Seasonal guide · October to December
Mikan picking in Yugawara.
Every autumn the orchards on the hills above town open for picking. Eat as many sweet Yugawara mikan as you like, looking out over Sagami Bay, for ¥500.
When to go
Yugawara's mikan ripen from early October, while the hills from Oku-Yugawara up to Hakone turn red. In 2026 the orchards open Sat 10 Oct – Thu 17 Dec, 9:00–15:00.
The office closes in rain and bad weather, and nobody picks up the phone on those days, so check the forecast before you set out.
How it works
Start at the office
The mikan picking office is under the JR railway bridge by the Chitose River (5-22-14 Doi). Pay there, and staff drive you out to the orchards. You can't drive to the orchards yourself.
Eat all you like
In the orchard, eat as many as you like: adults ¥500, children ¥400, under school age ¥300. Mikan to take home are extra.
Coming by train
Call the office on 0465-63-1920 (9:00–15:00) for a pickup from Yugawara Station. If there's no answer, they may be driving other guests; try again a little later.
By car
On Route 135, turn at the Yugawara Onsen Iriguchi lights and follow the road along the Chitose River until you reach the JR railway bridge. The office is underneath it.
Make a day of it
The office closes at 15:00, which leaves the rest of the day for a bath. Hotel Shiroyama, two minutes from the station, takes day bathers until 22:30. From mid-November to early December, the maples at Ikemine are worth the trip up the valley.
Hotel Shiroyama · All onsen · Ikemine maples · Food and drink
Quick answers
- When is mikan picking season in Yugawara?
In 2026 the orchards open Sat 10 Oct – Thu 17 Dec. The office is open 9:00–15:00 every day of the season, except in rain or bad weather.
- How much does it cost?
Adults ¥500, children ¥400, under school age ¥300, and you can eat as many as you like in the orchard. Mikan to take home cost extra.
- Can I drive to the orchards?
No. Park at the mikan picking office under the JR bridge by the Chitose River, and staff drive you out to the orchards.
- I'm coming by train. How do I get there?
Call the office on 0465-63-1920 (9:00–15:00) and they'll pick you up from Yugawara Station. If no one answers, they may be out driving guests; try again a little later.