Thanks to a mild climate, the people were cultivating rice twice each year but its practice has ceased and prefer to cultivate vegetables and fruits. Having many mountains, forestry and paper manufacture are prosperous. Fishing is a traditional activity. The coastal landscape on Pacific Ocean is magnificent. Located at the center of Kofu basin, it has been always regional center since old times.
Traditional industries are silk textiles and crystal works.
Now they are being replaced by precise industries such as camera and watch, and wine factories. The total population is about 200,000. For that reason, the most of buildings were burned down by Taira clan in 1180 but they were restored during Kamakura period. Its treasure house contains invaluable sculptures of this period. Kokura castle was built by Hosokawa Tadaoki in 1603.