Hanayoi Glass Studio

Cherry trees sprouted from the seeds of the Jindai cherry tree in Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, traveled to space with astronaut Koichi Wakata in 2008 and were planted in Seki Park on April 6th, 2019 through the Kibou (Hope) Cherry Blossom Project, which aims to plant cherry trees in municipalities affected by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. The decision to plant the trees in Yoshikawa City was a result of (1) the children's communication with astronaut Kanai Yoshishige in space, (2) dispatching staff to Iitate Village in Fukushima Prefecture, which was evacuated after the 2011 earthquake, and (3) the desire to pass on to future generations an explanation of the damage caused by Typhoon Kathleen from 70 years ago. The Sakura Festival is held at Seki Park every March.

From the top of the park's symbol, the 16-meter high "Yoshikawa Mount Fuji," you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city. On a clear day, you can see the Tokyo Sky Tree and, if you're lucky, even the real Mount Fuji! Most of the park is covered with a green lawn making the park feel spacious and open.

In 1187, the Yoshikawa clan reestablished this shrine as the Ujigami Suwa Shrine for indigenous deities. The shrines within the precincts include Yasaka Shrine, Furumine Shrine, Inari Shrine, Matsuo Shrine, Yoshikawa Tenmangu Shrine, Suijingu Eight Great Dragons, and Shikato Daimyojin. The old Shimotsuma Highway runs behind the shrine, and a Japanese bay tree in front of the precincts and a large camphor tree in the rear tell the shrine's long history. Every July, the shrine holds the Yasaka Festival, which has a history of about 400 years. The highlight is the "abare mikoshi," portable shrines that are carried and thrown high above the heads of the bearers for a spectacular sight.

A well-established Japanese sweets shop in Yoshikawa City that has been in business for 60 years. It was relocated to behind Yoshikawa Shrine and reopened in 2019. The famous "Namazu Manju," made from homemade red bean paste cooked with a rare attention to detail, makes for a perfect souvenir. We also recommend the "Namazu Monaka" to compare the taste of smooth and coarse red bean paste, and the dango (rice flour dumplings) made fresh to order.

This is a long-established rice cracker shop known for its large signboard. The cute "namazu sembei (rice cracker)" in the shape of a catfish symbolize Yoshikawa, the home of the catfish, and is a popular souvenir. Another favorite with many repeat customers are the Yoshikawa Chips, made with 100% Yoshikawa-grown rice flour and deep-fried in a secret recipe of soy sauce and vegetable oil. Both products have been certified as premium brands by Yoshikawa City.