As you walk around Oshino Hakkai, the street food stalls lining the ponds are likely to catch your attention almost as much as the clear water.
Around Wakuike Pond and Nakaike Pond, you will find freshly grilled kusamochi, Sanpuku dango, wagyu skewers, salt-grilled river fish, and Yamanashi peaches and Shine Muscat grapes, sold from stalls that give the area the feel of a small festival.
This guide covers the street food at Oshino Hakkai we found while walking the area, along with a route that combines food with the ponds, typical opening hours, how to get there by bus or car, and a place to stay within walking distance.
What Is Street Food at Oshino Hakkai? Snacking Your Way Between the Ponds
Oshino Hakkai is the collective name for eight ponds fed by spring water from Mt. Fuji, and it is one of the component sites of the World Cultural Heritage site Fujisan.
The food stalls are concentrated around Wakuike Pond and Nakaike Pond in the central area. Rather than a dedicated food street, stalls and shops line the paths between the ponds, so you can buy something that looks good, eat it, and keep walking.
With sweets, meat, fish, and fruit all on offer, it is more enjoyable to browse the stalls and choose on the spot than to decide in advance exactly what to eat.
Local Street Food to Try at Oshino Hakkai
Here are some of the street foods we saw during our visit that stood out most. Items vary by season and by shop.
Kusamochi Made with Mt. Fuji Spring Water: Best Eaten Freshly Grilled
One of the first things you will notice at Oshino Hakkai is kusamochi, a rice cake flavored with mugwort. Several shops sell it, and you can eat it freshly grilled.
At Ikemoto, beside Nakaike Pond, glutinous rice grown in Japan is steamed in the shop and combined with Japanese mugwort and sweet red bean paste. The water used to make it is Oshino Hakkai spring water, which comes from underground streams flowing from Mt. Fuji.
Tasting something made with the same water you came to see is part of what makes Oshino Hakkai special. The rice cakes are easy to carry, so they are a good first choice if you only plan to try one thing.
The shop also sells other sweets, such as warabi mochi, ice cream monaka, and a matcha warabi mochi latte.
Sanpuku Dango and Roasted Chestnuts with a Lucky Name
Sanpuku dango is another common sight alongside kusamochi. The name refers to three kinds of good fortune, and the dumplings are slowly grilled over an irori hearth, which gives them a toasty aroma.
The same shop sells roasted chestnuts, and there was a line when we visited. Their simple flavor suits the pond scenery, making them a good option if you would like a light Japanese snack.
For a Taste of Yamanashi: Peaches and Shine Muscat Grapes
Fruit is one of the easiest ways to experience Yamanashi. When we visited in summer, one shop was selling cut peaches to eat on the spot, and they were selling quickly.
Shine Muscat grapes were available at several shops, and one stall was selling steamed corn. Depending on the season, you may also see desserts made with strawberries.
Yamanashi is known for producing peaches and grapes, and the stalls make it easy for visitors to sample small amounts of seasonal fruit.
For Something More Filling: Wagyu Skewers
Wagyu skewers had one of the longest lines during our visit. They are not a traditional local specialty like kusamochi or dango, but they are popular with travelers who want to try wagyu beef in Japan, and both domestic and international visitors were waiting in line.
Other skewers include scallops, eel, beef tongue, lamb, and grilled squid, so there is plenty of choice if you want something savory rather than sweet.
If You Prefer Savory Food: Salt-Grilled Yamame and Rainbow Trout
Salt-grilled river fish is also sold here. We saw whole yamame (masu salmon) and rainbow trout grilled on skewers.
Oshino is known for its Mt. Fuji spring water, and river fish is a fitting local food. The whole grilled fish are easy to recognize and add to the fun of eating while sightseeing. Some shops also sell head-on shrimp and grilled squid.
For a Quick Snack: Large Grilled Senbei and Freshly Fried Isoage
Grilled senbei rice crackers about the size of your face are also hard to miss.
Ikemoto also sells isoage, deep-fried fish cake snacks such as shrimp mayonnaise sticks and potato-and-butter tempura. With fish cakes available in addition to sweets, meat, and fish, it is easy to try a few different things.
A Break During Your Walk: Soft-Serve Ice Cream in Flavors Such as White Peach
For a flavor that reflects Yamanashi, try soft-serve ice cream in white peach or Kyoho grape. Vanilla and ramune soda flavors are also available.
Oshino Hakkai can get warm in summer, and walking to all eight ponds covers a fair distance. Soft-serve ice cream is a convenient treat when you want to take a short break.
How to Combine the Ponds and Street Food
Because the food stalls are concentrated in the central area, we recommend visiting the ponds first and ending with street food in the central area. This reduces the time you spend walking with food in your hands and makes it easier to take photos of the ponds.
Some of the eight ponds are a short distance from the central area, so visiting all of them involves some walking. The features of each pond are covered in our Oshino Hakkai guide.
If you would like a sit-down meal such as soba or hoto noodles, see our guide to lunch spots around Oshino Hakkai.
Oshino Hakkai Street Food: Basic Information and Tips
Time Needed and Typical Opening Hours
Allow about 30 minutes to 1 hour for street food in the central area only, or about 2 hours if you also plan to visit the eight ponds.
Many food stalls are open from around 9:00 a.m. to around 5:00 p.m. and begin closing in the late afternoon. To enjoy the street food, it is best to visit earlier in the day.
| Name | Oshino Hakkai |
|---|---|
| Address | Shibokusa, Oshino-mura, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture |
| Main street food area | Around Wakuike Pond and Nakaike Pond |
| Shop hours | Mostly around 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (varies by shop) |
| Time needed | Street food only: 30 minutes–1 hour / With the ponds: about 2 hours |
| Parking | Private parking lots nearby (about 300 yen per visit) |
Tips for Enjoying Street Food
Popular shops can get crowded, so eating in front of the shop or in a rest area helps you avoid bumping into other visitors.
The pond water is very clear and home to fish. When eating near the ponds, be careful not to drop food into the water, and take your trash with you.
Some small shops and parking lots accept cash only, so it is a good idea to carry some small bills and coins.
Access and Parking
From Tokyo, the Chuo Expressway Bus from Shinjuku (bound for the Fuji Five Lakes area) takes about 2 hours 20 minutes to the Oshino Hakkai bus stop. By train, take a local bus from Mt. Fuji Station on the Fujikyu Railway Line to the Oshino Hakkai or Oshino Hakkai Iriguchi bus stop (about 20 minutes).
From the Lake Kawaguchiko area, a local bus from Kawaguchiko Station takes about 30 minutes. You can also use the Fujikko-go loop bus, which serves Fujiyoshida, Oshino, and Lake Yamanakako.
Buses run infrequently at some times of day, so check the return bus schedule in advance to avoid rushing while you eat.
If you are driving, note that the free village-run parking lot is no longer available. There are many private parking lots around the ponds, and about 300 yen per visit is typical. Some are close to the central food area, such as Obayashi Parking, which has space for about 120 standard cars. Roads in the area can get congested on weekends and holidays, so arriving early is recommended.
Within Walking Distance of the Food Stalls: GLAMP DOME Fuji Oshino, Glamping with Hot Spring Baths
GLAMP DOME Fuji Oshino is about a 20-minute walk from Oshino Hakkai, so you can walk there directly after visiting the ponds and trying the street food.
Each unit is a fully private dome with its own hot spring bath, and dinner options include a glamping barbecue featuring local Yamanashi ingredients and all-you-can-drink wine.
The property also has a riverside tent sauna and a private pool, and the Katsura River flowing past the site is well known for fly fishing.
By train, take a bus bound for Gotemba Station from Mt. Fuji Station (about 12 minutes), get off at the Oshino Shinobi no Sato bus stop, and walk about 1 minute.
| Name | GLAMP DOME Fuji Oshino |
|---|---|
| Location | About a 20-minute walk from Oshino Hakkai |
| Address | 2834 Shibokusa, Oshino-mura, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture |
| Accommodations | Private domes, each with a hot spring bath |
| Highlights | Glamping barbecue, tent sauna, private pool |
| Official website | https://en.glamping-oshino.com/ |
Summary
Oshino Hakkai is known for its clear ponds, and walking through the central area while trying street food is another enjoyable part of a visit.
- For local Oshino Hakkai flavors → Freshly grilled kusamochi made with spring water, and Sanpuku dango
- For a taste of Yamanashi → Seasonal peaches, Shine Muscat grapes, and white peach soft-serve ice cream
- For something filling → Wagyu skewers, salt-grilled river fish, and isoage
- For a relaxed visit → See the ponds first, then head to the central area. Shops begin closing around 5:00 p.m.
Oshino Hakkai offers more than its ponds, so allow extra time to walk around Wakuike Pond and Nakaike Pond. After trying the street food, you can also stay at GLAMP DOME Fuji Oshino, within walking distance, and spend a quiet evening in Oshino.
Recommended Features
-
Discover Yamanashi’s Rice & Onigiri Culture | Where to Taste the Best Local Flavors
-
Enjoy Lunch with a View of Mt. Fuji: Best Morning Spots Around Oshino Hakkai
-
Complete Guide to Fujisan – Mt. Fuji Station
-
[Complete Guide] Enjoy Scenic Views & Nature: A Day Trip to Mt. Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station (with Hotel Recommendations)
-
Yamanashi – Live Cameras, Weather & X【Complete Guide】
-
Travel by Local Trains on the “JR Line” and “Fujikyu Railway” ～ With Quick Fare Guide
