Yamanashi Prefecture is situated approximately in the center of the Japanese Archipelago. To the west of Tokyo, it includes part of the Metropolitan area, the center of the country's political, economic and cultural life. Although it is just 120km from Kofu to Tokyo, the prefecture remains an area of outstanding beauty. It is a treasure house of nature, including a great variety of bird life and alpine plants.
Yamanashi is an inland region, so it has extreme variation in temperature between summer and winter. Last July a maximum temperature of 39.7 degrees Celsius was recorded in Kofu. In winter the temperature can drop to minus 7 degrees Celsius. Typical of geographical basins, summers are hot and humid, and winters are cold.


(2) Population.  Industries.

The population of Yamanashi Prefecture is approximately 900,000.  YGU is situated in Kofu City, which has population of some 200,000.

Fruit growing is one of the main industries in the prefecture. It is a leading center for the production of grapes, peaches and cherries. Building on its strength as a grape growing area, it has also become famous for winemaking. Ever since crystal deposits were discovered in the mid-Edo Period there has also been a thriving jewel-polishing industry and it is now one of the leading jewelry industry areas in the world.
Tourism is another major industry, driven by the natural beauty of the region. Although only the 32nd largest region in the country, Yamanashi has as many as four national parks. The mountains that surround the prefecture include the world-famous Mount Fuji.