all the cherries had already been picked for the day), placed their number in the car navigation and were on our way. After payment (2000 yen for adults; 1000 yen for kids aged 4 years and up; 3 years and under free) they led us through their vast peach and grape gardens then uphill to their cherry and peach greenhouse. Their peaches had ripened early so they allowed us to pick both cherries and peaches. The kids loved it.

Horiuchi Garden (堀内園芸) Details:

Greenhouse Cherry Picking May to mid July.
Fee: May 3000 yen per adult; June 2000 yen per adult
1000 yen for kids older than 3 years.
Peach picking July to mid-August
Fee: 1200 yen per adult
Greenhouse Grape Picking mid April – mid July AND Open Field Grape Picking mid-July to mid-August
Fee: 1200 yen per adult
*3 year olds and under Free.

Hours: 8:00 – 17:00 Daily All-you-can-eat for 40 min.
Address: 1866 Horinouchi, Yamanashi, Yamanashi Prefecture (〒405-0046 山梨県山梨市堀内1866)
Phone: 05-5322-5978
Access: 10 min by taxi from the JR Chuo Line Yamanashishi Station. By car, 25 min from the Katsunuma I.C. Place the phone number in the car navigation and it will take you to the garden (ほりうち Horiuchi).
Website: http://www.fruits.jp/~horiuchi-cherry/
Parking: Free.

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