【Fishing and Hot Spring Diner】Tasting "Kozu-grown Yamame Fish Tempura" at the river source restaurant attached to Kozu no Yu, Yamanashi

The author did not have good results in the stream fishing challenge during a break in the rainy season. To heal the exhausted body and mind, I enjoyed the relaxing hot spring and satisfying diner food at "Tama Genryu Onsen Kozu no Yu" in Yamanashi Prefecture.

The super popular Katsuragawa and its tributary Makigawa had many fishermen

and I was totally hooked on stream fishing. Since seeing various landscapes was also a goal, I decided to visit Katsuragawa in Yamanashi Prefecture, a place I hadn't been before. The main stream was too wide for my gear, so I moved to the smaller tributary Makigawa.

Perhaps because it was the weekend, there were signs of previous visitors everywhere. In places where people had fished, it was nearly impossible to catch anything, resulting in a loss of time searching for spots before fishing.

Because of that, I gave up on selecting a location and just entered the river. Despite being a beautiful river, it was full of footprints along the banks, making it unlikely for fish to show themselves. I tried fishing for about two hours, but I was feeling discouraged.

That day, aiming for a catch, I headed towards the upper reaches and points downstream that seemed less popular, but there were cars parked everywhere, leading me to abandon further attempts in this area. Fishing in a place where I had no familiarity, if plans go awry at the first spot, it significantly impacts later attempts.

To refresh my mood, I thought I could quickly reach the direction of Koganesawa via National Route 139.

After giving up on fishing and looking for a place to stop, I discovered a route on National Route 139, aside from the National Route 20 I had used on the way. I was convinced that going to the Kosuge Roadside Station's hot spring via this route was the best plan. To heal my exhausted body and mind, I decided to drive to Kosuge Village.

National Route 139 is a main road that supports the lives of local residents between Otsuki City and Kosuge Village. It connects steep sections and has notable spots, including the Matsuhime Tunnel (3066m long), which passes through the Matsuhime Pass, said to be crossed by Takeda Shingen's daughter, Matsuhime. Since it is an environment where you can drive freely, this day with good weather felt very pleasant while driving.

The sleeping bath at the Kosuge Roadside Station "Tama Genryu Onsen Kosuge no Yu" felt great.

After a comfortable drive, I arrived at the Kosuge Roadside Station. The parking lot was over 80% full, indicating quite a lively atmosphere. Normally, I would want to avoid crowded places, but on this day, that wasn't really an option.

The Tama Genryu Onsen Kosuge no Yu features a slightly cloudy alkaline hot spring that is very pleasant, especially the sleeping bath which allowed me to relax and relieve deep-seated fatigue. Normally I would use the cafeteria inside, but it was quite crowded with families, so I decided to head to the attached restaurant which has plenty of outdoor seating.

Facility Name: Tamagenryu Onsen Kosuge no Yu
Location: 3445 Kosuge Village, Kitatsuru District, Yamanashi Prefecture
Business Hours: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Last reception at 5:20 PM)
Regular Holiday: Every Tuesday (No holidays in August)
TEL: 0428-87-0888
Fees: Adults (middle school students and above) 900 yen; Children (elementary school students and below) 450 yen

Kosuge-produced Yamame crispy fry that alleviated the result of a skunked trip a bit

The takeout-friendly Genryu Restaurant was bustling with outdoor seating, but we managed to find an open table and got seated.

There, I ordered the "Kosuge-produced Yamame crispy fry with homemade tartar sauce" (650 yen). This handmade tartar sauce is exceptional and has the ideal flavor. Even someone as picky about tartar as I am was very satisfied with the taste.

The fried Yamame had no unpleasant odor at all, and the fins and tail were also delicious. Eating the prey that I couldn't catch while chasing helped me a bit to forget the disappointing result of the skunked trip.

That day, by chance, I found an affordable route, leading to an unexpectedly attractive day. Sometimes, spontaneous detours like this aren't so bad.

Facility Name: Genryu Restaurant
Location: 3445 Kosuge Village, Kitatsuru District, Yamanashi Prefecture
Business Hours: Weekdays 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Pizza and Pasta 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM) Weekends and Holidays 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Pizza and Pasta 11:00 AM – 3:30 PM)
Regular Holiday: Closed on Wednesdays (Temporary closures may occur)
TEL: 0428-87-0020

Interview & Text by Kazuma Tanaka

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