Kōshū, Yamanashi Prefecture, Chūbu Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Kōshū is a city located in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. The city is the home of the indigenous Koshu grape and is synonymous with viticulture and wine production in Japan.

Geography Kōshū is in north-eastern Yamanashi Prefecture, occupying the eastern portion of the Kofu Basin. Parts of the city are within the borders of the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park. The peak of Mount Daibosatsu, 2057 meters, is within the city limits.

Rivers • Fuefuki River • Omo River(Yamanashi) • Hi River.

Neighboring municipalities • Yamanashi Prefecture ◦ Yamanashi; ◦ Fuefuki; ◦ Ōtsuki; ◦ Kosuge; ◦ Tabayama; • Saitama Prefecture ◦ Chichibu.

History Kōshū is located near the centre of ancient Kai Province and contains many ruins from the Jōmon period and burial mounds from the Kofun period. During the Heian period, the area was developed in shōen under control of the Minamoto clan, which devolved into feudal holdings by the Nikaido clan and later the Takeda clan from the Kamakura through Sengoku periods. During the Edo period, all of Kai Province was tenryō territory under direct control of the Tokugawa shogunate. Following the Meiji restoration, the area was organized into villages within Yamanashi District of Yamanashi Prefecture, which was later divided into Higashiyamanashi District and Nishiyamanashi District Many of these villages were consolidated into the city of Enzan, the town of Katsunuma, and the village of Yamato by April 1, 1955. The modern city of Kōshū was established on November 1, 2005, from the merger of these three municipalities.

Government Kōshū has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 18 members. The city supplies two members to the Yamanashi Prefectural Assembly.

Economy Most of the area of the city is agricultural, and is especially known for its production of peaches, grapes and wine.

Education Kōshū has 14 public elementary schools and six public junior high schools operated by the city government and one public high school operated by the Yamanashi Prefectural Board of Education. Then prefectural also operates the Yamanashi Industrial Technology Junior College.

Places • Katsunuma clan residence ruins, a National Historic Site • Daizen-ji, Buddhist temple with a Yakushi-do designated as a National Treasure • Kaikinzan gold mines, Sengoku period mine and National Historic Site • Shakado Museum Of Jomon Culture • Mitake Shōsenkyō, River gorge and nationally designated Special Place of Scenic Beauty • Erin-ji, Buddhist temple with Japanese garden designed as a national Place of Scenic Beauty • Kōgaku-ji, Buddhist temple with Japanese garden designed as a national Place of Scenic Beauty

Events Every year in autumn the "Koshu Fruit Marathon" is held. While it is called a "marathon" (the word is commonly used in Japan to describe races of varying distances) it actually consists of several shorter races, a 3.5 family race, a 10 km race, a half-marathon, and a 23 km race.

Transport: Rail • East Japan Railway Company - Chūō Main Line; ◦ Kai-Yamato - Katsunuma-budōkyō – Enzan

Transport: Road • Chūō Expressway • National Route 20 • National Route 140 • National Route 411.