Hello, this is Yoshimoto from Circles Tokyo.
This might come out of the blue, but have you heard of the Kita-Fuji Maneuver Ground?
Located in an area spanning Fujiyoshida City and Yamanakako Village in Yamanashi Prefecture, it is a vast property established for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force to conduct various military exercises and live-fire training.
It is easily accessible, just a short drive from the Yamanakako Interchange on the Higashi-Fujigoko Road. Despite being only **an hour and a half from Tokyo** and about **three hours from Nagoya**, the site covers approximately 4,600 hectares. It boasts a scale so immense it's hard to even imagine—roughly equivalent to 1,000 Tokyo Domes.
I had gathered information that there is no asphalt paving inside the training ground at all, only endless gravel.
It’s a place I’ve been wanting to visit ever since I moved to Tokyo, but because of the high hurdles involved (which I will mention later), it was a place I hadn't been able to visit easily.
This time, there was a rare weekday opening, so I was finally able to go!
Why are we, as ordinary cyclists, able to ride in such a place?
I would like to introduce the historical origins, as well as the fundamental rules required to step foot inside.
Why can we enter the Kita-Fuji Maneuver Ground?
Like other maneuver grounds, the Kita-Fuji area is strictly managed, but this vast space stretching across the foothills of Mount Fuji is covered in expansive gravel.
To begin with, why can ordinary people like us enter a Self-Defense Force facility? Let’s unravel the historical background.
This land is not originally owned by the government, but is an area known as **"Onshirin" (Imperial Gift Forest)**, which is the communal property of local municipalities.
The structure is such that the Onshirin Association, which manages this vast land, leases it to the government.
Because of this, the rights of local residents to maintain the forest and gather wild vegetables are guaranteed, which is why the government provides designated access days where the gates are periodically opened.
Because of the origin of this land and its unique legal status, we cyclists are also able to step foot here as a special exception by **following established rules and procedures**.
How to Enter and Access Days
Due to the arrangement where the Onshirin Association leases the land to the government, this maneuver ground cannot be ridden freely at any time.
On days when the Self-Defense Force is not conducting training—in principle, Sundays and holidays—access days are set to ensure the activities of local residents.
For us cyclists to enter on these days, it is necessary to go through an application process in advance for a permit called an **"Nyuzan Kansatsu" (Mountain Entry License)**.
It is important to note here that the application desk is not at the local municipal office, but at the aforementioned Onshirin Association office.
The license itself costs 500 yen to issue and is valid for two months once obtained.
However, the association's office is generally only open on **weekdays from 8:30 AM to 5:15 PM**.
On weekends and holidays, the office is closed—except for a very limited time in the morning—because staff are out on patrol, which makes getting a same-day license quite difficult.
Therefore, if you want to ride on a weekend access day, please keep the following points in mind:
・Aim for a weekday when the office is open and have a representative apply in advance for everyone in the group.
・Plan your schedule with plenty of time and don't miss the office’s operating hours.
These two are the most reliable methods.
It might feel like a bit of a hassle, but once you understand the origin of this land and its legal relationship, you will see that these are only natural rules.
Having the **mindset that we are guests** in a forest framework that local people have protected for many years, and following the established procedures accurately, is a crucial prerequisite for us to be allowed to ride in this special field continuously.
This time, because it was a rare weekday opening, the Onshirin Association office was operational, and I was able to get the license issued after arriving without being constrained by time.
Off to the vast gravel
Once the procedures were complete, we were ready to go. This time, we entered through a gate located on the northwest side of the Kita-Fuji Maneuver Ground, close to the Onshirin Association.
The moment you cross the gate, you are greeted by the magnificent scenery at the foot of Mount Fuji and gravel of overwhelming scale. All the participants seemed to be blown away by the intensity, and unconsciously, we found ourselves pedaling faster than usual.
The gravel stretches on and on. It even creates the illusion that you are riding on gravel overseas. The vast grasslands as far as the eye can see and the repetitive ups and downs of the path feel just like UNBOUND GRAVEL.
The maneuver ground is composed of large main roads and smaller paths branching off from them. The main roads are hard-packed with fine gravel, likely used for transporting equipment.
The smaller paths, on the other hand, offer a variety of surface conditions characteristic of a training ground: volcanic lava, packed earth, rocky debris, and even tank trails with tread marks, which is part of the appeal.
Since the site spreads out in a conical shape with Mount Fuji at the center, the paths towards the mountain always have an incline. The elevation difference from the entrance to the higher paths on the Fuji side is about 350m.
The layout is such that if you climb straight, you’re looking at continuous 7–10% gravel grades. This time, we headed toward the Odo-bori ditch directly below the map, climbing and traversing repeatedly to gradually gain elevation.
Sudden weather shift and a mountain baptism
Along the way, we encountered signs with strange words like "maneuver road" and targets from target practice still riddled with bullet holes.
We even caught a glimpse of Mount Fuji, which had been covered in clouds, looking beautiful for just a moment!
However...
About an hour and a half into the ride, we reached the highest point. Contrary to the excitement of looking forward to the gravel descent, the weather suddenly turned into a storm.
So much for the forecast of 1mm of light rain; we were caught in a downpour of hail that felt like guerrilla rain.
Of course, there was nowhere to hide inside the maneuver ground. We rushed down to the foot of the mountain with frozen bodies, our hands and faces red and swollen from the hail.
Yes, this was a mountain over 1,000m high. Not only were there no bike repair tools, but there were no vending machines, no water stations, no toilets, and absolutely no places to shelter from the rain and wind on the course.
I was painfully reminded that this is a field that demands "complete self-sufficiency" when dealing with Mother Nature.
Warming up our frozen bodies in the CYCL sauna
Originally, we had planned to finish the ride by stopping by the crystal-clear springs of Oshino Hakkai or visiting local restaurants, intending to fully enjoy the charm of the northern foothills of Fuji, but those plans had to be canceled.
To deal with our bodies frozen to the core by the hail and rain, we rushed to the sauna facility CYCL near Lake Yamanaka.
Warming ourselves from the inside out in a sauna room where we could enjoy self-löyly, followed by a cool-down in a bath of natural underground Mount Fuji water, and then relaxing on an infinity chair while gazing at the view of the mountain—which now looked as if the bad weather had never happened—was the perfect way to recover.
It was the ultimate way to end the ride!
With thorough information gathering, understanding of the rules, and proper equipment preparation tailored to the environment, you can experience a variety of gravel on a scale rarely seen in Japan, just an hour and a half from Tokyo.
While this time we received a "mountain baptism" in the form of rapidly changing weather, learning how to keep your gear functioning reliably in unpredictable natural environments and dealing with the challenges is a real, authentic pleasure of using a bicycle.
Many customers have told me they were interested but didn't take the first step due to a lack of information, so please use this as a reference and go check it out! I’m already planning my own revenge ride!