Oishi Park
By Andrew Liyan · Last updated: October 9, 2026 · Facts verified: October 9, 2026
Oishi Park (大石公園) is a free lakeside park on the north shore of Lake Kawaguchiko, looking south across the water to Mount Fuji. Its 350-meter flower walk is planted with more than 90 kinds of flowers through the year. The best-known display is lavender, which flowers from about mid-June into mid-July, with the Kawaguchiko Herb Festival from late June to mid-July; the kochia turns red in autumn. The retro sightseeing bus from Kawaguchiko Station takes about 30 minutes.
- Area
- Fujikawaguchiko
- Best Time
- About mid-June to mid-July for lavender; autumn for red kochia; clear mornings for Mount Fuji
- Best For
- Mount Fuji views, Flowers, Photography, Easy stop
What Oishi Park is for
Oishi Park is the north shore's main viewpoint: flowers in front, the lake in the middle and Mount Fuji behind. That is the whole idea, and it works best when the mountain is out, so time the visit around clear weather as much as around the flower calendar.
Lavender usually flowers from about mid-June into mid-July, shifting with each year's weather; Yamanashi's official tourism site places the Herb Festival and the lavender peak from late June to mid-July. In autumn the rounded kochia bushes turn red. The rest of the year the flower walk changes with the season, and the park building, the Kawaguchiko Natural Living Center, has a shop.
Getting to Kawaguchiko, the cruise and the ropeway are covered in the Lake Kawaguchiko guide; this page covers the park itself.
What to do at Oishi Park
Walk the 350-meter flower walk
The flower walk runs along the shore with the lake and Mount Fuji on one side. More than 90 kinds of flowers are planted through the year, so something is usually in bloom outside winter.
Time the lavender
Lavender flowers from about mid-June into mid-July, and the Kawaguchiko Herb Festival runs from late June to mid-July. Weekends in that window are the busiest of the year.
See the red kochia in autumn
The rounded kochia bushes turn red in autumn and make a strong foreground for the mountain on a clear day.
Photograph Mount Fuji across the lake
Mount Fuji sits directly across the water to the south. Go early: the mountain is more often clear in the morning, and the lake is calmer for reflections.
Stop at the Natural Living Center
The park building has a shop selling local products, a useful stop while you wait for the bus back.
How to Get to Oishi Park
Oishi Park is on the north shore of Lake Kawaguchiko, across the lake from Kawaguchiko Station.
From Kawaguchiko Station
The retro sightseeing bus takes about 30 minutes; a taxi takes about 15 minutes. On a dry day, rental bicycles from the station area are another way to follow the shore.
By car
About 15 minutes from the Kawaguchiko Interchange on the Chuo Expressway. The park lot holds about 40 cars.
From Tokyo
Travel to Kawaguchiko Station first by direct train or highway bus; the Lake Kawaguchiko guide covers the options.
- •The retro bus from Kawaguchiko Station takes about 30 minutes; a taxi takes about 15.
- •Parking is limited to about 40 cars, so arrive early in lavender season.
- •Go in the morning for the best chance of a clear Mount Fuji.
Best Time to Visit Oishi Park
About mid-June to mid-July for lavender; autumn for red kochia; clear mornings for Mount Fuji.
- •Lavender flowers from about mid-June to mid-July, with the Herb Festival from late June to mid-July.
- •The rainy season overlaps the lavender, so Mount Fuji is often hidden then; a clear morning is worth waiting for.
- •Kochia turns red in autumn, when the air is clearer than in summer.
The Herb Festival runs from late June to mid-July. Bloom timing shifts with the weather, so check the current year before planning a trip around it.
The kochia bushes turn from green to red; exact timing varies by year.
Fewer flowers, but the clearest air for Mount Fuji across the lake.
Entry Fee & Hours
- •The park and the flower walk are free.
- •The parking lot holds about 40 cars and 7 buses and fills on clear weekends in flower season.
- •Lavender bloom and festival dates vary each year; check the current year before planning around them.
Nearby Attractions
Combine with Oishi Park on the same day
Lake Kawaguchiko
Chureito Pagoda
Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway
Oishi Park in a lake day
Oishi Park works best first thing, before cloud builds over the mountain.
North shore morning
Morning
Retro bus from Kawaguchiko Station to Oishi Park for the flower walk and the view
Late morning
Back toward the east shore of Lake Kawaguchiko for the cruise or the ropeway
Afternoon
Fujikyuko Line to Shimoyoshida for Chureito Pagoda
Frequently Asked Questions
References
View references
Yamanashi Tourism Organization
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