[Scenic Touring Road] [Yamanashi Prefecture] Motorcycle trip to the Crystal Line! Traveling alone on a Harley along the highland roads of the Southern Alps
Hello, this is _hiroyuki.ta. This time, I toured by motorcycle from Tokyo to Crystal Line in Yamanashi. I drove about 150km on my beloved Harley-Davidson FLSB Sport Glide. The Crystal Line is a highland road in the Southern Alps of Yamanashi Prefecture, reaching an altitude of approximately 2000 meters in some places. The view is spectacular, and when the air is clear, you can see mountains such as Mt. Fuji and Mt. Yatsugatake. This time, I would like to introduce what the Crystal Line is, what route I took to get there, what kind of attractions there are, and what kind of motorcycle parking lots there are.
The Crystal Line is a 40km highland road that runs from Kofu City to Minami Alps City. Along the way, there are passes such as Kokutoge Pass and Shirane Pass. Kizoku Pass is the highest mountain pass in Yamanashi Prefecture, with an altitude of 2017 meters. Shirane Pass is 1,970 meters above sea level, and from here you can see spectacular views of Mt. Fuji and Mt. Yatsugatake. The Crystal Line is open from spring to fall and closed during the winter. Also, some sections may be closed depending on the time of day or day of the week, so we recommend checking in advance.
From Tokyo to the Crystal Line, take the Shuto Expressway Route 4 Shinjuku Line from the Shuto Expressway Inner Loop Line. Enter Chuo Expressway from Shuto Expressway No. 4 Shinjuku Line. On the Chuo Expressway, exit at Katsunuma IC and enter Kofu City using the Katsunuma Bypass or Old Koshu Kaido. The distance to Crystal Line is approximately 40 km via Fruit Line and Prefectural Route 206. Along the way, there are fruit fields such as grapes and peaches, as well as wineries.
The Crystal Line has many spots where you can enjoy views and nature. At Kizoku Pass, you can see the Southern Alps and Mt. Fuji from the observation deck.
There is no dedicated parking lot for motorcycles on the Crystal Line, but you can park your motorcycle at the observation deck, rest house, and other parking lots. Prices vary depending on location, whether free or paid. If it’s free, there’s the Kizoku Pass Observation Deck. These parking lots can be crowded on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and during the fall foliage season, so we recommend arriving early or checking availability in advance.
Summary
This time, I toured by motorcycle from Tokyo to Crystal Line in Yamanashi. We drove about 150km and were able to fully enjoy the scenery and atmosphere of the highlands. The Crystal Line is a high-altitude road with great views. If you go by bike, you can use the parking lots at the observation deck and rest house, but be careful when it’s crowded. There are many other attractive spots in Yamanashi Prefecture, such as delicious fruits and wine, so I would definitely like to visit again.
[Scenic Touring Road] [Yamanashi Prefecture] Motorcycle trip to the Crystal Line! Traveling alone on a Harley along the highland roads of the Southern Alps
